The air was thick with the scent of flowers and perfume. Rose petals and coloured powder rained on the people as they visited the Rajasthan Association of North America’s (RANA) Holi Milan at the Hindu Sabha Temple.

Members of RANA welcomed the arrival of spring by celebrating Holi at the Hindu Sabha Temple. More than five hundred people threw coloured water and powders on each other while some danced to popular music from Bollywood movies. “It was an opportunity to mingle with each other, thereby improving ties and bonds with people of same community,” said Deepa Vijh, an employee of Just Energy.

“Canada has a liberal outlook and a unique sensitivity of other religious leanings. Indians enjoy religious freedom in a large measure. Therefore, the Indian community celebrates Holi every year in the protected precincts of Indian clubs, or the Indian Embassy premises (Ambassadors’ house) or private houses. They wear the choicest Lakhnavi chicken kurtas and Banarasi sarees and play with natural gulal,” avers Deepthi Gupta, a resident of Mississauga.

“DJs, ice-water pichkaris, mouth-watering gujiyas and delicious Indian food! This is what I enjoyed most and was looking forward too! It’s a big event for us each year, as we celebrate it with a lot of shor-sharaba at home too,” said Akshit Patel, a Business Man from Malton.

“I just loved the entertainment programs. Boys and girls joyfully welcomed Spring, the season of hope not just with colours but with songs, dance, chanting of hymns in the serene ambiance of the Temple. I bet that anybody who gets a chance to witness this elegant way of celebrating Holi remembers it with fond memory for the rest of his life,” says Trisha Rathod, a student of York University.

The spirit of festivity binds people back to their roots. A break from the hum drum of daily life, Holi provides an opportunity to soak them in the colors of harmony and rejuvenate the memories of the celebrations of the festival back home.

Author:Ramya Maheshwary

Every ten seconds, two people worldwide will develop diabetes. According to the International Diabetes Federation, of those with diabetes, at least 50% are unaware of their condition.  Recently, there has been a dramatic rise of diabetes rates in the South Asian community, both in Canada, and around the world. Research indicates that people of South Asian descent have a greater likelihood of developing diabetes, and tend to be diagnosed with it at an earlier age, compared to other ethno cultural groups. Diabetes is a serious, lifelong condition which affects many people.  If you have diabetes, your body has difficulty using food for energy.  A hormone called insulin uses the sugars from foods to give you energy.  With type 2 diabetes, your body does not produce enough insulin or your body cannot use the insulin it makes.  With time, sugar builds up in your blood instead of being used for energy. If diabetes is left untreated or not managed properly, it can lead to complications including kidney disease, heart disease, eye disease and nerve damage.

You are at an increased risk for diabetes if:

• You are age 40 or over
• You have a parent, brother or sister with diabetes
• You are a member of a high-risk group (Aboriginal, Hispanic, South Asian, Asian or African descent)
• You had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) or gave birth to a baby that weighed over 4kg (9lbs) at birth
• You have been told you have impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose
• You have high blood pressure
• You have high cholesterol
• You are overweight (especially if you carry most of your weight around your middle)
• You have been diagnosed with any of the following:
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome
  • Acanthosis nigricans (darkened patches of skin)
  • Schizophrenia

The good news is there is a lot we can do to help prevent or manage diabetes.  Healthy eating and being physically active are two keys to preventing the onset of diabetes.  If you are currently living with diabetes, healthy eating, being physically active and taking your prescribed medications are all essential to help ensure a long and healthy life.

Healthy eating tips to both reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes or to help you better manage your blood sugars include the following:

