South Asian Studies Institute
On a crisp evening of Friday, January 10th, UFV students that work at SASI as Research Assistants, organized an event to celebrate the popular Punjabi folk festival, Lohri. Lohri signifies the end of winter solstice and the beginning of a new harvest season. It is celebrated by lighting a bonfire where family and friends gather … Read more
On January 6th, 2025, all of us at SASI welcomed Dalbir Dolla (she/her) as she joined the team at the Institute as the new SASI Coordinator at UFV. Dalbir is a local born and raised Abbotsford resident. She undertook her undergraduate studies at the University of the Fraser Valley, graduating in 2013 with a Major … Read more
On December 12th, 2024 the SASI welcomed late Chandra Bodalia’s family to thank them for their priceless donation of 3 million+ photos of their father’s history and heritage collection. For the first time Vimal (son), Mona (daughter) and Anita (daughter-in-law) were able to fully view the photographs that had been stored in 400+ boxes in … Read more
The SASI partnered with the Surrey Art Gallery and Indian Summer Festival in this year’s Media Arts Symposium titled Roots of Resilience that took place on November 23, 2024 . The symposium focused on the history of the farmworkers movement, working conditions of migrant workers, and sustainable practices in the face of labour and climate … Read more
The SASI is thrilled and proud to announce that it has been awarded by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) for the project Histories of South Asians in Canada: A Visual Ethnographic Documentation of renowned South Asian Canadian photojournalist, Chandra Bodalia remarkable collection. The Digitizing Hidden Collections: Amplifying Unheard Voices Awards are generously … Read more
The SASI is happy to announce that Dr. Bajwa is the new Chair of the South Asian Studies Advisory Committee (SACAC). Dr. Bajwa takes the reigns from Bharathi Sandhu who has been the Chair since 2016.. We thank Bharathi for her dedication and contribution as a member and Chair to the committee. Dr. Bajwa has … Read more
Asmita Gupta is currently pursuing a Master’s in Library and Information Studies at the iSchool at the University of British Columbia (UBC). She works as a Metadata Research Assistant for the South Asian Digital Archive (SACDA) at the South Asian Studies Institute. Her position, funded by a SSHRC Partnership Development Grant, is part of the … Read more
The Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre in Burnaby hosted a festive and warm opening of the SASI Haq and History exhibit on November 2, 2024. Nikkei director Sherri Shinobu Kajiwara welcomed all and introduced Cecelia Point of the Musqueam nation who gave an indigenous welcome to South Asian immigrants who came to Canada at the … Read more
In October 2024, the SASI hosted 4 Lectures and Film screenings; October 8, 2024 Lecture by Dr. Hassan Javid Challenging Authoritarianism: The 2024 Elections in South Asia. Dr. Javid captured the audience with his insights on the complexities of the 2024 elections in Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. He explored the similarities of the 3 elections … Read more
On the magical evening of September 19, the South Asian Studies Institute (SASI) transformed the University of the Fraser Valley’s K building patio into a vibrant celebration of South Asian folk music and poetry. The event, set under the blue skies of the Fraser Valley, showcased the rich, diverse traditions of folk music from South … Read more