The Sikh Museum Initiative has digitized artefacts from disparate collections relating to Guru Gobind Singh, Maharajah Ranjit Singh and Maharani Jindan Kaur
By Gurinder Singh Mann in Leicester
LEICESTER, UK (TIP): The Sikh Museum Initiative (SMI) has marked a remarkable milestone — 10 years of pioneering work in bringing Sikh history and heritage to new audiences through digital technology. From its modest beginnings as a community-led project to becoming a respected national and international presence, SMI’s journey has been one of innovation, perseverance, and collaboration.
Founded by historian Gurinder Singh Mann, the initiative was born out of a desire to connect younger generations with Sikh heritage through modern means. Over the past decade, SMI has worked with leading museums, universities, and grassroots organizations, developing projects that merge scholarship with cutting-edge technology. Collaborations with institutions such as the Royal Armouries, Victoria and Albert Museum, The National Trust, as well as private collections allowing rare Sikh artefacts to be researched, digitized, and shared with the wider public in unprecedented ways.
One of the hallmarks of SMI’s work has been its exploration of Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and 3D modelling to bring Sikh relics and historic spaces to life.
Working closely with technologist Taran Singh, a 3D developer, the team brought a range of Sikh relics into the digital realm, allowing audiences to interact with artefacts in ways never before possible.
The landmark exhibition “Anglo Sikh Wars: Battles, Treaties and Relics”, held between 2016 and 2017 at Newarke Houses Museum in Leicester, was the first Sikh exhibition to employ 3D technologies — enabling visitors to explore digitized relics and learn about the conflict between the Sikh Empire and the British through immersive digital storytelling. This groundbreaking approach laid the foundation for SMI’s later digital heritage projects.
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