Case Study: Organizing System Within a Sikh Gurudwara Management

Committee

Harman Shah Singh

MIMS Class of 2018

 Harman Shah Singh
MIMS Class of 2018

Introduction

Sikhism is a monotheistic religion that originated in Punjab, India during the 15th century. [Christopher

Partridge (1 November 2013) Introduction to World Religions]. The fundamental beliefs of Sikhism include

unity and equality of humankind, engaging in selfless service and striving for social justice for the benefit and

prosperity of all. [Sewa Singh Kalsi. Sikhism.] The Sikh community has been proactive in helping people

around the world in ways such as providing free food to all (called Langar), providing shelter to the homeless,

making basic education accessible to everyone and significantly contributing to the multiple relief activities.

Figure 1 Figure 2

Free Food for all (Langar) at the Gurudwaras

Figure 3 Figure 4

Free Medical Care at Sikh Charitable Hospitals Sikhs Contributing Towards Disaster Relief Activities

This Case study is based on the research work done by Harman Shah Singh (MIMS 2018). The information presented in the case study
has been derived from personal observations and interviews with people that currently hold administrative positions within the Delhi
Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (on the condition of anonymity). Citations have been provided wherever applicable.
Page 2 of 8
 Harman Shah Singh
MIMS Class of 2018

These activities are made possible through the donations made by the devotees at the Gurudwaras (The sikh

place of worship).The Gurudwaras are managed by a state-level Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee. This

case study focuses on the Organizing System (and the organizing principles that govern it) behind the

organization and reorganization of monetary and material resources (donations) at the level of the Delhi Sikh

Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) in Delhi, India.

What is being organized?

The Gurudwaras organize the donations, both monetary and material, along with the information about these

donations. The Gurudwaras use the principle of hierarchical categorization, with the two properties: type of

donation - monetary or material, and mode of donation - with or without a receipt, as the basis for creating the

categories of donations. The donations are classified into three categories, namely cash donations - put into the

donation box by the devotees, monetary donations against a receipt - relatively larger sums of donations given

through any mode of payment such as cash, cards etc., and material donations against a receipt - pulses, rice,

fruits, vegetables, flour and blankets.

Figure 5 Figure 6

Donation Box at a Gurudwara Receipt for Monetary Donation at a Gurudwara

(Monetary Donations Without Receipt) (Information Resource - Monetary Donations With Receipt)

This Case study is based on the research work done by Harman Shah Singh (MIMS 2018). The information presented in the case study
has been derived from personal observations and interviews with people that currently hold administrative positions within the Delhi
Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (on the condition of anonymity). Citations have been provided wherever applicable.
Page 3 of 8
 Harman Shah Singh
MIMS Class of 2018

Figure 7

Material Donations at a Gurudwara - Fruits and Vegetables

(Material Donations)

Why is it being organized?

The donations are organized so as to reallocate resources for the various tasks and initiatives. Although this is

the primary interaction enabled by the organizing system, multiple other interactions augment this primary

interaction. These supporting interactions include the diversion of monetary and material resources towards

developmental activities such as the renovation of Gurudwaras, and the multiple social initiatives which

comprise of free food and medical care for everyone, free elementary education for children and tie-ups with

Non-Government Organizations for uplifting the poor and needy.

Other necessary interactions are legal and administrative in nature. These include declarations to be made to the

tax authorities (while the donations are tax exempt, a declaration is still required for ruling out unethical and

corrupt practices), laying down the roadmap for the social initiatives and providing approvals for the allocation

of resources towards the same.

This Case study is based on the research work done by Harman Shah Singh (MIMS 2018). The information presented in the case study
has been derived from personal observations and interviews with people that currently hold administrative positions within the Delhi
Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (on the condition of anonymity). Citations have been provided wherever applicable.
Page 4 of 8
 Harman Shah Singh
MIMS Class of 2018

How much is it being organized?

The level and granularity of organization varies with the type of interaction to be supported and the kind of

resource. For instance, material resources are organized in terms of the size and number of sacks/units of each

of the resource types viz. pulses, rice, fruits, vegetables, flour and blankets. Monetary resources, on the other

hand, are organized in terms of the mode of donation (cash, card, check etc.), the respective denominations in

case of cash donations, and the total donations received on a particular day. Moreover, for donations received

against a receipt, the receipts serve as information resources and are organized both in terms of the mode of

donation and the day they were received on.

When is it being organized?

