Whether it is helping disadvantaged children in India, Pakistan or in the West,Prof. Peter’s enthusiasm extends to both major and minor charities, some of which are listed below. The Virdee foundation has helped Bharuch Welfare Hospital in India’s state of Gujarat, and has helped to build St Paul’s Children Care Centre in Nairobi.

He has also set up the Sardar Jagat Singh Charitable Trust in India, named after his late grandfather. This charity has sponsored some 80 children into primary education to help them to step out into the world on the right foot. It has also carried out 400 successful cataract operations in India, thereby looking after both ends of the age spectrum.

Five centuries ago, Sikhism began with Guru Nanak. As the story goes, he was given 20 rupees by his father to go and learn to trade. Instead, he gave the money away to the poor and homeless, and came home with nothing.