Maidenhead's Khalsa Aid nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

Ravinder Singh described Khalsa Aid's nomination as "humbling"

The founder of a humanitarian charity has described its nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize as "humbling".

Ravinder Singh, chief executive and founder of charity Khalsa Aid, based in Maidenhead, Berkshire, said: "We never ever thought we would be nominated".

Canadian MP Tim Uppal put forward the organisation, based on Sikh principles, in recognition of its work providing food and aid in disaster areas.

Last month it gave meals to hauliers stranded amid the French travel ban.

Mr Singh said the nomination was "humbling" and "very strange".

He added it was also "a very, very uplifting experience, more so for our volunteers because I've always said that what we are is because of our volunteers".

"It's a great acknowledgment of their dedication and compassion for the last 21 years," he said.

Mr Singh founded the charity in 1999

The charity was founded in 1999 by Mr Singh when he was struck by the plight of refugees in Kosovo.

He joined a convoy to deliver aid donated by the Sikh community.

Mr Singh said the charity was "based on the Sikh principles of recognising the whole human race as one".

It has since reached other parts of the globe, including helping refugees landing on the shore of Greece from the Middle East and people affected by earthquakes, floods and hurricanes in Nepal, Australia and the Caribbean, the charity said.

Closer to home the organisation has been providing meals to hospitals in the UK throughout the pandemic.

"We were providing thousands of meals to about 10 hospitals in and around London, every day 50 to 100 hot meals," Mr Singh said.

Each year thousands of academics, scientists and politicians are asked to submit candidates for the Nobel Prizes for the coming year.

After all the nominations are received, the Nobel Committees of the four prize awarding institutions select the candidates.