South Asian Studies Institute
The Komagata Maru Lesson Plans Project was initiated in 2023, with support from the City of Abbotsford as part of their commitment to public education about the role of Abbotsford residents in 1914 regarding the fate of the Komagata Maru. The South Asian Studies Institute installed a permanent outdoor exhibit titled ‘Challenge and Denial-Komagata Maru … Read more
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 … Read more
After almost 19 years after the work started to establish the Center for Indo Canadian Studies, staff at SASI moved offices from Building F to Building K at UFV. On October 12th, we held a farewell party where many friends of the Institute came out and shared beautiful stories and memories that they had made … Read more
On Oct 14, in commemoration of Emancipation Day – the day that Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar embraced Buddhism, the SASI and CHETNA organized a discussion on the annihilation of caste. A painting of Dr. Ambedkar installed at the UFV library was unveiled in the presence of members of the community, Dr. James Mandigo, Acting President and … Read more
On September 19th, the SASI and UFV Library hosted a welcome back to campus event for students in the Library Rotunda that focused on creating an anti-caste UFV campus. Artist Raghavendra K.V. Rao donated a painting of Dr. Ambedkar to UFV Library where it will serve as a reminder of our commitment to anti-caste work. … Read more
The 4th annual Bajwa Dhami Building Bridges Community Golf Day took place on August 26th, 2023, and was a great success! The tournament successfully raised $62,865 for the SASI Research Fellowship. 92 players and 31 sponsors pitched in to help us raise the money for much needed research on areas that affect our communities. The … Read more
Dr. Christine Moliner from O.P. Jindal University, Haryana came to SASI as a Visiting Scholar in June to undertake research on the local Punjabi diaspora. During Dr. Moliner’s visit, she held two presentations at the SASI: one with MA student Prabhjot Kaur titled ‘Enough Schooling: Migration to Canada & Aspirations of the Youth in Panjab’ … Read more
The SASI launched a new exhibition at the Sikh Heritage Museum on July 25th, 2023: Marriages & Migration: A Transnational Story of BC. Evocative photos from the Del Monte collection allowed us to tell the history of transnational marriages in Abbotsford’s Panjabi Sikh community. The photographs in the exhibition present a glimpse into Panjabi Sikh … Read more
On July 1st, the Paldi Khalsa Diwan Society hosted a grand opening of the Paldi Historical Museum (located in the Paldi gurdwara) as part of the community’s annual Jor Mela. The museum space is in the Paldi gurdwara at 23 Paldi Road. The South Asian Canadian Digital Archive hosts multiple collections on Paldi: the Joan … Read more
The South Asian Studies Institute (SASI) received a $15,000 matching grant from the British Columbia History Digitization Centre Program. With the grant SASI aims to digitize, preserve, and provide open access to Dr. Norman Buchignani and Dr. Doreen Indra fonds in the South Asian Canadian Digital Archive. The fonds consists of 2.5 linear feet of … Read more