Three Indo-Canadians were among those honoured with the Order of Canada, as the annual awards were announced by the country’s governor-general Mary May Simon on Wednesday.
Among the highest civilian honours in Canada, they were among the 135 in the list released.
Among them was Vaikuntam Iyer Lakshmanan, from Mississauga in the province of Ontario. Better known as Lucky, Lakshmanan was invested (as the bestowal of the awards is described) into the Order as an Officer, the second highest category.
The citation noted he was being honoured for “his philanthropy and for his expertise in hydrometallurgy and business, which have greatly benefited his profession, community and Canada-India relations.”
Lakshmanan is among the founders of the apex Canada India Foundation.
He was born and raised in India and moved to Canada in 1974 where he made his mark as a scientist and innovator, while emerging as a leader within the Indo-Canadian community. In a statement, he said he was “overwhelmed” at being given this recognition.
Also appointed at the Officer level was Navjeet Singh Dhillon from Calgary in Alberta. Better known as Bob, Dhillon has been a major figure in the real estate sector in the country while being involved in philanthropy. He was awarded for “his achievements in business, and for his unwavering commitment to philanthropy and higher education”.
Probably Canada’s most prominent Sikh corporate figure, Dhillon was born in Japan, raised in Liberia and did his schooling in Shimla. The founder and CEO of Mainstreet Equity Corp, Dhillon tweeted that learning of the honour had left him “utterly speechless”.
Also on the list, as an appointee at the Member level was Pradeep Merchant of Greely, Ontario, for “his longstanding contributions to his community, including his philanthropy and his leadership in the promotion of ties between Canada and India”.
Among the two honoured at the highest level, Companions, was author Yann Martel, who wrote the Booker Prize-winning novel Life of Pi, which was set in India.
Martel, a resident of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan was honoured for “his contributions to literature and for his philanthropic commitment to the betterment of his region”.
Created in 1967, the awards recognise outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation.
