Here’s a preview of our special edition cycling kits

2024 marks the 40th anniversary of India’s Operation Bluestar massacre (June 1984), and the 1984 Sikh Genocide (November 1984). Thousands of Sikhs were killed that year and our religious spaces were damaged, pillaged and destroyed. We are commemorating this tragic anniversary with a new cycling kit only available this year.

The kit includes a cycling jersey, bib shorts and vest. While the overall design aligns with our traditional team kit, the design elements of this commemorative kit were intentionally chosen to connect with the events of that year. It’s our way to honor the Sikh community’s resilience since.

Below, we share what each of the special design elements signify.

The 40th Anniversary Insignia

We have created a special 40th Anniversary Insignia to commemorate the events of 1984. It is a rendering of the Akal Takht (“Immortal Throne”). Originally founded by Guru Hargobind (the sixth Guru of the Sikhs) in 1606, this building sits across from Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple). It is the temporal and political seat of authority of the Sikh community. The Akal Takht was destroyed by the Indian army during the Operation Bluestar massacre in June 1984. It was rebuilt by the Sikh community in 1986. More information about the Akal Takht is here.

The insignia also features the two Nishan Sahib flags that are located near the Akal Takht. The Nishan Sahib flag (more here) is the Sikh standard that is raised outside every Gurdwara in the world. It’s a symbol of the Sikh community’s sovereignty and identity.

Finally, the number “40” is embedded in the design to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Operation Bluestar massacre and the Sikh genocide in November 1984.

On the cycling jersey and vest, this insignia is placed on the front chest and rear pocket. It’s also placed on the left front leg of the bib short.

If you would like to use this insignia, we are happy to share (as long as the design is unaltered). Feel free to contact us here.

Colors: gold, black, orange

While our traditional Sikh Cycling Club kits feature blue, orange and white colors, we chose different colors for this commemorative design.

Gold

This kit features a gold color which ties back to the gold plating on Akal Takht, Harmandir Sahib and many other Gurdwaras. As an act of devotion, the gold plating was applied to these sacred spaces by Maharaja Ranjit Singh (the Sikh king of Punjab) in the 19th century. The Akal Takht was destroyed and Harmandir Sahib was damaged in June 1984, but the Sikh community rebuilt and repaired these spaces, including restoring the gold plating.

We honor these spaces and our community’s resiliency by featuring this color. It is the main color on the cycling jersey, and is the color of the insignia and font color on the vest and bib shorts.

Black

Black was chosen as another main color of this kit. Sikhs around the world protested the attacks in June 1984. While Punjab was cut off due to a media blackout imposed by the Indian government, the community made its voice heard worldwide. During protests, Sikh communities in the west would wear black armbands as a sign of solidarity with the Sikh community in Punjab.

Black is the main color of the commemorative vest and bib shorts, and is the color of the insignia and fonts on the jersey.

Orange

A traditional color for the Sikh community, this commemorative kit features orange as the accent color. Orange is the color of the Nishan Sahib, the Sikh flag, and it often is connected with the ideas of saintliness and sacrifice.

As a traditional Sikh color, orange is prominent on our original Sikh Cycling Club kits. On this new commemorative kit, orange appears on the arm bands and leg bands to honor sacrifice and saintliness, and also to tie to our prior cycling designs.

You can order this commemorative kit soon

We are releasing this kit for sale this week, so stay tuned. Shipping is available to the US, Canada and the UK. We’ll be collecting orders through May 3, 2024, and then the orders will go into production for delivery by late May.

We hope you will join us in our commemorating 1984 with this special edition cycling kit.