PATIALA: Sikhs in Patiala in Jubilant mood as Justice Anoop Singh Chowdary was sworn in as the first Sikh High Court judge in Uganda in East Africa.

Sikhs who came here after the partition in 1947 from North west Provincial province (NWFP) has welcomed and congratulated Anoop Singh fro his elevation.

The fore fathers of Justice Chowdary migrated to Uganda from Rawalpindi in the early nineteenth century.

Justice Chowdary 58, is a Ugandan born Asian who was a resident of United Kingdom and is believed to be the first non African in the Ugandan judiciary and the only turbaned Sikh judge in East Africa.

Justice Chowdary went to schools in Uganda and then went to England for higher education. He studied at the University of London and the University of Cambridge. After qualifying as an English lawyer he practiced law in England for 20 years until 2000 and then practiced as an auditor in quality control.

In 2004 he was nominated for appointment as a Judge of the Uganda High Court by thy Uganda's Judicial Service Commission and approved by the parliament last month.

His grandfather Hari Singh came to Uganda in the early 1900's and served in the civil service. His late father Tarlok Singh also worked in the civil service in Uganda until his retirement shortly before 1972 when Idi Amin, the then president removed all the Asians from the country.

Justice Choudry is married with 3 children who were all born in England. Justice Choudry's mother, Narinder Kaur was also born in Uganda.

Justice Chowdary was one of the delegates at the meeting in Lahore last year in connection with the setting up of Baba Nanak University at Nanakana Sahib in Pakistan. He powerfully put forward the case for allocation of 2500 acres of land for the University campus and the Pakistani authorities successfully approved the proposal.

The president of Delhi Akali Dal Paramjit Singh Sarna said over phone from Delhi that the Sikhs have once again prove that they are capable to handle all kinds of jobs assigned to them at anywhere in the world.

Former SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badungar and Member parliament Tarlochan Singh have welcomed the appointment.