Sangat TV
A British Sikh-focused television channel owned and operated as a project of the charitable Sangat Trust.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Sangat TV, also known as Sangat Television, is a British television channel serving the Sikh community. It is owned wholly by Sangat Trust, a United Kingdom registered charity supported by gurdwaras and individual supporters in Britain and elsewhere. The channel presents itself as an open platform through which members of the Sikh sangat can share views and access programming independently of mainstream broadcasters. The service began broadcasting on 1 September 2010, initially as part of a two-week testing period. Its programming has included educational and religious material concerning Sikh history, the Sikh Gurus and the Guru Granth Sahib, alongside community-oriented discussion and current-affairs coverage. The channel has been associated with Sikh religious and cultural communication rather than general-interest commercial broadcasting. Its model is therefore closer to a community and faith-media service than to a conventional advertising-led television network. Sangat TV became widely known outside its core audience during the West Midlands riots in August 2011. Presenter Upinder Randhawa reported live from Birmingham on the first day of the disturbances and subsequently covered developments in West Bromwich and Wolverhampton. The channel's reporting was carried by or used as footage by major British and international news organizations, including BBC News, ITN, Sky News, CNN, Fox News and NDTV 24x7. One especially notable sequence showed the reporting team transporting a police officer in their vehicle while continuing to report live, an example of the improvised, on-the-ground style that became associated with the coverage. The reporting brought significant attention to the channel and to Randhawa's work, and then-Prime Minister David Cameron cited the contribution as an example of media social responsibility. The channel has been distributed through the Sky television platform, including Sky channel 763 according to the referenced description, and has also offered continuous online viewing through its website. Its audience proposition combines Sikh religious education, community expression, live or current-affairs programming and access for viewers interested in Sikh life in the United Kingdom. Sangat TV has also been subject to regulatory scrutiny: Ofcom-related materials and reporting reference an upheld complaint concerning a guest appearance and a separate regulatory document involving Regis 1 Limited. The available source material does not establish that every regulatory matter concerned the same editorial issue, so those records should be interpreted carefully. Sangat TV's public identity is consequently defined by three elements: ownership by a charitable Sikh community organization, a commitment to Sikh educational and community content, and occasional high-impact news reporting. Publicly available reference material does not provide reliable information about revenue, staffing levels, corporate valuation, a formal commercial parent beyond Sangat Trust, or the channel's current audience size.
History
Sangat TV was established as a Sikh community television service in the United Kingdom under the ownership of Sangat Trust, a registered charity supported by gurdwaras and individuals. The channel commenced broadcasting on 1 September 2010, beginning with a two-week test period. Its purpose was to provide an independent platform for Sikh audiences and for members of the sangat to express views, share information and engage with religious and community issues. From its early operation, Sangat TV's editorial identity centered on Sikh religious education and community communication. Its programming has included material about the Sikh Gurus and the Guru Granth Sahib, as well as discussion and current-affairs content. This placed the channel within the British Sikh media ecosystem while distinguishing it from mainstream public-service and commercial television. The charitable ownership structure also shaped its public positioning: the service was presented as a community project rather than as a conventional profit-focused broadcaster. The channel's most consequential period of public exposure came during the West Midlands riots in August 2011. On Monday 8 August, presenter Upinder Randhawa reported live from Birmingham as unrest developed. Coverage expanded to West Bromwich and Wolverhampton on the following night. Sangat TV's access to events and its willingness to report from the streets made the service a source of footage for BBC News, ITN, Sky News and international outlets including CNN, Fox News and NDTV 24x7. A widely discussed episode showed the reporting team transporting a police officer in their vehicle while continuing live coverage, illustrating both the immediacy and the unconventional nature of the channel's reporting operation. The riot coverage significantly increased public awareness of Sangat TV. Randhawa's social-media following reportedly grew sharply during the broadcasts, and a dedicated Facebook fan page also attracted thousands of followers. Prime Minister David Cameron publicly praised the channel's contribution, describing it as an example of media organizations acting with social responsibility. This episode broadened Sangat TV's reputation beyond religious broadcasting and established it as a potentially valuable source of local, community-based reporting during fast-moving events. Sangat TV has been distributed through the Sky platform, identified in the supplied reference as Sky channel 763, and has also offered 24-hour online access through its website. The combination of satellite distribution and internet streaming enabled the channel to reach both British Sikh households and viewers outside the United Kingdom. The public reference material does not document a detailed schedule, ownership changes, financial performance or a confirmed closure, and therefore does not support a fuller corporate chronology. The service has also encountered regulatory scrutiny. Reports refer to Ofcom upholding a complaint involving a guest on Sangat TV, while an Ofcom document concerns Regis 1 Limited in a context associated with the channel. Because the supplied references do not provide all case particulars, the regulatory history should not be expanded beyond the documented existence of those proceedings. Sangat TV is best understood as a charitable Sikh broadcaster whose identity was formed by religious and community programming and whose profile was substantially elevated by its 2011 West Midlands riot coverage.
- 2016
Ofcom-related controversy reported
[3]Media coverage reports that Sangat TV became involved in an Ofcom matter; the available reference does not provide sufficient detail for a more specific chronology.
- 2011
West Midlands riot coverage
[1]The channel reports live from Birmingham and neighboring West Midlands locations during the August riots, and its footage is used by major British and international broadcasters.
- 2011
Public recognition for community reporting
[1]Prime Minister David Cameron praises Sangat TV's contribution to riot reporting as an example of media social responsibility.
- 2010
Broadcasting begins
[1]Sangat Television starts broadcasting on 1 September, initially undertaking a two-week testing phase.
Products and positioning
A charitable, community-oriented Sikh television platform offering religious education, cultural programming, community discussion and independent reporting for audiences in the United Kingdom and online.
Television channel · 2010
Sangat TV satellite channel
The core broadcast service is a Sikh community television channel distributed through the Sky platform. Its output combines religious education, Sikh cultural material, community discussion and current-affairs coverage. The supplied reference identifies the service with Sky channel 763, although channel assignments can change over time.
Online video service
Sangat TV online stream
Sangat TV has provided continuous online viewing through its website, extending the channel beyond satellite households. The online service supports access for audiences in the United Kingdom and viewers internationally who wish to follow Sikh religious, cultural and community programming.
Faith and educational programming · 2010
Sikh religious and educational programming
A central content line consists of educational material about Sikhism, including the Sikh Gurus and the Guru Granth Sahib. This programming serves an instructional and community function and reflects the channel's ownership by a Sikh charitable organization.
Community news and discussion · 2010
Community and current-affairs programming
The channel also functions as an open platform for community views and reporting. Its best-known example was live coverage of the 2011 West Midlands riots, when its reporters provided immediate local information from Birmingham and surrounding towns.
Controversies
2016
Reported Ofcom regulatory difficulty
A Sikh news report described Sangat TV as having fallen foul of Ofcom. The available reference is insufficient to determine whether this was a separate matter from the upheld complaint or to summarize the full regulatory outcome.
Ofcom complaint concerning a guest
Published reporting states that Ofcom upheld a complaint relating to a guest appearing on Sangat TV. The supplied source material does not specify the complete ruling, the broadcast content at issue or any sanction.
Sources5 sources
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