The Sikh Students Federation, formerly the All India Sikh Students Federation, is a Sikh students' union and political organisation in India. Although largely political in its activities, the organisation also seeks to promote the values and heritage of Sikhism.
After Operation Bluestar in June 1984, the organization temporarily removed the words "All India" from its name, and was known as Sikh Students Federation (SSF) for some time.
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Before the federation came into being, Sikh youths were organized into local Bhujangi Sabhas in schools and colleges across the Punjab region that promoted Sikh values, heritage and social service. The actual origin of the Sikh Student Federation can be traced back to "Khalsa clubs" established in 1888.[1] The club came to be known as the Sikh Youngmens' Association, whose first president was Bhai Harnam Singh. Although small in size and activity, the association published the Khalsa Youngmens' Magazine and sponsored work on religious and social subjects. Sikh youths were an integral part of organizations such as the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, Shiromani Akali Dal and the All India Students Federation.
The All India Sikh Students Federation was formed as a students' organisation independent and committed to the political representation of Sikhs. The motivation for a distinct organisation for Sikhs came from the heightening communal and political tensions between the Hindu and Muslim communities. In 1937, a large group of Muslim students split from the Hindu-majority All India Students Federation to form the All India Muslim Students Federation, which became the youth arm of the Muslim League and the Pakistan movement. Seeking to protect Sikh political rights and representation, organisations such as the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee sponsored the creation of the All India Sikh Students Federation in 1944. It was headquartered in Lyallpur/Faislabad (now in Pakistan) and its organisation spread across colleges and universities in Punjab and northern India. Following the partition of India in 1947, the organisation moved its headquarters to Amritsar in Indian Punjab.
During the communal riots and mass migrations at the time of India's partition, the AISSF helped organise relief and rehabilitation camps for Hindu and Sikh refugees arriving in India from Pakistan. In independent India, the AISSF became closely linked as the youth arm of the Akali Dal. The federation would expand its organisation across India and become one of the nation's leading student political organisations. It would also help build support and lead the Sikh political demand for the establishment of a Sikh-majority state within the Indian union. As the agitation reached its peak in the mid-1960s, the federation helped organise student marches and rallies to increase pressure on the Indian government.
Bhai Daljeet Singh Bittu was elected at president of SSF.
Sikh Students Federation was reorganized in 2001 and Sewak Singh, a Student from Punjabi University was elected as President. After Sewak Singh, Mandhir Singh headed the organization till 2007 January. Presently Parmjeet Singh alias Gazi is President of the organization
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