Rabindra Narayan offers free services to set up Satellite and Digital Channel for SGPC
Ravi Jakhu
Amritsar (Punjab), June 10, 2026: In a significant development in the religious broadcasting and Punjabi media landscape, Dr. Rabindra Narayan, Founder and Managing Director of GTC Network, has formally proposed the establishment of a dedicated 24-hour global satellite and digital channel for the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) at no financial cost to the organisation.
In a detailed letter addressed to SGPC President S. Harjinder Singh Dhami on June 9, 2026, Dr. Narayan outlined a comprehensive proposal aimed at creating a worldwide broadcast platform dedicated exclusively to Sikh religious content and community outreach.
The proposal highlights a key regulatory challenge under existing Ministry of Information and Broadcasting guidelines, which restrict the issuance of broadcast licenses directly to religious bodies or trusts. Due to this limitation, SGPC is unable to independently operate a licensed television channel under its own name.
To address this gap, Dr. Narayan has proposed that GTC Network will fully fund and develop the entire broadcasting infrastructure, including satellite transmission, television distribution, OTT platform integration, and global digital reach across key Sikh diaspora regions such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Australia.
According to the proposal, the SGPC will not bear any financial burden at any stage of the project. Importantly, Dr. Narayan has also emphasised that complete editorial authority, content governance, and adherence to Sikh Maryada (religious code of conduct) will remain solely under the jurisdiction of SGPC, with overarching spiritual guidance aligned to Sri Akal Takht Sahib.
Dr. Narayan, who is credited with pioneering the first live telecast of Gurbani from the Golden Temple in 1998, described the initiative as a service-oriented mission intended to provide an independent and unified global voice for the Sikh community.
As of now, the SGPC has not issued an official response to the proposal.