Toronto-based author and social worker, Farzana Doctor’s first novel is called “Stealing Nasreen”. It received wide acclaim from the Globe and Mail, Quill and Quire, and NOW Magazine. “Six Metres of Pavement” is her second novel. She has also co-written a manual for therapists and was part of the video collective that produced the documentary, “Rewriting the Script”.

GN: Why did you feel the need to take to writing?

I’ve always enjoyed writing, although it was a sporadic thing until I took a writing course about twelve years ago. During that course, I wrote the first draft of the first chapter of my first novel, Stealing Nasreen. After that, I couldn’t stop (it’s an addictive process) and over the years, writing has become more dominant in my life.

GN: How has writing impacted your outlook and life?

As I claimed more time and space in my life for writing, I realized that being a writer is really important to me. I rearranged my budget, schedule and the rest of my work life to accommodate it. I feel fortunate to have “found” the joy of my life.

GN: A lot of good literature is coming from South Asians these days. What would you attribute this to?

I think there was always good literature coming from South Asia. Perhaps we hear more about it now (in Canada) because of globalization and the internet?

GN: What is your view of Canadian South Asian literature?

South Asians make up the largest immigrant population in Canada and so it makes sense that we have a large number of excellent writers here in Canada too.

GN: What issues do you wish to talk about through your writing? Why are these important to you?

I begin writing through story, setting, character. That is, I don’t necessarily start with issues. However, as a political person, the issues do come through. In both of my novels, I’ve addressed issues of diasporic South Asians, immigration, sexuality, loss and redemption.

GN: What do you think about Canada’s multicultural claim?

Which one? I think the government promotes a lot of myths about immigration, immigrants and multiculturalism. In the end, it’s all of us who create vibrant communities, who work together toward social justice and change. That said, I love living in Toronto, where (despite our regressive Mayor) diversity is thriving.

GN: How has the diaspora experience impacted your writing?

We came to Canada in 1971. I was a baby of new immigrants. I think I soaked up my parents’ experiences, values, struggles and it comes through in my characters.

GN: What can we expect from you in the days to come?

I’m still promoting my second novel Six Metres of Pavement and am planning to go to India in the spring– both my novels are going to be launched there by Rupa, which I’m so excited about. I’m also working on my third novel, which is inspired by my love/hate relationship with monogamy and all inclusive resorts.

By Staff Writer

“I find that the community is a lot more accepting here than it was back in the States.”

“In general, it is more difficult for foreign physicians to get licensing in Canada. However, I don’t think it entirely depends on the country you are from. I believe that with the right skill and training, anyone can become a doctor in Canada, regardless of where they are born.”

Newly established physician, Doctor Vishal Midha, began working in the Gore area in Brampton earlier in the year of 2011. Although the clinic in which Doctor Midha practices is freshly opened, it attracts large numbers of patients every day. After making a number of appointments to speak with Doctor Midha about his life and career, he was able to make time in his busy schedule for an interview. Happy to talk about his career, Doctor Midha provided some valuable insight on how he became an established family physician in Canada. During my time speaking with him, Doctor Midha was both relaxed, and thorough; especially when describing his roots.

Can you tell us about your background? Where were you born and raised?

I was born in Patiala, India. After moving away from Punjab, I lived in Delhi for most of my childhood. Most of the time when I was in India, I was living in Delhi.

Where did you go to school?

Straight after high school, I did my MBBS at a Medical School in Maharashtra, India. It’s different in India than it is here. The transition from high school to medical school doesn’t require an undergraduate degree, so I was able save myself the time and get right to it. Medical school lasted about five and a half years for me.

Are there any experiences you can pinpoint that have had a profound impact on your choice to become a family physician?

Not really. My parents’ influence was always there. They encouraged me to choose a career relating to medicine, but besides that I can’t say there was any particular event that caused me to want to become a doctor.

Did you always know that you wanted to become a doctor?

Up until high school I wasn’t too sure. High school, as we are told, is the time to make the decision of what you want to do with your life, and that’s when I made mine. There was never a time where I considered something outside of family medicine as a career choice.

When did you move to Canada?

I moved out of India in 2001, when I studied and did my medical training in the U.S. to get my formal residency there. I lived in the U.S. for a few years and moved to Canada in 2010 where I practiced for some time in the Rexdale area, and then moved to Brampton to start working here earlier in 2011. I really like it a lot better in Brampton than in the U.S. where I did my training. I find that the community is a lot more accepting here than it was back in the States.

According to your observations, what was the difference between where you were in the United States and where you are practicing now?

It’s easier for me to utilize my language skills here. In the U.S. there was really no need for me as a doctor to know Hindi and Punjabi. English was not even sufficient in most cases, since where I was it was a utility to know Spanish in order to fully understand and talk to some of the patients. Here, there is more of a demand for individuals who speak languages like Hindi and Punjabi as there are many elderly South Asian people who do not fully have a grasp on the English language. Besides the language aspect, I figured that getting permanent residency and citizenship in Canada would take less time than in the States. Since I was only living in the States to do my medical training and did not have my Green Card, I thought it would be a long process to get it. It is both longer and more difficult to get one’s green card than it is to get citizenship in Canada. Also, I find that obtaining a medical license is easier in Canada than it is in the U.S.

Do you think it was more difficult for you to become a physician in Canada as someone born in India as opposed to those originally from Canada?

In general, it is more difficult for foreign physicians to get licensing in Canada. However, I don’t think it entirely depends on the country you are from. I believe that with the right skill and training, anyone can become a doctor in Canada, regardless of where they are born.

