Indian Sikh Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak in Punjab in the 15th century. Most Sikh families in Birmingham trace their roots to Punjab in India, and many came in the 1950s and 1960s to work in the city's foundries and factories. Others came via East Africa, and new generations continue to arrive.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 25,427 Birmingham residents of Indian heritage gave their religion as Sikh; and 33,126 residents gave their religion as Sikh.

Working for Birmingham

Sikh Brummies work as doctors, dentists, pharmacists, engineers, lawyers, teachers, police officers and business owners, and Sikh builders, electricians and tradespeople have helped to build and maintain homes across the city. Sikh-run businesses employ thousands of people.

Much of the work that keeps Birmingham moving happens out of sight: the night shift on a hospital ward, the early start on a building site, the plumber who fixes a boiler on a winter evening, the teaching assistant who helps a child learn to read. People from every community in the city do these jobs, and Indian Sikh residents are part of that everyday effort to make Birmingham a better place to live.

Culture and community life

Langar, the free community kitchen found in every gurdwara, serves hot meals to anyone who walks in, whatever their faith. Vaisakhi brings tens of thousands to Handsworth Park each spring, and the gurdwaras on and around Soho Road are at the heart of community life.

Birmingham's strength lies in its variety, and the Indian Sikh community is a welcome part of it. As the city continues to grow and change, that contribution will remain part of the story of a place that has always looked forward.