Surinder Singh Saimbhi, a prominent and well respected member of the Sikh community in Leeds, passed away after a short illness on the 15 July 2012 with his family around him, at Queens Hospital in Burton on Trent, Derbyshire.  He was 70 years of age.

Surinder, affectionately referred to by many as ‘Shinde’, was born in Eldoret, Kenya, where he grew up and studied. His early life was spent in Kenya and his first job was with the East African Railways. This work gave him the opportunity to work in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Wherever he went, he made many friends and people were always drawn to his warm and sincere personality. He maintained his friendships and remained in contact with them throughout his life. After leaving the Railway, he also spent some time working at The Tea Hotel in Kericho and then at Jones &Jones Solicitors in Nakuru as an Accounts Manager.

Surinder married his wife, Mohinder, in 1959 and he brought his family to England in 1974, settling in Leeds, West Yorkshire. He continued his work in accounts with Dunlop and Ranken and then with Bass Breweries. He was later transferred to their Head Office in Burton on Trent where he then moved with his wife and they settled to a happy life in a new town where again they very quickly made friends and became very respected and much loved members of the local  community. He retired in 2006 and was commended by his employers for over 25 years of excellent service.

Throughout his many years in Leeds and Burton, he contributed a vast amount of time to Sewa (voluntary work) for the Sikh community and on many other organisations. He was honoured and invited to speak at the International Ramgharia Sikh Convention in Delhi in 1997.

Surinder believed in team work. It was a philosophy he used to inspire himself and others around him to encourage and develop the community spirit for voluntary work. He worked tirelessly and with dedication. One of his greatest achievements was to play a leading role in the development and construction of the Ramgharia Sikh Sports and Community Centre, which had a Royal opening in 1987.

Surinder’s qualities of leadership were recognised when he joined the Ramgharia Board, Leeds. He became the General Secretary, President and later served as a Trustee of the Gurudwara.

As a community leader, he had the privilege to meet many members of the Royal Family. In 1987 he met the Duke of Gloucester at the royal opening of the Ramgharia Sikh Sports and Community Centre. In 1988, he was introduced to the Prince of Wales who commended him for his selfless contribution in the construction of the first sports complex to be built in the city by an ethnic minority organisation. He was also introduced to Her Majesty the Queen as well as meeting the  then President of Kenya, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.

Born on the 10 August 1941, he was the son of Harbans Singh and Mrs Bachan Kaur. He had a younger sister, Pal Kaur (Mohni). He lived a happy and purposeful life according to Sikh principles.