• Eat 3 meals per day at regular times and space meals four to six hours apart.
• Choose a variety of vegetables and fruit more often.  They are high in fibre and help you to feel full.  Aim for 7-10 servings per day and choose whole fruit over fruit juice or nectars.
• Choose whole grain foods.  These include foods made with whole wheat flour, brown rice, wild rice, barley and oats.  These foods are high in fibre and can help you manage your weight as they help you to feel full longer. Tip: Try using 100% whole wheat flour to make rotis, serve dahl more often and try adding ground flax seeds to your roti dough or dahl.
• Choose lower fat dairy products.  Use skim, 1% or 2% milk and low fat yogurts.
• Choose meats and alternatives made with little or no added fat.  Trim any visible fat on your meat and remove the skin on chicken.  Enjoy fish at least 2 times per week.  Dahl is a great alternative to meat.  Tip: Try using firm tofu in replace of paneer.
• Try baking, broiling, steaming or grilling your food instead of frying.
• Include small amounts of heart healthy fats, such as: olive oil, canola oil, nuts and seeds.  Use butter, ghee, lard, palm and coconut oils, full fat coconut milk, fried foods and chips less often.
• Eat smaller portions.  Try the following:
  • Grains and Starches (rice, roti/chappati, potatoes, parathas, bread, pasta, dahl) Choose an amount up to the size of your fist
  • Meats and alternatives (fish, chicken, meat, egg, dahl, soybeans, tofu) Choose an amount the size of a deck of cards
  • Vegetables

Choose two large handfuls

Along with proper nutrition, regular physical activity is key to your success.  Aim for 30 minutes of activity five days per week.  Try taking the stairs, getting off the bus a stop early, parking your car as far away as possible, gardening or dancing.  All of these things count as activity and can add up at the end of the day.  Most important, remember to have fun!

For more information about preventing or managing diabetes meet with a registered dietitian and diabetes nurse educator.  Check with your local community health centre or hospital to find a program closest to you.  The Diabetes Education Program at Black Creek Community Health Centre is located in North York Sheridan Mall at 2202 Jane St, and at Yorkgate Mall at 1Yorkgate Blvd. We offer diabetes education for adults living with Type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes in group and individual sessions.  Doctor referrals are not required.  For more information, please contact us at 416 249 8000.

Author: Lisa Martin

is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator currently working at Black Creek Community Health Centre.  She has over 5 years experience working in diabetes education in both the community and hospital setting

What are you doing for Valentine’s this year? How about changing the world. This is exactly what medical student Vanessa Rambihar and her team at the University of Toronto asks you to do, to use the energy and sentiment of heart at Valentine’s to improve the world.  It’s energy conservation and conversion of a different kind.

Global Heart Hour, a new concept they launched on Valentine’s 2009 in Toronto, is expanding to become a new grassroots global initiative to make a better world.  This year’s event was held at the University of Toronto on Tuesday February 9^th, 2010, with the theme “Think Haiti and Rethink the World.”  Featured speakers were Dr Eric Pierre, Haiti Honorary Consul to Toronto and The Honorable Peter Kent, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs for the Americas, who gave inspiring talks to over 200 medical and health students and faculty at the University of Toronto.

Dr Pierre, a humanitarian, and Toronto dentist since 1981, recounted the history of physician humanitarian involvement, inspiring the students, and described the acute and long-term needs of Haiti, considered the wretched among the wretched. The Honorable Peter Kent, an award winning broadcast journalist, correspondent and news anchor, who reported on many momentous global changes of the 20^th century, like the Vietnam and Yom Kippur Wars and the fall of the Berlin Wall, has extensive experience in the Caribbean, and described Canada’s responsibility and commitment to Haiti and the world.

The speakers and panelists were presented with gift books on humanitarianism, “An Imperfect Offering: humanitarian action for the twenty-first century” by U of T Professor Dr James Orbinski, who accepted the Nobel Peace Prize for Médecins Sans Frontières, and “Mountains beyond Mountains” about Dr Paul Farmer, Head of Global Health at Harvard University.

Ms Rambihar challenged the audience to find new ways to reverse the decline in humanitarianism reported in a January 2010 Lancet Editorial. The Editorial claimed that it is scandalous that it took a seismic shift in tectonic plates for Haiti to earn its place in the international spotlight. It continued, that for the people living in Haiti and those living in similar situations, it is humanitarianism that remains the most crucial motivation and means for intervention. Yet, the editorial said, despite the growth in aid, there is a decline in humanitarianism.

Global Heart Hour hopes to sustain and increase the spirit of humanitarianism, which tends to fade after the outpouring of support after disasters like the tsunami, floods and earthquakes, to address acute and ongoing problems.  At the Launch last year, the discussion included reducing heart disease globally, to improve health and development, while reducing poverty. This reflected the origins of Global Heart Hour in a 25 year annual community outreach for heart health at the Scarborough Hospital by cardiologist Dr Vivian Rambihar and a team of volunteers. This year the discussion was on thinking about Haiti for lessons to help us rethink how best to be involved in the world.