A truly inspiring message from Doctor Midha shows hopeful South Asians that what really makes all the difference in the medical industry is skill and practice.

There is a lot that can be learned from the responses provided by Doctor Midha; the first thing being the value of hard work.  After living in India his entire life as well as completing Medical School there, Doctor Midha was able work his way to Canada and establish himself as a successful family physician. The second, and very crucial lesson taught to us by Doctor Midha is that the boundary that may have been visible once for South Asians is no longer an issue. Being a part of a visible minority in Canada does not have to be an issue for those looking to kick-start a career in medicine. Really, the colour of your skin does not determine how far you can go in life, according to Doctor Midha.

By Gaga Batra

“People who know me are always surprised to hear that it’s been so long since I’ve been to India (laughter) because they see me as being very desi..”

“We had recently watched a Bollywood movie set in that time period, so they kind of connected with what they had seen to it.  When we went to see this exhibit, I said to them ‘Do you remember that movie and the maharajas? See, this is from the real maharaja!’”

With a versatile career graph spanning more than ten years and featuring government, communications, public relations, and journalism, Sarbjit Kaur is a well-known, well-respected and very active member of both the South Asian and broader GTA community. Recently elected a Director of the Mississauga Arts Council, she shares her views on arts, culture and public engagement with Generation Next.

Sarbjit’s parents immigrated to Canada from Punjab, India in the 1970s and went on to have four children born and raised in the GTA. She remembers, how, like with many other immigrant families, hers too had to go through the initial grind.

“My mother, even though she had a degree from India, worked in a bakery, in factories; and eventually, over time, started doing accounting and similar type of work,” she says.

“My father was a blue-collar worker, and he worked for more than 30 years at a steel plant, so we were very much a middle, working class family.”

“Until we were teenagers we lived in a ‘joint’ family with aunts, uncles, and grandparents all raising us.”

She remains grateful to her parents for giving her and her siblings the best life they could.

Although Sarbjit hasn’t been to India since she was six months old, that country’s culture, history and politics draws her a lot. She remarks with a chuckle, “People who know me are always surprised to hear that it’s been so long since I’ve been to India (laughter) because they see me as being very desi. We were first-generation, I speak fluent Punjabi—I can even read and write it a bit.” She recalls how much she enjoyed going to events like Baisakhi melas, Gurdwaras, Punjabi school, and even Kabaddi tournaments as she was growing up.

Now, as an official involved with nourishing and propagating arts, Sarbjit finds arts extremely important in the overall scheme of things. “Arts touches people in many different ways. It can be a creative outlet, can express ideas and emotions, and adds richness to our lives. Art in all its forms, is often described as food for the soul and I think that’s a very good way of describing it” she says.

Given the large and ever-increasing concentration of South Asians in the GTA, one would expect this community to be actively involved in the local art scene. Sarbjit confirms this is indeed the case and is enthusiastic about the participatory spirit of South Asians. “Now you see even on Canada Day, South Asian arts, culture and music are being integrated into mainstream events and are being enjoyed by audiences of all kinds. I think the South Asian community is very active in the arts scene, whether it’s music, or plays or entertainment, visual art or even fashion—we are there in every aspect, and it’s something to be very proud of,” says Sarbjit.

To attract local talent towards artistic avenues, the Mississauga Arts Council organizes a range of events such as monthly open-Mic nights and award nights. The Council also helps artists access grants and funding. Although The Arts Council itself doesn’t provide grants, it helps find appropriate programs for artists and offers many other support services such as workshops to artists.

Sarbjit’s own association with art is not new. She had been active in the arts scene in her role as a committee member of the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) ROMPROM. The possibilities in a bustling city like Mississauga, where she’s lived for many years, prompted her to apply for her present role. So far, she hasn’t been disappointed.

As she says, “Mississauga has a lot to offer and many people don’t realise how much talents we have right here in Mississauga doing wonderful work. That’s the biggest learning that I had from becoming involved with the Arts Council. There are dancers, painters, spoken-word artists, singers, rappers, opera singers—artists of all kinds—and they are right here in Mississauga.”

As a single mother of two young girls, Sarbjit makes a conscious effort to cultivate artistic appreciation in her daughters. Instead of encouraging them to sit before the television or the computer, she takes them to art camps, theatre and festivals. She recalls with delight the experience they had while seeing the Maharaja exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario.

She says, “We had recently watched a Bollywood movie set in that time period, so they kind of connected with what they had seen to it.  When we went to see this exhibit, I said to them ‘Do you remember that movie and the maharajas? See, this is from the real maharaja!’” She encourages other parents to do the same with their kids, as she feels at a younger age, children absorb a lot more  and develop interests that stay with them their whole life.

Having been involved with the public sphere for a long time, Sarbjit sounds satisfied with the level of South Asian involvement in the GTA’s public arena. South Asians have done well, not only for themselves, but also in terms of giving back to the larger community.

“Our community is very well respected and perceived as a hardworking community, as an asset to Canada’s cultural mosaic. If you think about it, we are so well represented in every avenue, whether it’s politics, academia, entrepreneurship, in the legal profession—we have judges. Even in the arts, we have a lot of well accomplished artists doing very well. It’s hard to think of part of Canadian life where South Asians aren’t involved.”

“Of course there is always  work to do and barriers to break down, but I believe we will continue to make progress and thrive.”

