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Mahima Kaur Bhella

My name is Mahima Kaur Bhella and I am a current UCLA
undergraduate student. I am grateful to have grown up participating
in the Sri Hemkunt speech and Kirtan competitions from a young age.

Reflecting on my childhood and upbringing, I find that many of my key
transformative moments and memories were created through
programs such as Hemkunt and Guru Nanak Khalsa School San Jose.

I specifically remember my first international speech competition
performance during the 2012 symposium in Detroit, Michigan. As a 7

year old me stood in front of a mic to share my thoughts regarding
various Sakhis of our gurus, I began my development into a young
speaker with the confidence to convey my thoughts and beliefs in an
effective and impactful way.

Each year as I sat to write my speech on the given prompts, I experienced a level of excitement in learning

about the travels and teachings of our gurus, and how I could use their teachings to better improve my
day-to-day life. With the overwhelming help and support from Guru Nanak Khalsa School San Jose, I learned
how to take my ideas and transform them into a cohesive and engaging presentation for an audience. Such
a skill carried me throughout high school and continues to do so in college today, providing me with the
ability to command a crowd and communicate effectively through my words. The Sakhis that I read and
presented about in my speeches since the age of 7 have stayed with me as I try to live my life based upon
the morals and guidance they gave me.

Along with my participation in the Sri Hemkunt speech competition, I received the great privilege to learn to
do Kirtan and play Dilruba. The amazing teachers at San Jose Gurdwara helped me develop a love for music
in general and Gurbani Sangeet in particular. Kirtan not only became a way in which I could connect with
Waheguru, but also became a mental place to escape from my everyday struggles and worries. The Kirtan
competitions provided a platform for us to push ourselves in our abilities and grow our talents.

This past year, I had a great time teaching Kirtan to my own group of students at San Jose Gurdwara. As I
taught young students various Shabads, I was able to see a love for Kirtan bloom within a new generation
of students, an extremely full-circle experience that I found greatly fulfilling. I hope that we will nurture
such programs and pass on our religion and love for Kirtan to the next heirs.

Both Khalsa School and the Hemkunt Foundation have helped me establish myself as a proud, educated Sikh
woman in society. Through the love and support of my teachers, my parents, and my community, I was able
to garner passions and skills that support me in my everyday life along with creating a strong connection to
Waheguru and my Sikh religion. So as I look back and reflect on my upbringing and all the ways in which it
was positively impacted by such programs, my only hope is that another 7 year old boy or girl is able to
gain and absorb as much as I did and establish their own personal connection with our community and
Waheguru. Mahima Kaur Bhella