First Sikh Inducted to US President’s Security Team

Singh was told he’d have to “change his looks” to be part of the detail, but he successfully fought a legal battle.

Anshdeep Singh Bhatia,the first Sikh in US president Donald Trump’s security detail.

(Photo: Twitter/@GurlivSingh6)

Anshdeep Singh Bhatia has become the first Sikh to have been inducted into US President Donald Trump's security detail, Hindustan Times reported.

Inducted last week after completing his training, Ludhiana-born Singh had dreamt of making into the President’s security detail, but he was told he’d have to “change his looks”, according to the daily. After a legal battle, the decision was in his favour.

Singh’s family moved to the United States with his family in 2000. They had earlier moved from Ludhiana from Kanpur during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Singh had lost his uncle and a close relative during the riots, and his father Devendra Singh suffered three bullet wounds as well.

Union Minister of State for Housing & Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted that Bhatia refused to change his ‘look’ for the job in presidential security team, but went to court against the rider.

(Inputs from Hindustan Times)