SGPC to start Gurbani telecast on YouTube from July 24, efforts afoot to start Satellite Channel

Amritsar: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has approved to start Gurbani broadcast from Sachkhand Sri Harmandar Sahib on its own web channel from July 24, 2023. The report of the sub-committee constituted in this regard was presented today in the special meeting of the SGPC’s Executive Committee (EC), which has been unanimously accepted by the members present. The EC has also decided to start SGPC’s own satellite channel.

Speaking to the media after the EC meeting, SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami said that the Gurbani broadcast agreement with GNext Media (PTC channel) is expiring on July 23, 2023, after which the SGPC will start Gurbani broadcast services through its own YouTube channel and other web/social media platforms from July 24. He said that the SGPC received an order from Sri Akal Takht Sahib to start its own YouTube channel, following which a sub-committee was formed and the process has been completed.

“As these tasks are technical, therefore, various aspects were discussed and for the time being, the sub-committee has recommended taking services of a company on monthly charges, which has been approved by the Executive Committee”, said Harjinder Singh Dhami. He clarified that the services being taken by the company are related to required technology, equipment, and staff, while the broadcast rights will remain with the SGPC.

He said that all the rights of Gurbani broadcast will be reserved with the SGPC only and no channel, YouTube channel, website, or social media platform will be able to broadcast Gurbani at their own will.

Harjinder Singh Dhami said that the name of the SGPC’s web/YouTube channel for the Gurbani broadcast will be ‘Sachkhand Sri Harmandir Sahib Sri Amritsar’ and the logo of the ‘SGPC’ will be used on it.

Regarding setting up the SGPC’s own satellite channel, the SGPC President said that in-principle approval has also been given to start this work and a letter has been written to the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting as part of the preliminary action. In this regard, a request will also be made to the MIB minister to provide an appointment to the SGPC delegation.

He also said that since this work is technical, the services of experts will also be taken. “A systematic approach will be followed to obtain SGPC’s own license to operate the satellite channel. If it is necessary to set up a separate company for this purpose, then the process will be completed for that also”, said Harjinder Singh Dhami.

Present in the EC meeting included SGPC senior vice-president Baldev Singh Qaimpur, junior vice-president Avtar Singh Raya, general secretary Bhai Gurcharan Singh Grewal, EC members Jarnail Singh Kartarpur, Surjit Singh Tughalwal, Bawa Singh Gumanpura, Bibi Gurinder Kaur Bholuwala, Gurnam Singh Jassal, Paramjit Singh Khalsa, Sher Singh Mandwala, Baba Gurpreet Singh Randhawa and Malkit Singh Changal, SGPC secretary Partap Singh, OSD Satbir Singh Dhami, additional secretaries Sukhminder Singh, Gurinder Singh Mathrewal, and Simarjit Singh, assistant secretary Shahbaz Singh, in-charge Harbhajan Singh Vakta, Azaddeep Singh and others.

Letter handed over to Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib with information about decision of broadcasting Gurbani
After the EC meeting, a delegation of all the EC office-bearers and members led by SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami met Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib Giani Raghbir Singh and handed him over a letter regarding the decision taken to broadcast Gurbani on the SGPC’s own YouTube channel. About this, Harjinder Singh Dhami said that the SGPC respects every order of Sri Akal Takht Sahib.

On the occasion of handing over the information letter to the Jathedar Sri Akal Takht Sahib, along with the SGPC President, all the EC office-bearers, members of the channel sub-committee Bhai Gurcharan Singh Grewal, Bhai Rajinder Singh Mehta, Kulwant Singh Mannan, a and Sarvan Singh Kular and SGPC members Bhai Manjit Singh, Surjit Singh Bhittewad, Bhai Ram Singh, Mangwinder Singh Khaparkheri, Harpal Singh Jalla, Bibi Jasbir Kaur Jaffarwal, and other key officials were present.

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