Canada’s multiculturalism is a subject close to Sarbjit’s heart. She is strongly opposed to attaching any negative connotation to the word and feels that Canada is a wonderful example of multicultural success. “There are countries all around the world who look to us as an example of a successful multicultural model. Things are not perfect, but generally we have built a strong, fair, diverse society with immigrants from all over the world contributing, integrating well, respecting differences and understanding that at the end of the day – we generally share very similar values.”

What does she think of South Asians competing against each other when running for public office? Shouldn’t they build consensus to have one strong candidate elected? Sarbjit maintains that in a democracy one can’t really stop anyone from contesting. At the same time, she hopes that potential contestants take a good look at themselves, and if there’s a more worthy candidate: there’s nothing wrong with supporting that person.

As someone involved with both arts and the South Asian community, this successful professional looks forward to working to strengthen the Arts in Mississauga and encourages everyone to get involved.

“The Mississauga Arts Council is definitely interested in having new members and greater involvement from people from all communities including the large South Asian community,” she says.

It’s a great time to get involved as the council is gearing up to celebrate its 30^th anniversary. For more information visit: www.mississaugaartscouncil.com

By Staff Writer

“Even though our name does have the word “Indian” we always market our events to all South Asians and ensure to bring in leaders from all parts of the world. We recognize that being South Asian is beyond having an Indian background and we strive to celebrate everything South Asian, regardless of origin.”

“In my opinion through my experience in the corporate world, I think most organizations in the GTA are ensuring that their organizations are representative of the diversity that this province has to offer.”

Born and raised in Brampton, Neeti Passi, the current President of NetIP—Network of Indian Professionals, Toronto, symbolizes the modern South-Asian Canadian woman—confident of her stride and enthusiastic to reach out.

Talking to Generation Next, Neeti remembers how growing up in a South Asian family meant focusing on academics and picking a professional career. She was lucky though as she recalls, “I had an older brother who had already gone through many of the similar experiences I was facing, thus making it easier for me to find my east-west fit.”

NetIp. Toronto's executive team

A Health Informatics Leader for Saint Elizabeth, Neeti joined NetIP Toronto in January 2011 as a member and the National Liaison co-lead. The idea was to get connected with other likeminded South Asian professionals while also giving back to the community. But doesn’t she feel the organization’s name needs to be changed to make it more representative of South Asians, rather than just Indians? Neeti responds, “Even though our name does have the word “Indian” we always market our events to all South Asians and ensure to bring in leaders from all parts of the world. We recognize that being South Asian is beyond having an Indian background and we strive to celebrate everything South Asian, regardless of origin.”

As President of the organization, Neeti aspires to make NetIP Toronto a name to reckon among South Asian professionals. She shares with pride the progress the organization has made within two years of its existence in Toronto. “We are starting to see a lot of new faces are each of our events, which empirically tells us that we are reaching out to more people.”

When asked what challenges NetIP Toronto faces, the new president says it relates to constantly ensuring that the activities provided by the organization are commensurate with membership needs. To this end, feedback is regularly sought from both members and non-members. Neeti also says, “NetIP Toronto wants to set itself apart from other professional networking organizations, therefore, it’s always a challenge to be one step ahead and offering interesting and intriguing events for our members.”

And what are her challenges as a South Asian Canadian? “One of my biggest challenges,” she says, “is to be seen as an individual and not falling into the stereotypes. It’s wonderful to see that the times are changing and young South Asian professionals are branching into a multitude of professional careers. Moreover, historically, South Asian women have had to struggle to maintain a career while supporting a family, but I think times are now changing.”

Neeti also feels it isn’t difficult for young South Asian women to start a family in Canada, as long as both partners have a common family goal. Given this scenario, would she prefer being a stay-at-home-mom? “I would love to stay at home with the children when they are young, but I don’t think I would stay home forever. I enjoy applying my professional skills and contributing to a household. Even if I couldn’t go back to work, I could see myself being more involved in not-for-profit/volunteering activities,” she says.

South Asian women like Neeti have made their mark across many fields. This can sometimes be intimidating to male members of the community, still conditioned by stereotypical images of women. Neeti feels this has a lot to do with the type of role models such men grew up with. “If they had a mom that was working, then I don’t think it is such an intimidation factor if a South Asian female is successful in her career; however, if they have never been exposed then it’s more of a fear of the unknown than intimidation,” she says.

Generation Next wants to know Neeti’s views on multiculturalism in Canada, given a measly four percent of visible minorities being represented at corporate leadership levels. According to Neeti, Canada’s multiculturalism is thriving and represents the world’s diversity. The challenge with ensuring that the same diversity is reflected effectively at a corporate leadership level “is the responsibility of organizations,” feels Neeti and adds, “In my opinion through my experience in the corporate world, I think most organizations in the GTA are ensuring that their organizations are representative of the diversity that this province has to offer.”

This young leader believes there are enough opportunities available to the youth in Canada. Her wise counsel is for individuals to understand which opportunities will bring one happiness and success, based on one’s core values and desires.

By Staff Writer

Born in India, Anjali Banerjee was raised in Canada and California and received degrees from the University of California, Berkeley. She has written five novels for youngsters and three for adults. Her next novel for adults, ENCHANTING LILY, will be published by Berkley/Penguin.

Why did you feel the need to take to writing?

Writing is in my blood, in my DNA. From early childhood, I had the urge to put pen – or crayon, at first – to paper, to fill a blank page with words. I started writing stories at the age of seven, on a trip to India, when I saw a skinny stray dog and wanted to save him but couldn’t. Writing gave me an outlet for these feelings of compassion and the childhood sense of powerlessness. After reading The Diary of Anne Frank, I started keeping a journal, developing my writing voice. I used a toy typewriter to create short mysteries. I stapled the pages together in book format and pasted little copyright notices inside the front covers. None of my childhood friends did this kind of thing, so I suppose I was a writer from the get-go.  On a basic level, writing is a mysterious compulsion, a creative urge – it’s a world I inhabit. So I suppose there really is no “why.” It’s just something I must do.

