In creating SMI’s First Health Fair: A Journey of Seva, Community, and Representation
This article is written by Priya Singh, current Director of Community Service of SMI. Below, she reflects on a milestone moment for the organization, leading and hosting SMI’s first-ever community health fair in Richmond Hill, Queens. To get involved with or learn more about SMI’s community service efforts, please reach out to Priya Singh at priya.singh@icahn.mssm.edu.
November 25, 2025
A Lifelong Commitment to Seva
Growing up Sikh, seva or selfless service became a way of life for me. My parents taught me early what it meant to show up for your community, especially in times of need. Whether it was preparing langar in the gurdwara, serving in a soup kitchen, tutoring low-income students, or distributing supplies after Hurricane Sandy, I learned that service is most meaningful when it is done with empathy and genuine care.
These experiences shaped not only my understanding of community and collaboration, but also my commitment to pursuing a career in medicine. I have always believed that our background as Sikh healthcare professionals gives us a unique opportunity and responsibility to combine our clinical skills with the values with which we were raised, and it is something I want to honor for the rest of my life.
Creating the Health Fair
This belief guided me as I stepped into the role of Director of Community Service and organized SMI’s first-ever health fair in Queens alongside my co-leads Kyra Padam and Harnoor Sachar, and the incredible Community Service committee, including Jotroop Kaur, Japji Madan, and Irveen Singh.
I have long felt that our community deserves accessible, culturally competent care, organized by people who understand their lived experiences. Hosting this event in Richmond Hill, a neighborhood rooted in Sikh and South Asian culture, felt perfect.
In partnership with Sikh American National Youth Council (SANYC), Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK), and the Richmond Hill Gurdwara, SMI brought together hundreds of patients and thirty volunteers, creating a space where healthcare and cultural connection worked in tandem.
A Day of Impactful Service
Throughout the day, attendees received:
Free point-of-care glucose, cholesterol, and A1C tests
Blood pressure screenings
Dental evaluations
Personalized counseling on diabetes, hypertension, and mental health
Physicians, nurses, medical students, dental students and healthcare workers came together with a shared motivation: to empower our community with knowledge and tools through compassionate care and presence.
Honoring Sikh Values Through Medicine
What made this event special was not just the services we offered, but also seeing seva come alive in an incredibly meaningful way. Every volunteer was passionate about this cause and came in with genuine care. Interacting with our patients and community directly allowed us to appreciate firsthand how meaningful this kind of service can be.
These kinds of moments reaffirm why I continue to devote my energy to community service because honoring our Sikh values means carrying them into every space we touch, especially those that improve the health and lives of others.
I am deeply appreciative and thankful to our partners, volunteers, and everyone who helped make this event possible. It takes a village to accomplish this, and I am so grateful for it.