Like in the previous case, when the resources are organized depends on the type of interaction to be supported

and the kind of resource. The monetary and material donations received against a receipt, along with the

information about these donations, are organized on their way in - when they are received by the Gurudwara.

The cash donations received through the donation box do not have an associated receipt and are organized on

their way out - during the counting process. Moreover, the organization happens at two levels : Gurudwara

level, where the donations are organized on a daily basis (once or multiple times a day depending on the

donations received everyday); and at the DSGMC level, where the donations received at each of the

Gurudwaras within the state are organized on a weekly basis.

When looking at it from the perspective of DSGMC, the primary resources and associated information

resources received from each of the Gurudwaras on a weekly basis are already organized at the Gurudwara-

specific level. However, this information needs to be organized into a central system to enable interactions at

This Case study is based on the research work done by Harman Shah Singh (MIMS 2018). The information presented in the case study
has been derived from personal observations and interviews with people that currently hold administrative positions within the Delhi
Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (on the condition of anonymity). Citations have been provided wherever applicable.
Page 5 of 8
 Harman Shah Singh
MIMS Class of 2018

the DSGMC level. Hence, all the resources are organized on their way in - consolidating all the resources and

information when they are received by the Committee.

Figure 8 Figure 9

Organization of Material Resources (Donations) Received at a Gurudwara - On Their Way In

Figure 10

Counting of Cash Donations Received From The Donation Box - Organization on The Way Out

(Picture from The Hola Mohalla Times)

This Case study is based on the research work done by Harman Shah Singh (MIMS 2018). The information presented in the case study
has been derived from personal observations and interviews with people that currently hold administrative positions within the Delhi
Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (on the condition of anonymity). Citations have been provided wherever applicable.
Page 6 of 8
 Harman Shah Singh
MIMS Class of 2018

How, or By Whom, or By What Computational Process, is it being organized?

The primary organization of resources is done by the employees of the Gurudwaras and the DSGMC. While the

material resources are organized in a stacked manner based on the type of resource, the monetary resources

received against a receipt are organized based on the mode and date of receipt. Additionally, the cash donations

received from the donation boxes at the Gurudwaras are counted and segregated into the respective

denominations on a daily basis. As already mentioned, this counting happens once or multiple times a day and

varies by the Gurudwara. The counting is done in a room that is closely monitored by Closed Circuit Television

(CCTV) cameras, to avoid any potential theft attempts. A record of each counting, in terms of the total amount

of cash donations, date and time of counting, and the respective denominations of currency received, is

maintained in a record book (called a khaata, or ledger).

The scanned copies of the receipts (for donations received against a receipt) or the record of cash donations are

organized in a Gurudwara-specific management information system (MIS) on a daily basis. The records from

the Gurudwara MIS for all the Gurudwaras in the state are subsequently sent to the DSGMC where they are

organized in a central MIS.

Where is it being organized?

The primary and associated information resources are either organized and stored within the Gurudwara

premises or at a relatively safer warehouse, depending on how secure the Gurudwara facility is. The resources,

along with the corresponding information resources (Receipts and MIS records) are then sent over to the

DSGMC office at the end of each week. These resources are then reorganized in the central DSGMC office.

This Case study is based on the research work done by Harman Shah Singh (MIMS 2018). The information presented in the case study
has been derived from personal observations and interviews with people that currently hold administrative positions within the Delhi
Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (on the condition of anonymity). Citations have been provided wherever applicable.
Page 7 of 8
 Harman Shah Singh
MIMS Class of 2018

Other Considerations

While the DSGMC organizing system as presented above has been in place for a long time, slight changes are

incorporated from time to time. A recently proposed change involves organizing the information resources at

the Committee level, while organizing the resources at the Gurudwara-Level only, in order to avoid

transportation risks and costs. The proposal may be implemented starting from January 2017. Additionally, a

monumental change in the Organizing System revolves around the recent demonetization (discontinuation of

old currency) in India. This change involves segregating old currency from the new currency during the

counting process, for donations received through the donation box, and exchanging them with new currency at

nationalized banks. A record of these transactions is required to be maintained, in addition to the receipts and

MIS records. Moreover, the Gurudwaras can no longer accept old currency for donations against receipt, as

mandated by the Government of India.

This Case study is based on the research work done by Harman Shah Singh (MIMS 2018). The information presented in the case study
has been derived from personal observations and interviews with people that currently hold administrative positions within the Delhi
Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (on the condition of anonymity). Citations have been provided wherever applicable.
Page 8 of 8