Academic provides expertise for BBC One Documentary

The University of Wolverhampton's Centre for Sikh and Panjabi Studies provided expert knowledge of Sikhs in a new BBC 1 Documentary that was aired on 12 April 2023.

Dr Opinderjit Kaur Takhar MBE, Director of the Centre for Sikh and Panjabi Studies and Associate Professor of Sikh Studies, is a world-renowned expert in Sikh Studies. 

The Centre for Sikh and Panjabi Studies is regularly asked to contribute to mainstream media for its expertise on the Sikh faith and the global Sikh community. 

The Centre is multi award winning and has a strong international profile as the only academic Centre of its kind, not just in the UK, but across Europe.  Dr Takhar has provided numerous expert commentaries and consultancy roles to the BBC in various capacities, from BBC One documentaries, BBC Sounds contributions and Consultant in the long running drama EastEnders for its scenes relating to the Sikh Panesar Family.

Professor Damien Page, Dean of the Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing, said: “I am delighted to be on the Advisory Board of the Centre for Sikh and Panjabi Studies. The Centre is going from strength to strength through its research which has impact both in academia and within the Sikh community, at regional, national and international levels. It is a huge honour for the Faculty to be housing this very important Centre and its contribution to mainstream media."

Professor Farzad Amirabdollahian, Head of the School for Health and Society, said: "Impact beyond academia is a key factor in the University’s strategic pillar around Place and Presence, and we are making a positive contribution to the Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) through the outreach activities of the Centre for Sikh and Panjabi Studies, which is embedded in its emphasis on community engagement through the various activities that its undertakes."

The Centre for Sikh and Panjabi Studies contributed a very high scoring Impact case Study in the REF 2021.

The link to the Documentary can be found at: BBC iPlayer - Love, Faith and Me - Series 1: 4. Married, Sikh and Wanting a Baby