Political leaders, veterans and the public gathered at Mount Hope Cemetery in Kitchener on Sunday for the 17th Sikh Day of Remembrance.

The ceremony was created in honor of Private Buckam Singh, one of nine Sikh soldiers authorized to serve in the Canadian army during the First World War.

His grave is the only known grave of a Sikh soldier in Canada.

Sandeep Singh Brar is the chief organizer of Sikh Remembrance Day.

The annual tradition began in 2008, after Brar acquired Singh’s military medal, which eventually led him to his grave at Mount Hope Cemetery.

“I acquired his military medal and was a little shocked that it was a Canadian soldier,” Brar said. “I didn’t know there were Sikh soldiers fighting on behalf of Canada. I spent about two years researching and discovering his life story.

The formalities included speeches from keynote speakers, a minute’s silence and a laying of wreaths in honor of the victims.

Major Sarabjot Anand works for the Canadian Armed Forces and attended the ceremony.

“I am grateful to Private Buckam Singh. The hero of today’s ceremony has finally paved the way for soldiers like me to serve the nation we all love,” said Anand.

Singh died in 1919 at Freeport Hospital in Kitchener.