The North America chapter of the World Punjabi Organization was inaugurated Jnan.

The North America chapter of the World Punjabi Organization was inaugurated Jnan. 6 in New Bruswick, N.J., at the Guru Palace restaurant, Desi Talk reports.

The article by Ashok Ojha said that the event emphasized the need to preserve the way of life of this ethnic group that hails from the Punjab region, located between Pakistan and India.

Dr. Inderpal Singh Chhabra, general secretary of the North American chapter, cautioned against the stereotype of turban-clad Sikhs gulping whiskey. “This is not our true image. The culture of Punjab is about unity among diversity and sacrifices for the motherland,” he said.

Kuldeep Singh Kasuri, an Edison-based attorney, was named chair of the North America chapter of the World Punjabi Organization, a nonprofit aimed at promoting the culture and traditions of Punjab.

President Dr. Surinder Malhotra expressed hope that the organization would grow stronger under Kasuri’s leadership. Malhotra noted that the organization was founded in 1998 by then-Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral at his home in Delhi. “Today we are spread over in 100 countries with 100 branches,” he said.

Several activities were announced for the coming months, among them the traditional Punjabi celebrations Lohri and Vaisakhi, “so that children could learn about the significance of those festivals.”