AS part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s 131st birth anniversary celebrations, Chetna Association of Canada partnered with the Consulate General of India in Vancouver to observe Equality Day on April 14 at Simon Fraser University (SFU) library, in Burnaby.
Chetna’s treasurer, Surjit Bains, acknowledged the unceded territories where the event was being hosted and expressed his gratitude to the First Nations.
In addition to Indian Consul General Manish, Harsh Thakore of the Thakore Charitable Foundation, Surinder Sandhu, General Secretary of Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha, and Rakesh Kumar from Calgary, a trustee of Sant Sarwan Dass Charitable Trust of Western Canada, also participated.
A pre-recorded greeting of BC’s Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity, Grace Lore, was played during the ceremony.
Manish spoke on Ambedkar’s monumental contribution for social justice and writing of the Indian Constitution. He paid floral tribute to the bust of Babasaheb Ji (Ambedkar).
General Secretary of Chetna Association of Canada, Jai Birdi, highlighted Babasaheb’s many contributions to equality and paid tribute to him.
Dr. Deanna Reder of the English Department and Indigenous Studies at SFU expressed her admiration for Ambedkar.
Moninder Lalli, librarian at SFU, welcomed all the guests and shared a brief background on how the Ambekdar’s Collected Speeches and Writings were first donated to the library in 1995 followed by gifting of the Dr. Ambedkar Bronze Bust in 2004. The bust has inspired many students and faculty members to do further research on Ambedkar and his writings, besidse serving as a place of pilgrimage for many of his patrons.
Jyotika Jasuja, member of Chetna’s Women Empowerment Committee, spoke on Ambedkar and his contributions to empowerment of women and building of the nation.
After the formal greetings, all guests paid homage by garlanding the bust of Ambedkar.
Local and provincial/state governments were also acknowledged for proclaiming or celebrating April 14, 2022, as Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Day of Equality/Equity:
City of Burnaby, B.C.
City of Surrey, B.C.
City of Jersey (US)
City of Coventry (UK)
Province of British Columbia
State of Colorado
State of Maryland
State of Michigan
(By Ratan Paul, Media Coordinator, Chetna Association of Canada)
