THE Chetna Association of Canada hosted a welcome lunch for Indian Consul General Abhilasha Joshi on Monday at the Diamond Alumni Center at SFU Burnaby Mountain Campus. Members of the association were joined by Dr. Samir Gandesha, Director, Institute for Humanities at SFU; Dr. Paul Crow, Department of Humanities; Moninder Lalli, Liaison Librarian; and Sobhana Jaya Madhavan, Associate Vice President, External Relations.

In addition, various members of Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha (Vancouver), Indian Buddhist Society, and Ambedkarite International Coordination Society were represented.

After lunch, Joshi interacted with faculty members, students, and members of Chetna and other organizations that were present.  Joshi then went to the WAC Bennett Library and joined members in paying tributes to Baba Saheb Dr. Ambedkar by garlanding his bronze bust that was installed there in 2004.

“We feel very honored to meet and welcome Consul General Joshi to her new assignment in Vancouver,” said Surinder Ranga, President of Chetna Association of Canada.  Ranga also congratulated Joshi on being the first female Consul General of India posted in Vancouver.

Gandesha also congratulated Joshi and said he and his colleagues are looking forward to strengthening collaboration between Simon Fraser University and various academic and research institutes in India.

Joshi appreciated the welcome lunch hosted in her honor and the opportunity she had to pay tributes to Dr. Ambedkar on his 61^st death anniversary.