VICTORIA –Two South Asian were among the 16 exceptional civic leaders were recognized Wednesday at Government House with the Province’s highest honour, the Order of British Columbia.
Vancouver business leader, volunteer and philanthropist Hari B. Varshney and Dr. Saida Rasul, a Vancouver dentist and volunteer, who has been helping to improve the lives of the less fortunate, were in Victoria with their families to receive the honour from the BC Government .
“For 26 years, the Order of British Columbia has recognized the remarkable accomplishments and efforts by extraordinary British Columbians,” said Lt.-Gov. Judith Guichon. “This year we honour British Columbians from a variety of fields, each recipient illustrating the positive difference just one person can make in the lives of many.”
“The Order of British Columbia recognizes British Columbians whose positive impact is felt throughout the province and, in some cases, the world,” said Premier Christy Clark. “From inventing the AbleWalker so that seniors can remain active, or connecting people across cultures, this year’s recipients make a difference in their communities. On behalf of all British Columbians, I want to thank them for everything they do to make B.C. a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family.”
Over the years, government has worked to increase awareness of the Province’s highest honour so that men and women from all eligible categories learn of the opportunity. Government also relies on community members and organizations to help identify and honour outstanding citizens. The Province has received over 5,000 nominations for the Order of British Columbia in 26 years.
Varshney is the founder of Varshney Capital, a merchant banking and venture capital firm which has contributed significantly to the economy of, and investment in, B.C., particularly in resources and technology. The various Varshney Capital holdings over the last 33 years have employed hundreds of British Columbians.
Born in a rural village in India, Hari arrived in Vancouver in 1967 with less than $100 to his name to accept an MBA scholarship from UBC. He credits the province of B.C. for creating the platform for him to achieve much success in life. He was the first Indo-Canadian to achieve a Chartered Accountant designation and the first to achieve the Fellowship designation (FCA) from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of BC, which is bestowed on CAs in recognition of the service and honour they have brought to the profession.
Hari has been a leader to the community, to multiculturalism, to education and in developing new leaders to strengthen the B.C. economy. He volunteers his time and contributes financially to a multitude of organizations and numerous charitable endeavours at universities, hospitals and temples.
Rasul is a dentist and community volunteer focused on the improvement of the lives of the less fortunate in British Columbia and in many other countries.
During her tenure on the board of governors of SFU, Saida stewarded capital projects in excess of $200 million. She was on the front line for securing the Centre for Performing Arts on Hastings Street in Vancouver. Saida championed the creation of the Centre for the Comparative Study of Muslim Cultures and Societies at SFU by making a substantial financial contribution and chairing the fundraising campaign for the centre.
This year, 249 British Columbians were nominated for the Order of British Columbia, an 18% increase over last year and one of the highest since its inaugural year in 1989. More than half the nominations came from the Lower Mainland with the remaining 99 coming from other regions throughout the Province.
Since its inception, 386 British Columbians have been appointed to the O.B.C. Members have been appointed from all regions of the province and in numbers generally proportionate to a region’s population. For example, 61% of the appointees have come from the Lower Mainland/Southwest region, which has 62% of the population. Similarly, the North has 4% of the population and 4% of the
