Gurmat Camp Inspires Sikh Youth To Live With Purpose
India-West Staff Reporter
ROCKVILLE, MD – Over 110 Sikh youth, aged 7 to 17, from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area participated in the annual Gurmat Camp, held here. The six-day camp, organized by the Guru Gobind Singh Foundation (GGSF), focused on the life and teachings of Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru.
With a theme of “Guru Ram Das Ji: Humility, Seva, and Spiritual Leadership,” the camp provided a structured curriculum for four age groups. Participants studied Guru Ram Das’s hymns, including “Mere Heearay Ratan Naam Har Vaasia” and the “Laavan,” to understand how his teachings provide guidance for living a purposeful life. The curriculum highlighted the Guru’s role in establishing the city of Amritsar as a model of inclusivity and his message of aligning one’s life with divine will and humility.
Dr. Rajwant Singh, GGSF Secretary and a Gurmat teacher at the camp, emphasized the camp’s goal: “This camp was an effort to bring Guru Ram Das Ji’s message alive for the next generation. We wanted our campers to not only study his words but feel inspired to live them—by serving others, practicing discipline, and becoming leaders rooted in compassion.”
Daily sessions included classes on Kirtan (devotional singing), tabla, and Sikh martial arts. Participants also engaged in daily reflections, workshops on service and humility, and discussions on community building. These sessions, along with group discussions, encouraged campers to apply Gurmat principles to modern-day challenges like peer pressure and social media.
The camp featured a team of nearly 35 counselors, comprising college students and young professionals. Hargurpreet Singh, the camp coordinator, noted, “Our goal was to make Sikhi real and relevant. Campers learned that being a Sikh means leading with love, courage, and humility in everyday life.”
The week culminated in a special divaan and camper-led presentations for families, where youth showcased their skills in shabad singing and shared their personal reflections.