How has writing impacted your outlook and life?

In a book called Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life, Natalie Goldberg says that her doctor always wanted to be a writer. She wonders why a doctor would want to be a writer – medicine is such a prestigious profession, and doctors are already helping humanity. And yet, we meet people in many fields who want to be writers. But writers hardly ever want to be anything else. I have to agree. While sometimes I’ve thought life would be easier if I’d become a doctor or lawyer – I might have a higher income, for sure – I’ve never wished to be anything but a writer. Now that I’m actually making some money doing what I love – writing – there is a sense of professional satisfaction.

But the writing life is not easy. I have a second job, and I’m constantly negotiating obstacles to success. It’s a complex, difficult profession, but also fantastically rewarding. I’ve met some amazing people and touched lives in ways I never thought possible.

What is your view of Canadian-SA literature?

Although I grew up in Canada, I’m now living in the U.S. (near Seattle), and I’m afraid we hear very little about Canadian SA literature here. I would love to read more of it. While I was growing up as one of the few Indian children in a small Manitoba town, I had no idea that my childhood was fairly unusual. It was only many years later that I realized I had an immigrant story to tell. I want to read the other voices by writers who may have thought they were alone out there in the Great White North.

What issues do you wish to talk about through your writing? Why are these important to you?

I believe that my task as a writer of fiction is to tell a good story and try to make it believable and entertaining for the reader. The issues – political, social, environmental, philosophical, or whatever – will naturally emerge from the story. Nonfiction essays are different – you approach the topic with a viewpoint in mind. If I approach writing fiction with an issue in my head, the story inevitably becomes tiresome and pedantic.  The issues that seem to *naturally* emerge from my stories are the idea of second chances, coming of age, learning compassion for all creatures, and finding one’s identity and place in the world. MAYA RUNNING, my first novel (YA), features a Bengali-Canadian girl trying to discover her personal and cultural identity in late 1970s Manitoba. It was my most autobiographical novel, but I don’t feel a need to revisit the issues I addressed in that book.

How has the diaspora experience impacted your writing?

I’m not sure I understand this question. I would have to say there are pros and cons. While I feel my experience as a first generation Bengali-Canadian and as a Bengali-Canadian-American, or however one defines it (I was born in India but grew up in Canada and the U.S.) have added depth, complexity and resonance to my writing, I find the “diaspora experience” can also have a strangely inhibiting effect if a writer becomes pigeon-holed – or branded as addressing certain issues. For example, while I feel my stories address universal issues- growing up, love, grief, and so on – reviews often focus on the cultural elements. In my novel Looking for Bapu, a Bengali-American boy must deal with grief after losing his grandfather in a post-September 11th environment in the Pacific Northwest. From the Publishers Weekly review: “This perceptive exploration of one child’s grief demonstrates that grief is a universal emotion that flows through all cultures.” From School Library Journal: “many readers will see this novel as a window to a culture they know little about.” Other reviewers took a more expansive approach. From The Chicago Tribune: “We never lose sight of either the serious issues – the family’s loss and love – or the comedic ones – on an 8-year-old’s rocky path to becoming a holy man.”

My ultimate goal as writer is to broaden my readership, to touch as many people as possible from all backgrounds. I’d like to tell all kinds of stories, not just about the immigrant experience. My cultural background is part of who I am, but it’s not everything.

What can we expect from you in the days to come?

I have a new book for adults out from Berkley/Penguin in August 2012, Enchanting Lily, in which a young widow, who is hiding out in her vintage clothing store on a Pacific Northwest island, comes out of her isolation and falls in love with help from a quirky cat. I’m having a lot of fun with the cat’s point of view. In this book, for the first time in any of my books (except in my novel, The Silver Spell, which was part of a series) the protagonist’s cultural background is not woven in as part of the story. She’s not of Indian heritage. The “hook” in this story is the cat’s unusual perspective.

By Staff Writer

“The public sees us as portrayed through the media as people who do the heavy lifting and actually get the work done. A good part of the educated public really cares about where the donor dollars are going and after researching they realize that we don’t have any administrative fees, we’re just about getting work done.”

“They’ve [the Canadian government] got some concerns and they have a pattern of the way they program tax payers’ dollars and we challenge that norm. We think that doing your projects with larger agencies is not necessarily the answer, which is the way the Canadian government wants to spend its money. The government wants to have accountability and we understand that, but we are trying to show them that there are other ways to have the same accountability and deliver more aid with the same amount of money. We try to explain from our side of it. Can they be more supportive? Absolutely.”

Tis’ the season of holly jolly. But in this season of holly jolly and cutting budgets, let’s not forget organizations that help and service the poor across the globe that are hit by natural disasters.

One such organization completely run by a team of volunteers is Global Medic. Originally called Mecant-Gibson Foundation, Rahul Singh, Toronto based paramedic, started the organization in honour of his friend’s memory.

Global Medic has done a lot of work in places like Sri Lanka, the Solomon Islands, Turkey, Pakistan, Somalia and Kenya.  Its volunteers are first responders, the paramedics, the police officers, the firefighters, the doctors and the nurses. Global Medic has had over 1,000 volunteers. In the last few years, it has put about 154 folks into the international operations. In 2010, Global Medic deployed over 5 field hospitals that treated 37,000 patients. Global Medic’s volunteers had installed 100 water units that purified and distributed over 20 million litres of clean drinking water in disaster affected areas.

