Introduction: Historical Legacies, Contemporary Political Dynamics, and Future Challenges of the SGPC and SAD at their Centennial Anniversary

Abstract

ABSTRACT The SGPC and SAD have been two of the Sikh community's premier religious/political institutions in Punjab, India over the past century. They have helped define the parameters of Sikh ethnic/religious identity and have represented Sikh political interests in both colonial and postcolonial democratic India. In contemporary politics, the SAD faces multiple challenges including upholding its founding principle of representing and defending the Sikh Panth, while concurrently competing effectively with the ‘catch-all' Congress Party in Punjab’s sociologically-diverse electorate. This special themed issue of Sikh Formations examines the historical legacies, contemporary dynamics, and future challenges of both the SGPC and SAD.