Magazine apologises to Sikh community for irreverent display of Sikh

Washington, Jun 6 (UNI) Golf Digest Editor-in-Chief and Chairman Jerry Tarde offered his apology to the Sikh American Legal Defence and Education Fund (SALDEF) and the Sikh Community for projecting an image of Guru Arjan Dev Ji as a "golfing guru" in the May 2008 edition.

The apology followed when the SALDEF, the United States' oldest and largest Sikh American civil rights and advocacy organisation, took up the matter with the magazine.

In a written communication sent to SALDEF, Mr Tarde stated, "Our editors regret this mistake and have learnt an important lesson.

Thank you for accepting our apology." The Golf Digest will issue a public apology to the Sikh community in its August issue which will come out in July.

In addition, Golf Digest agreed to SALDEF's demand to stop the use of the image in their magazine or website in the future, says the SLDEF's website.

The printed apology in the August 2008 edition of Golf Digest will read as follows: "It has been brought to our attention that an illustration in the May issue of Golf Digest inadvertently depicted a golfing character resembling an image of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, who is a revered religious figure in Sikhism. This was not our intent. We apologise for the use and for any offence to the Sikh community." UNI XC NC LS KP1253