22 May, 2025
We are deeply honoured to welcome Professor Eleanor Nesbitt, Emerita Professor of the University of Warwick, to present her magisterial book SIKH: Two Centuries of Western Women’s Art & Writing, in conversation with Professor Simran Jeet Singh, Assistant Professor in Interreligious Histories at Union Theological Seminary, USA.
About the book: Professor Nesbitt introduces readers to an eclectic cast of remarkable women from different walks of life. Among these women are figures like daring big game hunters, novelists, poets, photographers, and even a flamenco dancer who transformed into a maharani. Their stories reveal vibrant and often deeply personal encounters with Sikh culture.
This monumental collection brings together the forgotten voices of 170 Western women who formed fascinating connections with the Sikh culture. From queens and missionaries to spies, nurses, journalists, and artists, these women played remarkable roles—yet their experiences have been overshadowed in male-dominated historical narratives. Their unique perspectives, drawn from a rich mix of personal encounters, offer a human touch to major historical events, battles, and religious transformations.
This magnificent work also brings together for the first time a stunning collection of over 440 rare illustrations, including sketches, paintings, and photographs, many of which were created by the women themselves. These visuals capture the essence of their journeys and highlight their artistic contributions to recording Sikh history.
This volume is a special, limited-edition release, available exclusively from www.kashihouse.com.
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Here are more details about this fascinating event.
Title: SIKH: Two Centuries of Western Women’s Art & Writing
Author: Dr Eleanor Nesbitt, Professor Emerita at the University of Warwick
Author’s Biography: Dr Eleanor Nesbitt, an Emeritus Professor at the University of Warwick, is an acclaimed expert in Sikh Studies. Her many publications include Sikhism: A Very Short Introduction (2nd ed. 2016, Oxford University Press). Professor Nesbitt co-founded the UK Punjab Research Group in 1984 and the Journal of Punjab Studies (now Journal of Sikh and Punjab Studies). She is co-editor of Brill’s Encyclopedia of Sikhism. In 2021, she was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of California Riverside for her contribution to Sikh and Punjab Studies. Professor Nesbitt is a member of the editorial boards of Religions of South Asia and Fieldwork in Religions. Her ethnographic research has focused on the religious socialisation of young people from Christian, Hindu, Sikh and ‘mixed-faith’ families. She has often featured on BBC radio and has been a consultant for radio and TV programmes.
Chair: Professor Simran Jeet Singh is an Assistant Professor of Interreligious Histories at Union Theological Seminary and Senior Advisor for the Aspen Institute’s Religion & Society Program. He is the national bestselling author of The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life (Riverhead, Penguin Random House), and he hosts the new podcast, Wisdom & Practice, which is produced in partnership with PRX and The Aspen Institute.
Date: 22 May, 2025
Time: 18:00-19:00 BST | 19:00-20:00 CET | 10:00-11:00 PST | 13:00-14:00 EST
Venue: Online
Professor Eleanor Nesbitt introduces her book Sikh: Two Centuries of Western Women’s Art & Writing
https://warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/warwick_professor_uncovers