A distinguished panel helped to put this in perspective while introducing the novel idea of social innovation to make a better world. The panel agreed on the need for urgent interventions balanced with meeting longer term and sustainable goals.  It also felt that people-powered collaborations like Global Heart and other initiatives, which use people’s strengths and energy in novel ways, can do much to help the vulnerable globally and at home.

The panel was introduced by Lisa Torjman, a leader in social innovation at MaRS who emphasized the value of collaboration. The panel included Dr Nazanin Meshkat, ER physician who volunteered in Papua New Guinea, Jane Rumball, medical student, Olympian and World Champion rower who fundraises, and volunteers abroad for Right to Play, a humanitarian and development organization using sport and play to improve lives, and Celina Agaton, cross-sector collaborator who was involved in Crisis Camp Haiti in Toronto using computer technology here to improve relief efforts in Haiti.

Haiti Consul Dr Eric Pierre speaking, with rapt attention by the panel from right, Lisa Torjman, Event Founder Vanessa Rambihar, Minister Peter Kent, Dr Nazanin Meshkat, Jane Rumball and Celina Agaton at Valentine's Global Heart Hour 2010.

The event was opened by Dr Leslie Nickell, U of T Associate Dean, Health Professions Student Affairs, who spoke eloquently of the need for social responsibility, an increasing focus of the university.  She felt that Global Heart Hour is an excellent example of this and congratulated the organizers and speakers for their leadership and innovative contribution to society here and globally.

Global Heart invites everyone to spend an hour around Valentine’s to do something for the world. It advocates that just as we turned off lights for Earth Hour we can turn on hearts for Global Heart.  It could be simple actions like talking or thinking about heart, volunteering, donating the money saved on chocolate, or larger activities like organizing social events or lectures or doing heart health promotion, whatever you feel best.

Event-founder-Vanessa-Rambihar and moderator Lisa Torjman

This event was followed by a fundraiser “Red” for heart party, for Haiti and MSF. For more on global heart or what you can do, please look at Tsunami Chaos and Global Heart at www.femmefractal.com/tsunami.htm with more suggestions on page 271 or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psPhRKXFAks or at globalhearthour.com. Future plans include Global Heart Days and making Global Heart Hour truly global as a grassroots movement for change.

So, be part of Global Heart Hour and change the world. Either alone, or with friends, families or colleagues, choose any hour around Valentine’s and make a difference in your own way. Then blog, Facebook, tweet, etc and tell the world.

Author: Dr. Vivian Rambihar ,MD Cardiology,2008 ICCC Humanitarian of the Year award.

The dances performed by  Malayalam youth  talented artist got huge applause from the audience in the Panorama India Culturefest &Republic celebration at Pearson Convention Center. The fusion dance, Lokasamasthasukino Bavanthu classical dance, and bangara were the items presented by Brampton Malayaleesamajam and Nair society of Canada. Some of these dances were choreographed by Gayatri Vijayakumar, Director of Nupura School of Music, Toronto.

Swar Sadhana Music Lovers Club organized yet another successful event of the Vocal Contest 2010 (round 3). Indeed, it was house full of music lovers celebrated Indian Republican Day. All the contestants sung Indian Patriotic songs and presented an example of true cultural diversity. The round # 4 with Romantic theme is scheduled on Saturday, February 27, 2010. For more information about the contest please visit our website www.swarsadhana.ca

Over 40 students of Swar Sadhana Music School presented joyful Deshbhakti(Patriotic)  Geet Sangeet. The show was wonderfully conducted by the host Jay Bhavsar and supported by the active volunteer members.

Mr. Vicky Dhillon – city councillor graced the event and congratulated every one for the great cause and their efforts

There are certain instances in lives of nations that knock on its conscience for a long time. These events then gave birth to policy reformation, evaluation and remind us that we live in a world where things of past can become present events with same ideology. Almost 20 years back, young women were gunned down in Montreal by a man manifesting the parochial and male chauvinistic thinking prevalent in all parts of the world. Montreal massacre has become a prime example where psychologies of the developing societies sometimes trigger events in a liberal environment where everyone has a right to access education.

