Members Pen Portraits

Professor (Dr) Daljit Singh Virk OBE, PhD, DSc (Birmingham), CBiol FRSB, a geneticist and retired university professor with more than 40 years’ experience of teaching and research, and managing dozens of international research projects for food security through the DFID and other international agencies in many countries in South Asia and Africa while at Bangor University, UK.

Impact of his research on poverty reduction abroad and contributions to education were recognised in Queen’s Honours of 2019 with an OBE award. He has guided several higher degree students and published several books and hundreds of research papers. He is Head of Education at the Singh Sabha Gurdwara, Derby. He is the inspiration behind Akaal Primary School who organised, coordinated and led the Governing team since July 2013. He is also a member of Akaal academy Trust Derby Ltd. He is a practising Sikh and is well versed in Sikh history, scriptures, traditions and practices. He is a popular Sikh speaker and writer. He regularly takes part in Sikh televisions’ discussions on socio-religious topics.

In January 2021 Daljit accepted the position of a Member in the Sikh Academy Trust, Slough in recognition of the assistance he had provided in setting up this new Trust.

Chatarpreet Singh has been working at BT since 2008 and is a very experienced technical leader.

He has had the opportunity to work his way up the corporate structure, and is now looking to help and support the Akaal Primary School to help its children fulfil their ambitions.

He is well known for his contributions to the Sikh Community in UK. He is the founder trustee of Singh Sabha Gurdwara, Derby and one in Great Barr Birmingham and is the General Secretary of the former.

He is the founder President of National Sikh Heritage Centre and Holocaust Museum at Derby. He is office bearer of a couple of charitable humanitarian organisations serving the poor and disabled people in South Asia.

He is a successful entrepreneur in textiles and printing businesses. He is the Editor of a Punjabi weekly ‘Panjab Times International’ in UK and is a regular panel member on Sikh TV channels in UK.

Value based education is his passion for which he facilitated the Sunday Punjabi School and Sikhi teaching at Singh Sabha Gurdwara, as well as at Akaal Primary School.