No wonder Global Medic’s work has been recognized internationally. Its Founder has been one of the Time magazine’s most influential personalities of the year, joining President Obama, talk show queen Oprah and Apple’s boss Steve Jobs.

Sharing his experiences working in different countries, Rahul told Generation Next “Some of the countries you’re dealing with are customarily dealing with disasters. Most often you’ll get a country like Pakistan. Bureaucratically it’s accustomed to accepting and asking for foreign aid, making processes easier. So they let agencies come in and some international airlines even bring in free aid on behalf of our agencies. .. You can look at Burma; it’s an isolationist regime and doesn’t necessarily want foreigners coming in a helping role.”

As an organization that provides emergency relief services, Rahul and Rahul’s team goes through trauma of their own when they witness a life lost. However, Rahul says “..it’s the next 6 or 7 that come in through the door that you actually manage to save – who would have died – that you see the difference that your work makes.”

As a non-for-profit organization, Global Medic is constantly looking for innovative ideas to raise funds Unlike many non-for-profit organizations, Global Medic’s admin costs are zero. Funded by public, Global Medic raises funds through dinners, selling T-shirts and asking public for donations.

Rahul noted “the public sees us as portrayed through the media as people who do the heavy lifting and actually get the work done. A good part of the educated public really cares about where the donor dollars are going and after researching they realize that we don’t have any administrative fees, we’re just about getting work done.”

The local South Asian community has been generous. However, Rahul feels much more needs to be done. “They’ve [South Asian community in Canada] funded us and helped us in the past; we’ve got to do a better job of coming in front of them and explaining the work capacities we have and what we can do. The drawback is that we are a group of doers; we want to do the work and not talk about the work, so we don’t necessarily have a group of talkers that go out and say to the community that we need your help and this is why you need to support us.”

With recession rumours gaining momentum, are people inclined not to donate?

“We’ve grown in terms of our charitable numbers every year but I think that’s more to do with the fact that there are more disasters that have grown in a big scale. Everybody’s feeling the pinch in Canada and around the world,” responded the founder of Global Medic.

Global Medic partners with other organizations to discuss and develop strategies to help those who are in desperate need of emergency relief.

As an organization, Rahul believes that the Canadian government’s response to floods in Pakistan was encouraging. Nonetheless, he feels “We need to do a better job of getting it to the government’s ear and also more about the good things we’re doing and how they work and why they should be funding us.”

“They’ve [the Canadian government] got some concerns and they have a pattern of the way they program tax payers’ dollars and we challenge that norm. We think that doing your projects with larger agencies is not necessarily the answer, which is the way the Canadian government wants to spend its money. The government wants to have accountability and we understand that, but we are trying to show them that there are other ways to have the same accountability and deliver more aid with the same amount of money. We try to explain from our side of it. Can they be more supportive? Absolutely,” he adds.

As a South Asian paramedic, Rahul feels that “the South Asian South Asian community has overlooked this field [emergency response], and they should take a second hard look” at their career choices.

Are there enough jobs for youth in paramedics’ field?

“I think we’re coming into a transition in the City of Toronto. For example, in the next 5 years, we’re going to lose a solid 20% of our workforce, so there will be opportunities for younger people to get in and become paramedics so it is a good filed to be studying right now. There are not enough jobs for people coming out of the colleges now because it’s such a specialty profession, but in a couple of more years, that will completely spin the other way and there will be too many jobs and not enough folks to come in,” stated the son of a father who is from Rajasthan, India and a mother who is from Quetta, Pakistan.

As far as the equal representation of visible minorities in Canada goes, Rahul feels “You can’t ask for someone to come into a job of power if you’re not willing to populate that industry to move all the way up..For example in the police force today in Toronto you will see a few Indian officers and South Asian paramedics but in 10-20 years from now when those people climb through the ranks, will you get a South Asian chief? I’d like to think so. So I think the country has opened up the opportunity and it’s up to us to take the advantage of that and rather than making the excuse that the system isn’t good enough..”

For Global Medic, Rahul’s ambition for next ten years is “to see us a bigger agency with a more stable funding base that is recognized by Canada as the primary agency of choice to give money in a disaster. More importantly I’d like to see us as the gritty frontline emergency workers agency that goes in and focuses on doing the work.”

Ali Hassan is a man of many talents. Two of the most shining ones are his expertise in cooking and acting. While the two may seem worlds apart, but for this talented individual, co-existing in these two worlds is a walk in the park. As the son of parents who both worked in college, Ali grew up in an atmosphere much different from the one he puts life into while performing his comedy acts. “My dad was actually an English teacher, so for most of my life, using words like ‘Ain’t’ and ending sentences with a preposition were frowned upon (that one on purpose!).”

Comedy, especially the stand-up variety, runs the risk of slipping into vulgarity. To put a check on such elements creeping into his own acts, Hassan consciously tries to keep vulgarity off the stage. “It’s more of a challenge to get laughter without appealing to the lowest common denominator,” he says. Besides, he has a personal reason to maintain civility in his performances. “My daughters keep scouring the internet every day, looking for my clips,” he quips.

In recent times, Hassan has grown in popularity because of his movies. He enjoys mixing up the fare with different kinds of roles. He tells Generation Next that, “In Breakaway, I play the team’s enforcer or goon, but in French Immersion, I play a grovelling husband who tries to win back the heart of his wife.”

