www.WeeklyVoice.com COMMUNITY Friday, August 9, 2019 | A-11 Indo-Canadian Harmony Forum Loses A Friend Board Members Remember A Top Leader & Well-Wisher Deepak Obhrai left us all suddenly on Friday 2 nd August after a brief illness. He was I have known Deepak Obhrai from the time he was elected as Member of Parliament from the longest serving PC Member of Parliament, and served on key positions both in party Calgary East. He was always jovial and brimming with ideas to work with the community at as well as Government. He played a commendable role in strengthening Canada India large. It was his initiative to begin Diwali celebrations on Parliament Hill in Ottawa and he was relations. He always stood strongly for Immigrants and human rights and played bipartisan instrumental in bringing together all Hindu temples together for the event. role in furthering the cause for the needy. He played a vital role during Honourable Stephen Harper’s tenure as Prime Minister as Par- Deepak Ji as we fondly knew him in the Indo Canadian Community was a friend of liamentary Secretary to the Foreign Minister. His role in meeting with then Indian Prime Min- friends, an amiable smiling and cheerful face full of sparkle and intelligence. He worked ister Dr. Manmohan Singh during a G20 Summit and during Prime Minister Modi’s trip to hard for the Indo Canadian community in bringing them together and promote harmony. Canada has been widely recognized. The Indo Canadian Harmony Forum has lost a dear friend, philosopher and guide, and will Deepak Obhrai will always be remembered for his outreach to the Indo-Canadian community be dearly missed. We bid a sorrowful and heartfelt farewell to this great Parliamentarian. throughout Canada and his mentoring of younger political leaders. We stand along his family in their loss and grief. He was the irst Indo-Canadian to receive the Bharatiya Pravasi Samman Award, the highest - Praveen Verma, Board Chair, Indo-Canadian Harmony Forum Indian civilian award The ICHF and I personally have lost a family friend…and he was truly a leader who tirelessly worked for inclusion and human rights for all. - Sudhir Anand, President Deepak Obhrai was one of the leading well wishers of ICHF and supported all our initiatives and also backing other Ind o-Canadian organizations, including the India-Canada Chamber of Commerce, Canada India Foundation and many others. He played a major role in initiating the proposal for a Free Trade agreement between Canada and India. We will miss his leadership and guidance. We pray that God bless his soul and give strength to the family and the community. - Pramod Goyal, Secretary General & Vice President - New Initiatives & Strategy Honourable Deepak Obhrai enjoyed the distinction of being the longest continuously- serving It’ was really saddening to hear about the sudden demise of Hon. Deepak Obhrai, MP Member of Parliament from Conservative Party of Canada. He also had the honour of being the from Forest Lawn, Calgary.A vacuum has been created in Canadian Politics and PC party irst Hindu Member of Parliament and being instrumental in elevating and augme nting Canada- especially. I have always admired him for his upfront and honest attitude in politics as well India relations. Deepak had a winning personality and affable persona. as in his personal life. May God rest his soul in peace. This huge loss and irreparable loss. I met Deepak few years back at the Diwali function – an annual event very close to his heart - Arvind Bhardwaj - Vice President, and his keenness to share its joy with masses from all cultures. Even in that short meeting, he Strategic Communications & Public Relations came across as a wonderful person with ability to relate with everyone he met. Later, as a director of Indo-Canadian Harmony Forum (ICHF), I had the pleasure of closely It’s not just a loss for Hon. Deepak Obhrai’s family or for me losing a good friend, it’s interacting with him in the last 2-3 years and found him to be person with conviction, farsighted a loss for Canada, it’s a loss for the South Asian ethnic Canadian community for whom vision and thorough understanding of issues facing the community at large. His suggestions he was a role model. It’s a loss for the Conservative Party Of Canada who lost its longest- were very helpful and will be useful in bringing harmony in the community. serving Member of Parliament, precisely 8097 days or 22 years, 2 months and a day. He Rightfully, ICHF had the privilege of conferring “ICHF Apex Excellence in Public Service will always remember for his contributions towards strengthening Canada’s political, social Awrad” on Deepak Obhrai in 2018. His sudden untimely death is a personal loss and our and cultural relations with India and for his role in increasing Indian diaspora participation ICHF organization will miss his wise counsel. May his soul rest in peace. in Canadian active politics. May God give enough strength to the bereaved family to bear - Dr. Keshav Agnihotri, Vice President - Legal Affairs the irreparable loss. May the departed soul rest in peace. - Sanjeev Malik, Vice President - Programs & Events Deepak ji, as I fondly called him, was an elder brother, a family member and a mentor to me. He was longest serving MP, dean of PC caucus, a irst elected HinduMP and most importantly was a inest human being who was a stanch advocate of human, aboriginal and ethnic peoples rights, who took a separate line than his own party. A longest serving Parliamentary Secretary to Foreign Ministers, he was an expert in foreign and international political relations and Geo- politics. He was an advocate of closer India-Canada relations as well. His untimely death is unfortunate and an irreparable loss to country, Indo-Canadian diaspora and a personal loss to me and my family. You will be always missed, Deepak ji. - Dharma Jain,Vice President & Treasurer It was a shocking sad news for the entire Indo Canadian community the untimely demise of Deepak ji. We Pray his soul Rest In Peace with Almighty God. My deepest condolences to the Family. One of the greatest Indian origin leaders ever in Canada who inspired us. We will always miss his leadership, support and direction in the GTA. Om Shanti.” - Surinder Sharma, Vice President - Advocacy & Community Affairs Deepak Obhrai was a very well Are you an known personality in politics from Calgary. Besides political circles he was also known for his wit and humour. A charismatic personality with ability to make instant connect with people from all walks of life. A very well travelled, politician, father, husband, grandfather, Internationally friend and a mentor. He will be missed by all the lives he touched. In our short association we had developed deep rooted bonds. A rare gem who truly worked for the people. 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