Toronto: Canada announced its highest honours on Monday and on that list is an Indo-Canadian academic who lost four family members in the bombing of Air India flight 182, the Kanishka, by Khalistani terrorists on June 23, 1985.
Among the 329 victims of what remains the worst incident of terrorism in Canadian history were the wife, two children and mother-in-law of Professor Mahesh Chandra Sharma.
On Monday, as Governor General Mary Simon announced the list of 83 honorees for this year, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada.
The citation with the honor noted, “Mahesh Sharma is a civic-minded philanthropist and leader. A beloved professor and mentor at Concordia University, he established scholarships to honour the memory of his family who were victims of Air India Flight 182. He also actively champions social causes supporting vulnerable individuals and the wider community.”
Professor Sharma who is a professor of supply chain and business technology management at Concordia University in Montreal, studied mechanical engineering in India before moving to Canada.
Also on the list was another Indo-Canadian academic, Dr Saroj Saigal, professor emeritus at McMaster University in Hamilton, who was admitted as a Officer of the Order of Canada.
She “helped shape the field of neonatology”, the citation stated.
“She is internationally renowned as the first researcher to examine the lives of extremely premature infants from a qualitative perspective and is praised for this humanistic approach. She has shifted attitudes towards preterm infants and increased our understanding of their long-term outcomes,” it added.
Dr Saigal obtained her medical degrees and received paediatric training in India before moving to Canada.
Other prominent honorees on the list were two healthcare leaders who were at the forefront of Canada’s battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr Theresa Tam led the country’s effort to counter the pandemic as Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer. She retired from the position in June. She was made an Officer of the Order of Canada as was Dr Bonnie Henry, who was the provincial health officer in British Columbia during the pandemic.
In a release, the Governor General’s office described the Order of Canada as “the cornerstone of the Canadian Honours System”.
It said that since its creation in 1967, over 8,200 people from all sectors of society have been appointed to the Order. “The contributions of these trailblazers are varied, yet they have all enriched the lives of others and made a difference to this country,” it added.
“Congratulations to the newest appointees to the Order of Canada. We proudly recognise each of these individuals whose dedication and passion for service not only enrich our communities but also help shape the fabric of our nation. Together, they inspire us to strive for greatness and to foster a future filled with hope and possibility,” the Governor General said.