Rita Kohli, Executive Director of SA/RCCP narrates the inspiration behind the paintings

Renuka Maharaja narrates the inspiration behind the paintings

Jasteena Kaur Dhillon gives a keynote speech on “Genocide, Militarization and Violence Against Women: Brining the Global Home”

Domestic violence, rape, aggression against women is not only verbatim. They are live realities of our very own world. The world in which we breathe thinking that our daughters and sisters are safe and are being nurtured in a safe environment.

The first gala was planned by Sexual Assault and Rape Crisis Centre of Peel to commemorate the December 6th massacre in Montreal.  Poets and painters from peel region participated in the event for fundraising for this worthy cause.

Kalista Zackhariyas performs to the sound of ‘Spoken Word” in collaboration with Lata Pada

The reception started by a warm welcome followed by an introduction to the artists collective. The visual artists collaborated with the poets giving lives to their words by painting them on the canvas. Kumkum Ramchandani, Marlene Leighon and Abhinav Misra displayed their unique creation followed by painting live in front of the crowd. The colors on the canvas manifested life, arising from the chaos of death like a phoenix. Later the painting was auctioned in the crowd for the worthy cause.

Ms. Rapinder Kaur bought the live painting for $300.00

 There was a live performance by Kalista Zachariyas on Indian classical music. Her dance moves were mesmerizing yet unique at the same time.

Visual Artists rise in Solidarity: Colouring the landscape for Women’s empowerment. _ Marlene Leighton/ Abhinav Misra/ Kum Kum Ramchnadani

The event progressed with a dinner followed by the beats of Taiko drummers, depicting the power of Mother Nature and its relation with womanhood.  In the beats of the Raw Taiko drummers the message of safety and awareness for all was conveyed by the Sexual Assault and Rape Crisis Centre of Peel. The event took an emotional turn with the address of notable Jasteena Kaur Dhillion who narrated 7 stories of real women
affected by violence across the globe.

The gala, with its beautiful colors, music and paintings reminded its participants of a safe world where art and music nurture, curtaining the ugly realities of the world; yet reminding us that there are vulnerable and weak women out there who need our help. And sometimes events like that of December 6th can turn strong women into symbols
of domestic violence.

Author: Sarah Zahid

Youth between the ages of 14 and 30 are increasingly getting themselves into gangs, violence, guns and drugs. To highlight the alternate of these evils that have begun to take roots in our society, MP from Brampton-Springdale, Ms. Ruby Dhalla hosted the first annual youth community service fair.

Anisha Mohammad, Youth Program Coordinator at BNRC

Brampton Safe City poster

The idea was to link and partner youth with community organizations that can offer help and advice on issues like peer pressure, career counseling, finding jobs, writing resumes, how to communicate with parents, and to stay away from gangs and drugs.

To address some of the social issues of our youth, MP Dhalla founded a non-political, non-partisan youth body called Youth Advisory Council to empower youth and to give voice to them. Youth Advisory Council brings together “youth people to design and develop solutions to the problems at community level,” the young MP explained.

Dale , Coordinator at United Achievers Community Services Inc., chats with MP Ruby Dhalla

With the rising numbers of gangs in our neighborhoods, one has to ask reasons behind it. One reason could be lack of communication between parents and teenagers; another could be lack of parental involvement in their kids’ lives and the third is probably different atmospheres in which kids and immigrant parents’ have been raised in.

The solution, then, as Mr. Dale Williams from United Achievers Community Services Inc. suggests is bringing together parents and youth. “Right now it’s all about youth, youth, youth..but let’s get parents involved too,” he says.

Another way to get youth away from bad company is for them to work. One of the many areas Job Skills works on is youth employment. Job Skills provides free job searches, career counseling, helps youth to get volunteer hours and so on. When it comes to youth, the organization focuses on 15-30 year olds. Youth need motivation and to encourage them to volunteer or to be involved in community, we come to them, says Ms. Arajul.