We ask him if he feels the roles given to South Asian actors in mainstream shows continue to be stereotypical. “As long as I don’t have to wave a missile launcher in the air and chant God’s name, I’m still encouraged by a number of the roles I see on television for South Asians lately,” he says.

Flipping the side of Hassan’s talent coin, we bring the focus to food. Even as today’s fast-paced, microwave age doesn’t offer much room for elaborate cooking, Hassan remains passionate about it. The reason is as much emotional association as anything else. “I try to remind people all the time – those dishes that your mother or grandmother or father made, that you loved so much. Those recipes will pass away when they pass away too, unless you do something about learning them.  I know we live in a busy society, but there’s no reason you can’t make your own meals at least a few days a week.”

Hassan has a mixed feeling about the cooking shows on TV. He feels Hell’s Kitchen is a “great experience for chefs who have no respect for themselves and want to be treated like a piece of turd.” He also finds Master Chef and Iron Chef supremely entertaining. However, he doesn’t watch too many cooking shows anymore as he starts feeling frustrated about how bland some of the hosts are. One of his favourite shows is Heat Seekers, and would mind even being on that show.

Does his Muslim background help his acting in any way? He sure feels he is bringing something new to the table. That’s because, he notes, the lack of many Muslim comedians or actors in Canada. He goes on to say, “Personally I’m able to play different roles because of my look – Lebanese, Moroccan, Pakistani, Indian – but my background (religious, cultural, educational) helps me understand different subtleties about those characters too.”

Ali Hassan has already acted in three films this year. These include the hit hockey movie, Breakaway, bilingual comedy, French Immersion, and Goon, a film that premiered during TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival), but will hit movie theatres in 2012. He can also be seen on www.BlandIsBoring.com, where he cooks up dishes. He also does several shows every month. When in Toronto, he can be found at a club called Absolute Comedy at Younge and Eglinton. Going by his success, this juggler seems to have mastered all three trades.

“The main focus of Impact is about getting young people excited about entrepreneurship through a series of programs and campaigns. I’ve learned first hand the benefits of beginning and starting a business. It’s not always easy. However, there’s a big opportunity today to learn and to try new things out when you’re young, especially when you surround yourself with like-minded peers.”

“…For any achievement, it’s about direction and bringing the right people around the room and going at it.”

Whether it’s the latest iphone, Blackberry or an Android device, the craze surrounding smart phone technology has made consumers restless to accessorize their purses and back pockets with the next hot gadget. For Polar Mobile, a company specializing in cellular application (App) technology, the current rising mobile market reflects a strong and promising future for their industry.

Kunal Gupta, CEO of Polar Mobile, reflects upon the expanding niche he discovered in the market four years ago while launching his company from University of Waterloo campus.

“We saw an opportunity to help the media companies figure out how to distribute their content to all these connected devices and also how to monetize it.”  Mr. Gupta, a Waterloo alumni in software engineering, found a market he would one day thrive upon. He knew that working in a fast-paced and demanding industry was only going to be possible with the right tools.

Even as Mr. Gupta believes that market timing was an important factor in his success, he also acknowledges the vital role his academic background has played in achieving his current position. He tells Generation Next’s readers that, “the engineering degree, especially at Waterloo, you’re learning critical skills and problem solving skills. So what I got from my degree were the skills and the understanding of how technology works and how software works on a high level.”

As the recipient of the Alumnus of the Year, and the 2011 finalist for Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Kunal Gupta’s success story in globalizing App technology has already begun to stir interest from seasoned colleagues within the world of technology. “I have a lot of respect for visionaries like Steve Jobs in terms of introducing new technology, new innovations and the new way of thinking and really challenging the industry and making the norm,” says Mr. Gupta, expressing his admiration of other industry gurus.

Challenging the industry standards is nothing new to Mr. Gupta as he himself has shown a knack for creating norms as well. “We started this company four years ago. At that time, the concept of mobile Apps did not exist, although we were launching those. I totally focused on using technology and software to help change an industry.” By capitalizing on the changing tides within the mobile technology business, Polar Mobile was able to branding in making Apps the next hot accessory for any smart phone.

As Polar Mobile paves the way in App technology and service, the company is well aware of the changing industry demands as well as the need to maintain one foot ahead of their competitors. Mr. Gupta expresses his confidence of keeping the edge they’ve attained. “It’s all about the team, he says and adds, “The team has been very focused on our goals, and we’ve been pretty successful at achieving those goals. For any achievement, it’s about direction and bringing the right people around the room and going at it.”

Mr. Gupta commented that despite the recent difficulties RIM has faced, “it does not affect us at Polar Mobile directly. I think the bigger effect is on the company RIM.”

As Mr. Gupta focuses on taking Polar Mobile to the next level, he has already expressed his need to give back to other young entrepreneurs.

As the founder and Chair on the Board of Directors for the “Impact Entrepreneurship Group”, Mr. Gupta was excited to describe his goal in starting Impact. “The main focus of Impact is about getting young people excited about entrepreneurship through a series of programs and campaigns. I’ve learned first hand the benefits of beginning and starting a business. It’s not always easy. However, there’s a big opportunity today to learn and to try new things out when you’re young, especially when you surround yourself with like-minded peers.”

As Polar Mobile looks ahead to make it big on a global level, App fans can expect to see a number of changes in the technology industry too.

According to Kunal Gupta, there are currently a variety of projects underway. “It’s an exciting space with a lot of things happening. Look at the industry and what’s happening with the new iphone that came out, and we are going to see more innovations and changes with tablets in the next year.”

