Businessman, philanthropist and a vocal supporter of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vikramjit Singh Sahney, 64, never publicly aligned himself with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), even though the party had nominated him to Rajya Sabha in 2022 from Punjab. So, his joining the BJP along with six other AAP Rajya Sabha members, has not come as a surprise to those who have been following hos political trajectoryThe founder and owner of the Sun Group, a trading and consultancy organization, Sahney is known for having “several friends” across party lines.Though he remained a vocal BJP supporter ever since it came to power at Centre in 2014, he never joined any party formally before AAP nominated him to Rajya Sabha. Speaking to The Indian Express after AAP announced his nomination in 2022, Sahney had said: “I am not a political person…I will be doing sewa of Punjab to bring it back to its glory”.In the Sikh community — in India and the diaspora — Sahney is known for his social works, including helping in evacuation of 500 Afghan Hindus and Sikhs by sending three chartered flights at his own expense to Kabul after the Taliban had taken over.His NGO, Sun Foundation, supports Afghan refugee families financially under the programme ‘My Family, My Responsibility’ and also runs a skill development centre to train them. He has been known for sponsoring several public welfare projects in Punjab with his own resources, such as skill development centres for youths and free education for underprivileged. He, however, mostly refrained from associating his projects in Punjab with the ruling AAP government.Sahney’s NGO has been promoting and supporting central government schemes by running its namesake programmes. For instance, its programme ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ claims to have supported over 15,000 women in rural north India and skill centres in Delhi and Amritsar. Under its ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’, Sahney claimed to have adopted a slum in Mumbai for cleaning jointly with actor Priyanka Chopra.Due to his philanthropist activities and business linkages across the world, he has remained close to politicians cutting across party lines and Bollywood personalities. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2008 during the Congress-led UPA government for “invaluable contribution to the society”, and most recently (remove these two words) the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex gurdwara body controlled by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), had honored him with Anmol Sikh Rattan Award “for his services for supply of oxygen concentrators and cylinders to Punjab during Covid, and rehabilitating Afghan refugees, skilling and providing jobs to Sikh youth”.Story continues below this adFrom former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to his Modi, Arun Jaitley to Sushma Swaraj, Akshay Kumar to Priyanka Chopra, and Sheikhs of UAE to King of Jordan, Queen Elizabeth II to steel magnate Laksmi Niwas Mitttal — Sahney flaunts his meetings with one and all on his Instagram page.He has also been a part of several business delegations that were sent abroad by the BJP-led central government to represent India in past years.His company is among the leading traders of fertilisers, fertiliser raw materials and other agri commodities with linkages in several countries, including South Africa, and Middle East.Founder and international president of World Punjabi Organisation (WPO), set up in 1998 with former prime minister IK Gujral as its patron, to “unite vast Punjabi NRI community with India”, Sahney also claims to be a person who is very close to Sikh heritage and culture with his projects such as Baba Baghel Singh Sikh Heritage Multimedia Museum at Gurdwara Bangla Sahib in Delhi, Guru Tegh Bahadur Multimedia Auditorium and a holographic show of the life story of the Guru Tegh Bahadur at Rakab Ganj Gurdwara in national capital.Story continues below this adWith roots in Kotkapura area of Faridkot district in Punjab, he also dons the hat of a sufi singer and has over 50 sufi and devotional songs to his credit.His company is among the leading traders of fertilisers, fertiliser raw materials and other agri commodities with linkages in several countries, including South Africa, and Middle East.Divya Goyal is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Ludhiana (Punjab). She is widely recognized for her human-interest storytelling and in-depth investigative reporting on social and political issues in the region. Professional Profile Experience: With over 13 years in journalism, she joined The Indian Express in 2012. She previously worked with Hindustan Times. Education: A gold medalist in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi. Core Beats: She covers a diverse range of subjects, including gender issues, education, the Sikh diaspora, heritage, and the legacy of the Partition. She has also reported on minority communities in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Awards and Recognition Divya has earned significant acclaim for her sensitivity toward gender and social disparities: Laadli Media Award (2020): For her investigative report "Punjab: The Invisible Drug Addicts," which exposed the gender disparity in treating women addicts. Laadli Media Award (2023): For a ground report on the struggles of two girls who had to ride a boat to reach their school in a border village of Punjab. Signature Style Divya is known for "humanizing the news." Rather than just reporting on policy, she often focuses on the individuals affected by it—such as students dealing with exam stress, farmers struggling with diversification, or families impacted by crime. Her work often bridges the gap between West (Pakistan) and East (India) Punjab, exploring shared heritage and common struggles. X (Twitter): @DivyaGoyal_ ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:AAPchandigarh