THE Chetna Association of Canada hosted a welcome reception for Indian Consul General Masakui Rungsung on August 6 at Simon Fraser University’s WAC Bennett Library in Burnaby.
Rungsung expressed his gratitude to the organizers and the library, explained the impact of independence on India and colonial rulers, and shared his perspectives on how the ‘Fathers of India’ such as Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar worked towards the common goal of emancipation, even though they had their differences on a number of fronts.
Rungsung also offered to facilitate the donation of books on India by Indian authors and suggested the library designate an “India Section” in the library to display books on India.
Chief Librarian Gwen Bird described the history of the partnership between the Chetna Association of Canada, the SFU Libraries, and its partners for accomplishing its goals and mission.
Jyotika Jasuja, member of the Women’s Empowerment Committee of Chetna, sang the Indian patriotic song, “Ae mere watan ke logo.”
The special guest for the occasion was famous Punjabi singer Kanth Kaler who sang a couple of lines from his song on Dr. Ambedkar, “Jai Bheem Jai Bheem.”
