Sikh War Memorial Proposed for Manor House Grounds
Privately funded statue would honour British Indian Army troops
Southall Manor House Grounds. Picture: DMS
April 8, 2026
Plans have been submitted for the erection of a Sikh war memorial statue in a Southall park.
The proposed site is at Manor House Grounds, The Green. The project would be entirely privately funded and aims to pay tribute to Sikh soldiers who fought in the British Indian Army.
The applicant is listed as the British Sikh Association, however Tory Peer, Lord Rami Ranger, who is Sikh himself, is named as the Client on the architectural drawings. It appears he is the primary commissioner for the memorial.
The principle of building a Sikh memorial in Southall had previously received approval from Ealing Council for a site opposite the former fire station. However, the location was moved to Manor House Grounds to establish a stronger relationship with existing commemorative features in the park and consolidate the area’s memorials.
The projected cost of the works is up to £2million. The application indicates that, if approved, building work would commence between July and August this year, being completed in August or September.
The memorial would feature a 1.8 metre tall bronze statue of a Sikh soldier. It would stand on a padstone made from shin beige granite and would be surrounded by three steps, each 175mm high, constructed from beige travertine stone.
An engraving on the stone will feature a prayer that begins: “GRANT ME THIS BLESSING O GOD, MAY I NEVER REFRAIN FROM RIGHTEOUS ACTS”. The dedication specifically honours the “SIKH SOLDIERS OF THE BRITISH INDIAN ARMY WHO FOUGHT IN THE TWO WORLD WARS” and is attributed to the Sikh Soldier Organisation.
The monument is designed to commemorate the historic contributions and sacrifices of Sikh soldiers who fought alongside British forces, with particular reference to both World Wars and the Battle of Saragarhi.
The Battle of Saragarhi, fought in September 1897, is globally renowned as one of the greatest “last stands” in military history. It is remembered because just 21 soldiers from the 36th Sikh Regiment of the British Indian Army defended a post against an estimated 10 to 12,000 Afghan tribesmen.
Southall Sikh memorial drawings. Picture: Ace Engineering Solutions/Ealing Council
Instead of retreating, the 21 soldiers fought to the death to delay the enemy advance. The plans are currently under consultation and will be until 28 April.
Philip James Lynch - Local Democracy Reporter
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