By Balwant Sanghera

Like many other communities, the South Asian community is also a very generous community. Whenever a natural disaster strikes or there is a calamity or pandemic, our community and our places of worship are there to help. This has been  very evident during the COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic.Like many other places of worship in Metro Vancouver, India Cultural Centre of Canada Gurdwara Nanak Niwas on Richmond’s Highway to Heaven, has also been making a commendable contribution in this regard. In order to help our brothers and sisters in the Punjab due to the pandemic, Gurdwara Nanak Niwas began a fundraising campaign last year. With the help of some very generous donors, and the congregation, we were able to raise $100,000. In consultation with the experts /organizations like Dr. Obrai’s Sarbat Da Bhala Trust working in the field, we were told that in a number of hospitals they are in dire need of kidney dialysis machines. 

Our Gurdwara Management Committee agreed with that recommendation. Consequently, it has purchased and installed three kidney dialysis machines at Guru Nanak Mission Hospital in Jalandhar and five machines in the Raja Sahib Majara/Rehpahospital. In both cases , we have been working with the Guru Nanak Mission Hospital and Raja Sahib organization here in Canada and in India. All of these machines have been bought through the Nargis Dutt Cancer Foundation, a non-profit Charity organization. Every dollar raised by us has been used to pay for these machines. There was no middleman or commission paid to anyone. 

Gurdwara Nanak Niwas has  just received letters of thanks from  Balbir Singh Saini, President of Guru Nanak Mission Hospital Trust, Jalandhar and Bobby Dhinsa, Vice President of Shri NabhKanwal Raja Sahib –AvdhootMaharaj Memorial Charitable Hospital, Rehpa, District SBS Nagar (Nawanshahar) profusely thanking GurdwaraNanak Niwas Management Committee, the Sangat and the donors for donation of these machines.They have stated that these machines will go a long way in treating poor and needy people at both of these facilities.All of them appreciate these efforts by us to help our needy brothers and sisters in the Punjab.

Initiatives like these go a long way in creating more pride in our community. Gurdwara Nanak Niwas is pleased to engage in such activities of public welfare. 

Balwant Sanghera is the General Secretary of India Cultural Centre of Canada Gurdwara Nanak Niwas, Richmond, BC

Photo Caption - From left they are: Balbir Singh Jawanda, Vice President, Mohan Singh Sandhu, Assistant Treasurer, Balwant Singh Sanghera, General Secretary and Ubed Singh Sidhu, President. .Please accept my sincere thanks and appreciation for your coverage of this.