US exec emotional at son’s 1st turban tying-moment, invokes ideals of Sikhism & inclusivity

Innovation takes place when multiple ideas are thrown together. And, multiple ideas stem from different perspectives, and diverse vantage points emerge from people from different walks of life.

Amardeep Singh, Vice-President of Programs, at the US-based philanthropic fundraising company - Proteus Fund - took to his LinkedIn account to share a heartwarming post that kindled the notions of inclusivity. The post, which has garnered over 40K likes, is about a deeply personal moment. Singh, a Sikh, shared a note on the occasion of his son wearing his first full turban.

The Rutgers University Alumnus began his post by stating that many may have seen their co-workers sporting the Sikh turban, and it would have piqued their curiosity. This curiosity according to Singh was mostly about what the Sikh turban symbolised.


Singh in his post shared that he tied his eldest son Azaad’s first full turban. The VP said that he was in tears towards the end and reminded his son of the significance of the turban. According to Singh, the turban was a daily reminder to keep working towards upholding the Sikh values of love, honour, compassion and selflessness.


He told his son that to wear a turban was an honour and the person who wears it should be honourable. “I was in tears near the end as I told him that his turban, when he wears it, is his daily external reminder to keep working towards upholding internal Sikh values of love, honour, compassion, and selflessness. I told him that to wear a turban is an honour and the person who wears it should be honourable. I needed to draw my voice to a whisper as I said his ancestors fought to wear this honour on their heads and now it’s his time to carry on this tradition,” Singh wrote in his emotional post.

Singh went on to share the emotional reaction of his mother whom he called on FaceTime to share the joyous moment. His post attracted some of heartwarming reactions, including many congratulating and while maining hailing him for inspiring them.

“When I brought him to his Mom and Vavo (short for grandmother in Portugese), they both cried. Now I don’t know whether Azaad — his name means freedom — will make a choice that’s his to make about whether he wants to wear a turban as an adult,” said the former researcher with Human Rights Watch.

Singh said that as a parent it was his duty to love and support Azad unconditionally. “But today I was proud, and Azaad was smiling. Today the tradition lived thousands of miles away and hundreds of years since its origins. Today our Azaad is his ancestor’s wildest dreams. Feeling blessed,” he concluded his post.

In 2022, inclusivity celebrates the notion of having people from all backgrounds under one roof, working in unison towards a collective goal. Corporations worldwide have been developing policies towards creating an inclusive environment - one that fosters a sense of equality among all.