South Asian Studies Institute
July 15, 2025 – UFV Today. Across our institution, UFV faculty members lead the way in creating change, and Dr. Satwinder Bains is well known as an advocate for progressive causes. Satwinder, director of the South Asian Studies Institute, was recently honoured by the Chetna Association of Canada for her work to end oppression based … Read more
Welcoming Spaces for All People at the UFV Library. Includes interviews with Dr. Satwinder Bains, Director of the UFV South Asian Studies Institute; Provost Dr. James Mandigo; and artist Raghavendra Rao Karkala Vasudevaiah, who painted a portrait of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, a pioneer of anti-casteism. Additional reflections are shared by President Dr. Joanne MacLean … Read more
I began my journey as a UFV student in the Fall of 2021, but I had not heard much about SASI until 2024 – when faced with a presentation from Dr. Satwinder Bains in my South Asian Literature class (ENGL 380) with Dr. Rajnish Dhawan. You can imagine my surprise when learning about the South … Read more
On May 15, 2025, the Chilliwack Museum & Archives welcomed community members, educators, and cultural leaders to the opening of Haq and History. This travelling exhibition was developed by the Royal BC Museum in collaboration with the South Asian Studies Institute (SASI) at the University of the Fraser Valley in 2022. An important exhibit that … Read more
Over the past several months, I’ve worked on two different archival projects that, while quite different, both focused on preserving and sharing the stories of underrepresented communities. The first involved co-cataloguing the Chandra Bodalia photographic fonds with a colleague. The second, which I undertook independently, involved transcribing, translating and researching a payroll ledger from the … Read more
Salwar Kameez The quintessential South Asian coupling of wide trousers cuffed around the ankles with a straight-cut, long tunic. Chandra Bodalia’s collection of photographs opened the Pandora’s box of my childhood memories: of my dadi holding embroidered salwar kameez too close to the camera for Skype to capture its detail, of my chachi trying pull … Read more
The South Asian Canadian Digital Archive is committed to documenting, digitizing, and preserving the rich and diverse histories of South Asian communities across Canada. By gathering stories, records, photographs, and other cultural materials, SACDA seeks to create an inclusive archival space that reflects the lived experiences of South Asians in Canada—past and present. As part … Read more
On the evening of April 5, 2025, Abbotsford became a beacon of cultural celebration as it hosted an extraordinary event that brought together the mysticism of Sufi music and the rich traditions of Punjabi folk. The Mehfil-e-Sukoon, presented by the South Asian Studies Institute, in collaboration with the City of Abbotsford’s Culture City Program, was … Read more
From humble beginnings, Fraser Valley College went to becoming the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV). This has been a 50-year long journey (1974-2024). UFV Fifty Years Forward celebrated the special anniversary with a full year of engagement, including special events and programming. As part of this celebration, over 32 initiatives received funding through UFV … Read more
The Research and Graduate Studies department at UFV held their Student Research Day event this year on April 2, 2025. Each year UFV students are invited to participate in Student Research Day by designing and submitting a research poster and/or by presenting a snapshot of their research project in under two minutes at the Student … Read more