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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline JANUARY 12, 2024 | The Indian Eye 26

University, Jhansi, India, and has taught and lectured at several universities Kharas is a renowned produc-
in the U.S. and abroad. He was also an Honorary Professor of Law at the er of social and behavioural change
University of Delhi, India. communications which has been
The Prime Minister of India posted on X, “Deeply saddened by the pass- seen by over a billion people. He
ing away of Professor Ved Prakash Nanda Ji, a distinguished academic whose founded Chocolate Moose Media
contributions to the legal field are invaluable. His work highlights his strong in 1995, a social enterprise, to create
commitment to legal education. He was also a prominent member of the In- mass communications to better the
dian diaspora in USA and was passionate about strong India-USA relations. human condition.
Condolences to his family and friends. Om Shanti.” His work has been used in 198
Professor Nanda held many leadership positions in the global interna- countries, including in several lan-
tional law community, including the World Jurist Association, American So- guages throughout India. He is the
ciety of International Law, International Law Association, American Law recipient of 125 awards, including the
Institute, and the American Bar Association’s Human Rights Center and prestigious Peabody Award and several honorary doctorates from universities.
Section of International Law. Kharas, 68, had been appointed officer of the Order of Canada “for ad-
In March 2018, President Ram Nath Kovind presented Professor Nanda vancing social change through human-centred media as a social entrepre-
with the Padma Bhushan, one of the highest civilian awards given by the neur, humanitarian and mass communications media producer”.
Government of India. And in April, the American Bar Association Interna- “I am deeply moved to receive this high honour, which is especially
tional Law Section conferred on him the Louis B. Sohn Award, for “distin- meaningful to me as an immigrant. Although a high achieving community,
guished, longstanding contributions to the field of public international law.” Parsis are a minuscule community numbering only 3,600 in Canada, so it is
extremely satisfying to be noticed in this way,” Kharas said in a statement.
DR SHIVANI BOTHRA
GULZAR SINGH DHANOYA
California University appoints Doctor gets musical

academic to New Jain Studies Chair
with Indie-rock band

he Department of Religious
Studies at California State
TUniversity, Long Beach has ap-
pointed Dr Shivani Bothra as assistant
professor and the Bhagwan Suvidhi-
nath Endowed Chair in Jain Studies.
Dr. Bothra’s work focuses on
non-violence, modernization, and
women in the Jain tradition. Jain-
ism is an ancient religion that
has three main tenants - Ahimsa
(non-violence to all living beings),
Apringraha (non-materialism), and
Anekantavada (plurality of beliefs or
open-mindedness).
The position was named after the 9th Tirthankara who, in the Jain tradi- ulzar (Gulz) Singh Dhanoya, 25, started the indie-rock band named
tion, is someone who conquered the cycle of rebirth and became a spiritual Gulz during his university days as a medical student. Now the 4 mem-
teacher to others. The creation of this position was generously funded by Dr. Gber group has fellow NHS medical professionals. The Indian-origin
Jasvant Modi and the Shah Foundation on behalf of Mrs. Raksha and Mr. doctor with the UK’s state-funded National Health Service (NHS) decided
Harshad Shah. to get musical over the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, but what started as a
Dr. Modi is a strong believer that a basis in humanities is necessary for a one-man bedroom project has been gaining popularity with booked out shows.
peaceful and prosperous world. He is hopeful that providing education about “I decided to release some stuff I’d been working on (over the pandem-
Jainism to the general public can not only raise awareness about the under- ic). I was really nervous and I put it out on socials, then deleted it all off my
represented religion, but to help spread the values of Jainism. When speaking phone for a week. I was worried my mates were going to give me stick for it.
on the current state of the world, Dr. Modi said he “would like to see belief Luckily, it went pretty well,” he said.
in non-violence [and] if there is a difference of belief, respect other people. Once some of his tracks got picked up by local radio stations, Gulz start-
FIRDAUS KHARAS ed getting offers to perform gigs. He then recruited friends from University
College London (UCL) who went on to perform at sold-out shows all over
Entrepreneur gets one of London and now have a tour planned for 2024.
Describing themselves as “doctors/rockers”, the band recently released
Canada’s highest honours their debut EP ‘Age of Youth’ with Fierce Panda Records - a label associated
with some of the UK’s biggest bands such as Coldplay and Oasis. Working
around their busy medical schedules is not easy but they are committed to
irdaus Kharas, an India-born entrepreneur and thought leader, has been making it work.
appointed as an officer of the Order of Canada, one of the country’s high- “We understand that the hospital patients always come first and the need
Fest honors, for advancing social change through human-centred media. to be a bit flexible with our rehearsals. Like one week, I’ll be on the night
The Order of Canada is one of the country’s highest honors. It recog- shift and then the next week someone else will. We can support each other a
nises people across all sectors of society who have made extraordinary and bit with that. And on days off, we just focus on the music,” he said.
sustained contributions to Canada. Simon’s office announced three new ap- To read more about Indian diaspora and Global Indians,
pointments of “companions” — the highest level of the Order of Canada —
15 officers, including one honorary officer and 59 members. log on to and follow our website www.TheIndianEYE.com

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