We are deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Dr. Gurdev Singh Gill on Dec 17, 2022 in Chandigarh, Punjab, India. Dr. Gill made Canadian history as Canada’s first doctor of Indian descent and the first South Asian to graduate from the University of British Columbia’s medical school in 1957.
Dr. Gill practiced medicine for forty years, setting up his practice in New Westminster, BC, shortly after graduating in 1957. His office is remembered as more than a traditional Doctor’s office, it was a space for Indo Canadians across Metro Vancouver to connect with Dr. Gill on guidance beyond their prescribed treatment. Patients from the diaspora looked up to him for advice on how to find belonging in Canada, a place far from their ancestral roots.
Dr. Gill was a determined force in supporting the South Asian local Canadian community through his leadership positions in various community and transnational organizations that advocated for social justice and equity of marginalized groups in BC. Upon his arrival in Canada in 1949, he had experienced and witnessed racial discrimination and human rights violations against South Asians and other immigrants of colour. During his academic career at UBC, he was inspired to stand up for these injustices by participating and starting organizations that supported the South Asian Canadian community by founding the East Indian Students Association (E.I.S.A) and serving with the Khalsa Diwan Society of Vancouver as its President.
As a physician, he participated in the teams of executives of the Royal Columbian, St Mary’s, and Queen’s Park Hospitals. For many years, he also served as a Trustee of organizations such as BC Cancer Agency and as Vice President of the Indian Culture Center. In addition to his medical services, Dr. Gill became a key figure in the South Asian Canadian community as an advocate who pushed for immigration rights for Canadian minority groups during the 1950s. In addition to this, he was involved in many charitable and community organizations including the East Indian Canadian Citizens Welfare Association. In 1976, he founded the Indo-Canadian Friendship Society of British Columbia (ICFSBC) with a mission to improve the lives of rural Indian villagers by providing them with access to clean drinking water, sewage disposal systems, waste-water treatment plants, sanitary living conditions, concrete-paved village streets, solar street lighting and computers in local schools.
Since his retirement in 1996, Dr. Gill continued to make an impact to improve the lives of millions of inhabitants living in rural villages of Punjab, India through his work as the founder of ICFSBC. He spent six months out of the year leading Village Improvement Projects across villages in Punjab. He made an impact in twenty-five of the following villages: his birthplace Kharoudi, Berhampur, Langeri, Jian, Jandiala, Dhingrian, Dholron, Avan Ghore Shah, Sahari, Deingrian, Cheheru, Thakarki, Jandiali Kalan, Ratanda, Pandori Kad, Bamboi, Dhakrani, Saila Khurd, Saila Kalan, Bharatpur, Nariyala, Khushi Paddi, Hakimpur, Damunda, and Railmajra, improving the health and hygiene of the residents.
Following his contributions in the medical industry and philanthropy, Dr. Gill received significant recognition over the years including: being the first Canadian of Indian origin to receive the Order of BC (1991), receiving the Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada (1993), Vancouver Sun 150’ most influential Indo Canadians in British Columbia, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012), UBC Global Citizenship Alumni Achievement Award (2013), and the UBC MAA Wallace Wilson Leadership Award (2018).
We are filled with gratitude for the many contributions Dr. Gill made within the community and beyond. His legacy will live on in the hearts and minds of the many people that he impacted. We are grateful that Dr. Gill provided the South Asian Canadian Digital Archive a collection of archives, including his photographs, handwritten notes, textual records, certificates, videos and more. The collection of his legacy, work and accomplishments can be found in the South Asian Canadian Digital Archive collection titled ‘Dr. Gurdev Singh Gill Fonds.’ SASI continues to work towards digitizing, preserving, and providing open access to more of Dr. Gill’s archives, generously provided by him to the South Asian Studies Institute in the past year.
On May 19th, The Gill Family will be hosting a Celebration of Life in honour of Dr. Gill at Gurdwara Nanak Niwas (8600 No. 5 Road, Richmond. For more information, please view Dr. Gurdev Gill Obituary | Vancouver Sun and Province.