As mobile technology continues to alter the way we communicate on a daily basis, the expectation of change has become a norm within the industry, especially for companies like Polar Mobile who have made a name for themselves by thriving on these changing trends.

By Anna Katryan

Anu Srivastava has become a cultural specialist in the City of Brampton initiating and collaborating a number of different South Asian cultural events.

Anu Srivastava was born in Kanpur, India. As someone who boasts an excellent academic record, she studied in St. Mary’s Convent and earned twin Master’s degrees in Commerce and Business Administration. Kanpur University recognized her merit and the ranking of first position in the university by rewarding her with a gold medal.

It was Ahmedabad where Anu went as a married woman at the age of 18.

Married at the age of 18! Don’t Canadians tell her that is was barbaric?

They do but I say yes I did, but marriage was one of the things that in India you have to do,” responds Anu quite “frankly.

Anu immigrated to Canada in 1987 to the Greater Toronto Area.

She started her financial career with Princess Margaret Hospital and worked in the hospital sector for 10 years. During that tenure, Anu was part of the amalgamation team for Peel Memorial Hospital, Etobicoke Hospital and Georgetown Hospital, which later became William Osler Health Centre.

In 2001, Anu joined the City of Brampton as Financial Analyst and quickly moved up to a supervisory position in Financial Services.

When asked how diverse the City of Brampton’s labour force was when she first joined it, Anu’s response isn’t too encouraging.

“I was probably one of the first South Asians to be hired in a corporate job at city hall. Usually they hired South Asians in recreational facilities, like frontline staff. I was the first analyst who was hired in corporate leadership,” she says.

Presently, she is the Financial Controller, Rose Theatre Brampton, where she has been instrumental in promoting the South Asian cultural heritage while also creating a global profile and international exposure for the City of Brampton. It is interesting that all her community services initiatives for the South Asian community began after she started working for the Community Services Department in the City of Brampton. She applauds Mr. Jamie Lowery, Commissioner of Community Services in the City of Brampton for his efforts to spearhead South Asian engagement in Brampton cultural scene.

2011 was the “Year of India in Canada”, and Anu liaised with the Consular General of India and subsequently Rose Theatre Brampton became the official supporter of the “Year of India in Canada”.  Anu Srivastava’s timely secondment to the Rose Theatre, City of Brampton, assisted her to bring the literary play “Ismat Apa Ke Naam” performed by Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak, followed by other shows such as Nrityagram Dance Ensemble and Mahim Junction.

The most successful accomplishment of Anu Srivastava for the year has been the international event of IIFA in Brampton where she was the staff lead to program, implement and deliver the world-class IIFA event.

No sooner than the IIFA finished that the TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) came! Anu organized the first ever TIFF launch party outside Toronto for the movie Breakaway in Chingacousy Park, Brampton with superstars Akshay Kumar, Russell Peters and the whole star cast.

In 2001, following an earthquake in Gujarat, India, Anu coordinated the medical supplies from Peel Memorial Hospital through a sea container to reach India with a view to helping the earthquake victims. She raised funds in the GTA and facilitated the opening of a physiotherapy centre for relief of the earthquake victims in Kutch, which continues to operate to this day.

Anu started her volunteer career at the Trillium Hospital in 2004. This was her way of appreciating and giving back to the community. The committee which she has been part of has raised millions of dollars for the Trillium Hospital. She continues to be a committee team member and Chair of Silent Auction for the Trillium Diwali Gala Fundraiser. “Om Fracture Clinic” in Trillium Hospital was built through these funds in 2007, while the current fundraising initiative is for the Endoscopy equipment which is much needed in the Hospital.

With still a young family to take care of along with her budding career, Anu further entrenched herself to serve the South Asian community and became an executive member of the community organization, KC Group, in 2005. Here she helped integrate the new immigrants and members of the South Asian community and initiated cultural events such as Diwali and Holi for community members of Indo Canadian origin; giving our children the opportunity to know South Asian culture and be proud of their heritage. She initiated several philanthropic activities for the organization.

Anu is affectionately supported by her husband, Arun Srivastava, a businessman and pioneer in bringing checque processing and digital imaging to Canada’s banking industry. She is a devoted mother to her children Rahul and Richa and is fortunate to have the blessings of her parents who are a source of inner strength and have taught her service above self. Anu Srivastava diligently balances her work and family life, and her quest to serve the South Asian community continues unabated.

Successful professional, wife, mother of two—what more would Anu like to aim for in the days ahead?

“We wanted to come to Canada and prove to everybody that we are not spoilt brats, and we can work hard and be successful and we can make it big. So that’s what I think we wanted to do and I have accomplished it quite a bit..when we came here, nobody knew us, small houses and what not… and I used to wonder when will the people know us like they used to in India?,” says this contented and accomplished young woman.

By Staff Writer

Photos by www.nicevideophoto.com

“I realized that being a reporter is not always the easiest thing to do but being a business reporter reporting for a number of different publications or TV stations is a lot better for me.”

“..We need a change in our society, we need more access to better jobs, we need more people working, period..”

By her own admission, Rubina Ahmed-Haq has her fingers in “all different types of media.” This young and spirited South Asian journalist is a regular contributor on CBC Steven and Chris, writes a weekly column on RateSupermarket.ca, is a much-loved appearance on Roger’s South Asian Focus TV as a financial expert, and is the finance editor at CondoLife Magazine in Toronto. She also boasts a sterling career background in her ten years of journalism. ABC, CBC, and even BBC World Service—she’s been there and done that all. She shares the experience with Generation Next.