Eugene Wilson, Volunteer Coordinator with City of Brampton Mayor's Youth team

Growth of business has become critical since we have hit recession. Community organizations like Brampton Neighbourhood Resource Centre (BNRC) have realized this. BNRC has initiated a program whereby youth works with community business leaders to give youth the taste of real life entrepreneurial atmosphere.

Environment has become a hot topic of debate as the world leaders get together at Copenhagen to make our planet greener and cleaner, and to cut carbon emissions. Our youth is very much aware of the issue. High School Green Club Council of Brampton is all for clean energy and clean environment. “Many people are interested in helping environment, but they are not quite sure how to do that,” says Aisha. This group recommends abandoning the use of plastic bags, elimination of the use of pesticides, recycling and so on as some of the steps that we can all take to put in our fair share toward cleaner Canada and our globe. One of their initiatives is cell phone drive to reduce cell phone waste.

 Youth is our community as well as country’s future and is recognized as such. City of Brampton Mayor’s Youth Tem represents students of Brampton schools. This team has put together youth violence awareness programs to promote safety for students from gangs, violence, drugs, bullying and so on.

Mike Aiken, Community Development Officer at Peel Aborignial Network

Sandra Araujl, Lead Youth Employment Coach at Job Skills

Saqib Khokar, Ahmed Saleh & Saqib Shaikh from Muslim Youth of North America

Supriya Sethi, Christopher George, Sukhraj Singh and Donna from Youth Advisory Council.

 

To keep youth healthy and away from gangs, Muslim Youth of North America holds sport activities soccer tournaments, camping and so on. This group embraces youth of all ethnicities and religions. “We have healthy brotherhoods,” says Ahmed Saleh.

Among many other things, Peel Aboriginal Network educates non-aboriginal people on drum making, holds cultural workshops and so on. Most people who need help are between the ages of 14- 29. They bring social problems like gang violence, peer pressure and so on to us. But mostly people want to be informed on Aboriginal culture and traditions and turn to Peel Aboriginal Network.

By: Asma Amanat ,Saniya Zahid

As conscious youth we often have a desire to make our mark in society, but there are times when we do not know what we can do to make a difference. Consider an opportunity to help a group of people who came to Canada feeling an intense sense of isolation and displacement of identity in finding themselves in a new country, yet managed to develop a sense of community and culture for us to grow up in. This group of people is the elderly in South Asian communities. Today, there are many among the elderly that are victims of elder abuse and suffer in silence.

So where do we as youth come into the picture? Here is an opportunity for us youth to give back by working alongside seniors in raising awareness on the issues of elder abuse.

This month marks the launch of REH’MA Community Services latest project titled “Seniors Taking Aim at Elder Abuse”.  This project is in large part funded by the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) and REH’MA itself.

For more than a decade, REH’MA Community Services has been committed to the well-being of seniors, women, youth and newcomers to Canada. It encourages seniors to take a leading role in understanding the perceptions, beliefs and attitudes about elder abuse in Muslim Communities.

“Seniors have committed so much to building our communities – they are the movers of the past for where we are today”, said Amra Munawar the Project Director of REH’MA Community Services. “In this year long project, seniors will be providing leadership and sharing their knowledge and skills with others.”  

The aims of the project are to raise awareness of elder abuse in Muslim communities. Elder abuse is any abuse or neglect of a person aged 60 or older by a caregiver, spouse, family member, friend or a neighbour, where there is an expectation of trust that threatens his/her safety. This can include physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, and/or financial exploitation.

This project is of a very unique nature. Seniors will be a vital part of a steering committee and will use their skills and experiences to oversee the project. Working alongside university students, scholars and professionals in related fields, they will design the project, conduct focus groups with seniors from Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan, collect data, and submit reports.

The “Seniors Taking Aim at Elder Abuse” project is a new and very important endeavor for our communities. If you are interested in participating in this project, contact Fatima Sajan, Project Coordinator for REH’MA Community Services at fatima@rehma-cs.org.

Kindly Note: recognizing that elder abuse is a sensitive issue, and in an effort to maintain privacy and confidentiality, this will not be a forum to share personal experiences but to explore general perceptions on the issue as a first step.

REH’MA would like to thank New Horizons for their continuous support in ensuring that seniors are able to actively contribute to and benefit from the quality of life in their communities. 

