On December 10, 2005 the Hindustan Times/IANS reported, "Gurudeo Saluja, who became Scotland's first Sikh councillor in 1999, has been conferred one of Britain's highest civilian awards, the Order of the British Empire (OBE). Saluja, a resident of Aberdeenshire, has been councillor for the Echt ward since 1999 and is convener of Grampian Joint Police Board. His proud wife Patricia watched as he was presented with the honour during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace this week... Saluja was made an OBE for services to community relations. He performed a number of civic and other roles since arriving in the area. A former president of Grampian Racial Equality Commission, he was also the founder president of the Asian Social and Cultural Association for Aberdeen and North-East Scotland."

This article cross-posted at the Pluralism Project's International Religious Diversity News.