Indianapolis Sikhs Open New Gurdwara, Vote on Khalistan Referendum
The Sikh community in Indianapolis made significant news in 2026, from the opening of a landmark new gurdwara to an unofficial referendum that drew widespread attention across the city. In April, the oldest and largest Sikh congregation in Indiana opened Gurdwara 74 Sikh Satsang, marking what IndyStar described as a milestone for the Sikh community in the Midwest. Then in August, Indianapolis was selected as a site for the Khalistan referendum, with a convoy of cars waving yellow flags on city highways and billboards appearing around town to raise public awareness of the movement advocating for a Sikh homeland within India.
🪔 Gurdwara 74 Sikh Satsang Opens in Indianapolis, Marking Midwest Milestone
The oldest and largest Sikh congregation in Indiana opened its newest place of worship in Indianapolis on Sunday, April 26, 2026. The facility, called Gurdwara 74 Sikh Satsang, was hailed as a milestone for the Sikh community not just in Indiana but across the broader Midwest. IndyStar reporter Travis LaCoss covered the opening, publishing a photo gallery and article on April 27, 2026, with a follow-up update on May 4, 2026. The documentation included photographs capturing key moments from the ceremony and the devotion present that day. One image showed a Sikh elder waving the Chaur Sahib over the sacred texts within the gurdwara, a traditional practice of veneration central to Sikh devotion and worship. Another photograph showed community member Jaswinder Singh attending the ceremony in traditional clothing, representing the congregation's commitment to honoring Sikh heritage and identity. The new gurdwara's opening was framed by IndyStar coverage as more than a religious event. It was presented as evidence of the Sikh community's growth, stability, and deep roots in Indianapolis and Indiana more broadly. The congregation's standing as the oldest and largest Sikh group in the state reflects decades of sustained community building in the region. The addition of a new facility signals continued expansion and a strengthened capacity for communal worship, cultural preservation, and outreach in the years ahead for Indiana's Sikh families. [5]
🗳️ Indianapolis Hosts Khalistan Referendum Vote, Drawing City-Wide Attention
Sikhs living in the Indianapolis area prepared in August 2026 to cast votes in an unofficial referendum calling for a separate country within India where Sikhs can live without persecution. Indianapolis was selected as one of the cities to participate in the Khalistan referendum movement, making it a meaningful site for this diaspora organizing effort. The awareness campaign was visibly active across the city in the days leading up to the vote. On August 1, a convoy of cars waving yellow flags traveled along the city's highways, drawing the attention of commuters and residents unfamiliar with the movement. Billboards promoting the referendum event also appeared in multiple locations across Indianapolis, further elevating the visibility of the organizing effort and sparking curiosity among the general public. The combination of the highway convoy and citywide billboards led many Indianapolis residents to seek information and explanations. IndyStar responded by publishing a detailed explainer article on August 4, 2026, written by reporter Marissa Meador, addressing the question of why a Sikh car rally had appeared on Indianapolis roads and what the Khalistan referendum represents. The article explained that the referendum is unofficial in nature. It described the vote as a formal effort by members of the Sikh diaspora in Indianapolis to participate in the broader global movement advocating for a Sikh homeland within India, and placed the local organizing in that wider context for readers. [1]