By R.PAUL DHILLON (LINK EDITOR)
Indo-Canadian pioneer Dr. Gurdev Gill was honoured with GlobalCitizenship Award, Dr. Muhammad Iqbal of Pakistan received theFaculty Community Service Award and Salina Dharamsi receivedthe UBC 2013 Future Alumnus Award.VANCOUVER – Three of thesix exceptional individuals recognizedat Thursday night’sUBC 2013 Alumni AchievementAwards at the Four SeasonsHotel were Indo-CanadiansPioneer Canadians Dr. GurdevGill and Dr. Muhammad Iqbalof Pakistan and youngster SalinaDharamsi received various honoureddoled out by theUniversity for their individualachievements in various fields.Dharamsi received the UBC2013 Future Alumnus Award,while Dr. Gill was
honouredwith Global Citizenship Awardand Dr. Muhammad receivedthe Faculty Community ServiceAward. Other recipients includedWilliam Carpentier forAlumni Award of Distin
ction,Tim Laidler for Young AlumnusAward and Juanita Lohmeyerfor Volunteer
LeadershipAward.UBC states that accomplishme
ntsof the members ofUBC’s global community ofalumni represent an inspiringaccount of positive social, cultural,and economic change inthe world.The alumni UBC Achievement
Awards is the chance to recognizethose actions and share thestories of their vibrant andinfluential
community.Dharamsi, BCom class of 2013,has already established animpressive record of
academicachievement, leadership andcommunity service. As well asbeing a familiar face on the localvolunteering scene, she has travelledto Guatemala, India andRwanda, where she worked andlearned side-by-side with localpeople on community developmentprojects.Dr. Muhammad (“Mo”) Iqbalretired from UBC’s departmentof Mechanical Engineering in1996 after enjoying a distinguishedcareer specializing insolar power. After 30 years contributingto education andresearch in Canada, he nowdevotes himself to creatingopportunities for disadvantagedcommunities in Pakistan, hiscountry of birth.Dr. Gill, MD’ class of 1957,DSc class of 1996, has lived andbreathed the pioneer spiritbeing one of the early migrantsto Canada.The history of Asian immigrationto Canad
a is characterizedby prejudice, discrimination andexclusion.When Dr. Gill arrived inVancouver from India’s Punjabregion in 1949 immigration policywas still biased towardsEuropeans and residents ofSouth Asian origin were nottreated as equal members ofsociety
.