Author: Fatima Sajan  is the Project Coordinator for REH’MA Community Services. She can be reached at fatima@rehma-cs.org.

As I was walking by, passively, an energetic young lady asked me to walk into makeshift Trauma, Emergency & Critical Care unit of Sunnybrook Health Services Centre. For a moment I hesitated, then, I stepped into the ER. She asked me to put on the gown that professional put on. I refused…then I saw an elderly lady examining the statue that was lying with blood dripping from it. As she did so, a healthcare professional helped her see what was happening inside the body and how the patients who enter ER are treated.

After this I got enough encouragement to walk up to another makeshift section where a man was walking over a mat that was about 1.5 meters. The mat was connected with the computer. I decided I needed to walk over this mat. One woman looked over the heels of my shoes to make sure that it wasn’t prickly enough to damage this $25,000 system. The mat was wired and connected with the computer. This was Brain Sciences Program unit.

 I was told that the pattern my feet has made is normal; however patients suffering from stroke do not have this normal pattern. The professional also told me how they have patients walk with counting backward to determine whether patients are distracted. It reminded me of Ontario’s newest law that bans hand held devices while driving. The system gave some insight into what happens when an individual is distracted. This healthcare professional, however did not seem to be convinced that the law is a good one.

This was a day when Sunnybrook Health Services Centre was holding a press conference as well as a general meeting to announce its fundraising campaign at this facility on the seventh floor. The event was attended by patients who have been served at Sunnybrook or by the relatives of these patients. In their green Tees they reinforced Sunnybrook’s message of give-invest-support.

 The Campaign for Sunnybrook will support four critical areas: $212 million for new facilities; $116 million for research; $100 million technology; and $42 million for the Sunnybrook Fund which will support the most pressing needs and promising developments at Sunnybrook. The federal and provincial governments will provide $300 million in matching funding for capital and research.

In declaring the launch of the campaign, Jennifer Tory, chair of the Campaign for Sunnybrook, announced a $10-million gift from Seymour Schulich, one of Canada’s most influential philanthropists.

“About a year ago,” Ms. Tory said, “Mr. Schulich challenged Sunnybrook Foundation to raise $10 million by the end of 2008 to rebuild the Schulich Heart Centre at Sunnybrook. The Foundation did just that and Mr. Schulich has made this $10-million gift to match those donations dollar-for-dollar. This transformational gift follows a long history of investment Mr. Schulich has made in Sunnybrook.”

Also announced at the campaign launch was a $1.5-million gift from donors David and Sheryl Kerr. Mr. Kerr’s life was saved at Sunnybrook in 2008. Their gift was made as part of Mr. Schulich’s matching challenge.

To date, $265 million has been raised for the Campaign for Sunnybrook, leaving $205 million to be raised through fundraising in the community.

“The needs of the people served by Sunnybrook are significant,” said David Leslie, chair of Sunnybrook’s board of directors. “The chemotherapy suites at Sunnybrook’s Odette Cancer Centre treat 18,000 patients a year. They were designed for 5,000. One in 10 women in Canada with breast cancer will be treated at Sunnybrook. These women need a centre dedicated to the research and treatment of their disease. The cardiac intensive care unit at the Schulich Heart Centre is over 40 years old. Our neonatal intensive care unit is overcrowded. Sometimes there’s room for only one parent to visit a critically ill baby.”

While the task at hand is challenging, many people are inspired to contribute to health centres because of the stories of patients. Mr. Kevin Goldthorp, Chief Executive Officer at Sunnybrook Foundation noted that South Asians are growing in numbers and their presence is increasing in hospital in the form of volunteers and healthcare professionals.

At the same time, Mr. Goldthorp noted that while the e-health scandal is “unfortunate,” Sunnybrook’s books are transparent and open.

 Author: Asma Amanat

The Indus Entrepreneurs Toronto Association (TIE Toronto) is a non-for-profit organization created for the advancement of entrepreneurship in GTA. TIE Toronto has over 40 chapters and 8000 members worldwide.

TIE Toronto started in 2000 and now has 400 aspiring entrepreneurs and 53 Chartered members who are successful entrepreneurs.

