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PM Carney notes Hindu Canadians as key to national identity
The Canadian Prime Minister heaped praises on the community as part of his CHCC gala message.
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Jeffin T. Kaleekal - Sun, 12, Oct 2025
- 23:57 EDT
- 35
Numerous individuals from the Hindu community in Canada were honored for their remarkable achievements / Paras Parikh
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney offered a special message to Hindu Canadians, describing the community as a key feature of the Canadian national identity. His message came as part of the Canadian Hindu Chamber of Commerce's Dhanteras Gala.
Organized in Mississauga, Ontario, the gala witnessed attendance from over 700 dignitaries, business leaders, professionals, and community members. The evening celebrated entrepreneurship, cultural pride, and social impact made by Hindu Canadians.
In his message, Carney lauded the contributions of the community to Canada and also highlighted the diversity and vibrancy that it brings to the national identity of Canada.
He noted, "Today's event is an opportunity to highlight the many incredible contributions made by members of this community. The presence of everyone here speaks to the success, strength, and solidarity of the Hindu community, and its integration into Canada."
He further said, "The values and character of your community truly form an important part of our national identity."
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand expressed joy over being able to reach the community on occasion of Diwali and Dhanteras, she said "It is my pleasure to extend warm greetings to everyone attending the 2025 Annual Dhanteras Gala Event. Diwali has always been such a special time for my family, and I am so pleased to be able to reach out to you at this time."
She added, "As the first Canadian Hindu cabinet minister in Canada's history, it is meaningful for me to offer my heartfelt congratulations to those being recognized this year."
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The Acting Consul General of India, Kapidhwaja Pratap Singh described the gala as a "fitting celebration of prosperity, cultural pride, and community service". He further noted that the gala "highlights the spirit of entrepreneurship and recognizes the remarkable contributions of the Canadian Hindu Chamber of Commerce to business, culture, and society".
Oxford MP Arpan Khanna also congratulated CHCC and said, "As a Conservative Member of Parliament for Oxford and National Outreach Chair, I would like to recognize the Canadian Hindu Chamber of Commerce for their strong leadership and for organizing this evening's gala, as well as their commitment to the flourishing of our community."
The awards
The gala also featured an awards ceremony, recognizing the contributions of the Hindu community in Canada. It honored 11 exceptional individuals for their remarkable achievements. Minesh Patel was named Member of the Year for uniting 21 Indian communities through exemplary volunteer leadership, while Dr. Nitin N. Ghorpade received the Social Service Award for his transformative work as a cardiac surgeon and humanitarian.
Apart from them, Harshida Acharya was honored as the Inspiring Woman of Excellence for her trailblazing role in global logistics as a Fulfillment IQ executive, and Kundan Joshi earned the Excellence in Entrepreneurship award as the visionary founder and CEO of TheAppLabb and Al Labb. Aditi Patil, the youngest professional singer from Calgary, was celebrated with the Arts & Culture Award for her global cultural ambassadorship.
Sneh Patel received the Excellence in Public Service award for leading inclusive policing and hate-crime prevention with Peel Regional Police. Subhash Khanna was recognized for Excellence in Business as a Montreal entrepreneur and philanthropist, and Prof. Vern Krishna was honored with the Professional Excellence award for his role as an Order of Canada recipient and architect of Canada’s National Mobility Agreement for lawyers.
The President’s Award went to Anita Anand, Canada’s first Hindu federal minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, for her championing of governance and equality, while Danny (Digvijay) Gaekwad received the Global Hindu Award for advancing Hindu excellence worldwide as an entrepreneur and philanthropist. Finally, Dr. V. I. Lakshmanan was bestowed the Lifetime Achievement award for his visionary contributions as a scientist and humanitarian.
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