Following her education in sociology at York University, Rubina got a PG Diploma in journalism from Humber College to improve her job prospects in the field and joined a station that is now Omni. Her deep interest in international and particularly South Asian politics led her to work for ABC News in Pakistan.

“That experience was great because I met a lot of people working in that part of the world that I would never have access to,” she says.

Following ABC, she returned to Canada and joined back the station she was previously working with, but the longing to work outside Canada still remained. She joined BBC World Service, rubbing shoulders with some of the best journalists in the world.

Rubina curiously explains the different experiences of working in Pakistan and the UK. Whereas her stint in Pakistan had all the demands that are made of journalists associated with any Western media, it came with some issues peculiar to the particular culture.

“Because I am a Pakistani, people sometimes did not take me seriously. I found that really frustrating because working in Canada I never had that problem. When I tried to interview politicians or somebody who was important in a company, they did not take you seriously because there was more of a feeling that a woman shouldn’t be asking these questions,” says Rubina.

In England she faced the opposite scenario. People were eager to help her out as she was a guest in that country.

As exciting as her experience might have been in Pakistan and England, Rubina’s switch to financial journalism was a sweet marriage of luck and circumstances. She had been working for CBC for some years since her return from England when she switched to CP24. And in the very first year of her tenure at the channel there was a huge market crash. As it would happen, the person handling this area for the channel quit abruptly. Rubina seized the opportunity and offered to fill in the role.

“That catapulted me into business and I never turned back,” she says with joy.

She started doing business reporting exclusively and later eased into a freelance role, which she tremendously enjoys. “I realized that being a reporter is not always the easiest thing to do but being a business reporter reporting for a number of different publications or TV stations is a lot better for me,” she says.

Rubina’s love of television has as much to do with the excitement and dynamism of the medium as with her vibrant, outgoing personality. She loves being in front of the camera, connecting to viewers and sharing her personality, which might not come across in print. Moreover, print presents other problems—writer’s block or finding an interesting enough peg to present a story—that TV doesn’t.

She also feels that her ordinary, middle-class background makes her more accessible to and popular with viewers. “I don’t come with a lot of money, had a very normal middle-class upbringing and have a middle-class life right now. I think people like to hear stories from people that are just like them,” she says. The fact that a lot of South Asian women interested in finance and economy can approach her gives her much satisfaction.

Her observation of the Canadian media makes Rubina hopeful for potential South Asian journalists. “There are more South Asians on television than ever before,” she says and feels this is so because of the community’s natural draw towards journalism, telling stories and going into the heart of the matter. The one important advice she has for young aspiring South Asian journalist is for them to find out someone whom they admire, get in touch with them (through email, phone) and seek their advice. She herself receives lots of calls from people asking for guidance and is always willing to offer her advice.

As a young journalist, Rubina is only too aware of the role of social media in disseminating news. “If you’re not connected as a journalist in social media, you are doing yourself a disservice because when something happens around the world, Twitter is the number one place where I go.” She acknowledges the role of newspapers and the traditional television news telecast, but encourages everyone to be on every social channel possible and to actually be actively available on it so others can reach them.

It was perhaps her love of social media that took Rubina to work in the social media department of TD Bank. The short stint that she spent there helped deepen her understanding of the banking sector. However, the corporate world wasn’t the most attractive of fields to be in for her.

“I didn’t like the corporate world. As a journalist you will probably agree, there is a need for me to always speak my mind and be as honest to what I feel about issues.”

Closely linked to her liking of social media is her commitment to blogging. She blogs regularly and uses the blog as her landing page, where people interested in her work can find out more about her, her publications and schedule. She allocates a chunk of time every day to update her blog so that it stays current.

Rubina considers herself a liberal journalist and empathises strongly with the young Occupy Movement protestors across the world. She also feels some of the youth participating in these movements is misrepresented because of a few bad elements.

She says, “The core of what they’re trying to do is what we need. We need a change in our society, we need more access to better jobs, we need more people working, period. I wouldn’t say I’d go down and sit with them to support them, but I absolutely understand their frustration and do feel they have a right to voice their opinion for as long as it takes to bring change for good.”

Regarding the movement’s relevance in Canada, she feels the movement in this country is validated by the growing disparities between the super-rich and the middle class. Besides that, some Canadian banks too participated in the US housing crisis and as such people have the right to demand answers of them, she thinks.

Being in the thick of financial journalism, Rubina feels that the Canadian government is taking some steps to keep the economy on track. She mentions measures like raising the interest rates slightly, revising the mortgage rules that would help ensure that people who can actually afford a home get it. At the same time, she observes, like in any capitalist economy, it’s not the government, but big corporations, that eventually control the prices.

What is her view of the constant war between conservative and liberal media outlets?

She feels it is actually a reflection of how people feel in society. “Depending on how you raise your voice, you are put in the conservative or liberal camps and the same goes for the media,” she says.

Although she considers herself liberal, she isn’t closed to writing for a conservative magazine as she feels there is greater need to share ideas and understand different viewpoints. The gap between the two sides is widening, she thinks, because of growing frustration in the society.

At the same time, she advises readers and viewers to not blindly follow or believe any particular publication or media outlet, but to access as many avenues as they can to arrive at an informed judgment.

The fact that Rubina Ahmed-Haq really enjoys her current profile is proven when one hears about her future plans. She wants to continue writing on business and personal finance.

Her next big goal?

“To publish my book that talks about easy ways for people to save money.”

By Bhaswati Ghosh