TIE started in Silicon Valley in 1992 by a group of successful entrepreneurs of South Asian origin. They sold their business, had time and wanted to give back to the community so 5 founders formed the group.

During a meeting with President Suresh Madan, Generation Next was introduced to not only his own struggle and success but also to the wide networking platform provided by TIE Toronto.

Suresh Madan is an industrial engineer with an MBA. He came from India about 12 years ago. He is well aware of investments in stock market and advises early stage companies with emerging growth.

He came to Canada, well-prepared to face the challenges and well-armed with credentials such as CFA. As soon as he landed here, he utilized the power of networking by seeking the CFA related people and made his way, “As soon as I landed here I connected with the CFA network, met some people who had similar qualification as mine. Took leads from them and found a multibillion family who were looking for someone with my set of skills.”

He is currently working for Excalibur that was introduced to him through networking as well, “I was introduced by that family, so it was time for me to move onto a next venture.”

His passion to work with new business ideas got him involved with TIE Toronto about 5 years ago. At TIE, “ We do a competition, we do mentoring, we organize seminars and also evening workshops.”

TIEQUEST, an annual competition to present new business ideas was at early stages when Suresh joined. They had 30 participants and $10,000 prize money.

Suresh started looking at several templates of similar competitions around the globe to search a format that would work best for TIE QUEST.

He recalls that the initial model of TIE QUEST was basically based on the presentation skills of the presenter rather than the concept of the presented business idea, “Somebody who presented well, even when the concept may not be very sound would, score higher, simply because of the presentation skills. Business requires communication skills, but communication skills are only one part of the whole equation. You need to have a sound idea. You need to research your product area thoroughly.”

 So, to improve the competition, 5 different phases were introduced to the competition. In each phase the contestant will present in a different format and then the judges will have the opportunity to access them over different phases and decide which a better venture is.

For contestants to participate, it became a lot of work and it had to be a bigger and better competition. So, various sponsors were gathered and the prize money was increased.

The competition is spread over 5-5 months of time and is very challenging. To help the participants, they are provided a guide in form of mentors.

The entire structure of TIE is to engage mentoring, where the successful entrepreneurs who have done and established their ventures give their time to help new entrepreneurs, “So when we get about 200 participants in the competition, we try to match them with an industry expert from that area.”

The feedback from the participants show that the quality of the presentation improves over these 4-5 months, their own concept of business substantially changes and improves over this time, simply because they have had an opportunity to meet somebody who has had similar issues in the past and have found a way to resolve it.

To join TIE Toronto, there is a $50 annual fee for a student and $100 fee for non-students but if anyone participates in TIE Quest, the membership fee is waived for the first year.

TIE has members ranging from recent university graduates to successful well-established entrepreneurs. So TIE provides a platform to tie the youth with the experience of the successful elderly. Although, TIE does not provide direct financial assistance, through networking and various seminars they facilitate it by introducing the members to various investors.

Mr. Madan proudly talks about the success stories, “we have 14 success stories listed on our website who are our members. In fact 4 of our past participants, actually sponsored the competition in future.”

The same battle of sexes is also reflected at TIE Toronto, Mr. Madan says, “We have not tracked the statistics properly but we need to encourage female participation.  I am a little bit disappointed with female participation.”

Furthermore he says that you do not have to be from a business educational background to be an entrepreneur, “We are surprised ourselves, people from MBA background are less than 25%. We see wide range of educational backgrounds and even some non-degree students.Last year in the competition that concluded in April 2009, we had  29 MBAs, 20 PHDs, 23 engineers, 1 JD, 3 MDs, 1 Chartered Accountant and 3 BBA’s.”

Moreover, it is common to see entrepreneurship as a second career in lives of most members, “Almost 2/3rd of our participants are non-students. We have a separate category for students for which only 1/3 were eligible. So, almost all of these non-students are thinking this as their second career. Some of them are moving from one business to another.”

Finally, he says that TIE Toronto is doing its best to increase their membership by keeping in contact with various universities through their programs such as the Entrepreneurial Program at Ryerson, York and Rotman School of Management at UofT. Also, they work with Ministry of Small Businesses in Ontario and partner with organizations such as impact.org.

Author: Saniya Zahid