Lt. Col. Sajjan Makes History As First Canadian Sikh To Take Command Of BC Regiment

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Lt.-Col. Sajjan joined the British Columbia Regiment as a Trooper in 1989 and was commissioned in the Regiment in 1991.   He was promoted to Captain in 1995 and to Major in 2005.  Lt.-Col. Sajjan has served in Bosnia-Herzegovina as well as three deployments to Afghanistan, most recently in November 2010 he was requested to serve as the Special Assistant to US Army Major-General James Terry, Commanding General of 10th Mountain Division and Commander of Regional Command South.

By R. Paul Dhillon

VANCOUVER – Lt. Col. Harjit Singh Sajjan has made history by becoming the first Sikh in Canada to take command of a British Columbia regiment.

In a historic ceremony, a change of command in the British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught’s Own) took place last Saturday, September 11 at the Beatty Street Armoury in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Lt.-Col. Bruce Kadanoff relinquished command of the regiment to Lt.-Col. Harjit Singh Sajjan, who has taken over as Commanding Officer of the Regiment.

The World Sikh Organization was the first to offer their congratulations to Lt.-Col Sajjan and his parents, Kundan Singh Sajjan and Vidya Kaur Sajjan, who are long time members of the WSO . Kundan Singh currently serves on WSO’s National Executive.

WSO President Prem Singh Vinning, who attended the Change of Command ceremony said, “this is a proud moment for all Canadian Sikhs.  Lt. Col. Sajjan is an inspiration to young Sikhs and he shows just how much a part of Canada Sikhs are today.”

WSO’s British Columbia Vice President Gurdit Singh Rangi said, “It’s very symbolic and appropriate that for the first time a Canadian Sikh has been given the command of a Canadian army regiment and it is the British Columbia Regiment.  Sikhs have been here for well over 100 years and this year we are also celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the founding of the Abbotsford Gurdwara.  Today’s ceremony is another milestone that reminds us just how far Canadian Sikhs have come.”

Lt.-Col. Sajjan joined the British Columbia Regiment as a Trooper in 1989 and was commissioned in the Regiment in 1991.   He was promoted to Captain in 1995 and to Major in 2005.  Lt.-Col. Sajjan has served in Bosnia-Herzegovina as well as three deployments to Afghanistan, most recently in November 2010 he was requested to serve as the Special Assistant to US Army Major-General James Terry, Commanding General of 10th Mountain Division and Commander of Regional Command South.

Established in 1883, the regiment is said to be the oldest military unit in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and has received forty battle honours in its history, and has been a formation of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps since 1942.

Sajjan was born in Punjab and moved to Canada with his parents at the age of five and his most recent deployment to Afghanistan was in November 2010 .

In the course of his deployments Sajjan was awarded a Mentioned-in-Dispatches, Commander in Chief Commendation, two Chief of Defence Staff Commendations and a US Army Commendation. He is also the recipient of the Deputy Minister’s (National Defence) Award.

Prior to joining army, Sajjan was a police officer for 11 years with the Vancouver Police Department. He completed his last assignment as a Detective specializing in organized crime in the Gang Crime Unit. He also spent five years as a certified Technical Search Specialist with Vancouver’s Heavy Urban Search and Rescue Team.

Father of two children, Sajjan is married to Kuljit Kaur, a medical physician, and they reside in Vancouver.

With News Files