Toronto: The current problems between Canada and India put a shadow on this year’s biggest Indo-Canadian awards night when the Canada-India Foundation gave the $50,000 Global Indian Award to Sudha Murty, wife of Infosys founder N. R. Narayana Murty.
Even though a well-known Indo-Canadian MP, some Ontario lawmakers, and local mayors were there, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and many other Canadian leaders didn’t show up.
Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, who was the top guest, talked about the current relationship between India and Canada. He said that the political relationship between the two countries would be handled in the end by the two governments.
He also said that Indo-Canadian society should keep working to improve the bond between the two countries. “Our relationships are getting hot right now, and we need to cool them down.”
Verma said, referring to Indian legend, “I can see a lot of Vishnus in this room who are moving the relationship forward and keeping it alive.” Shiva has his good form, and Ganga comes out of Shiva when it’s hot. We need Shiva in his good form, and we need Ganga to come down and bring down the warmth in our ties with each other.
The Indian High Commissioner said, “There would be emotional outbursts because India is a very emotional country.”
Verma told the Indian community to keep working for better relations between India and the rest of the world. He said, “I want you all to do business, advocate for India, teach people about India, and turn students into entrepreneurs.” These are the things that won’t change because of the way things are now.”
In his welcome speech, Satish Thakkar, head of the Canada-India Foundation, said that the relationship between the two countries shouldn’t be “held hostage by local political compulsions.”
Thakkar said that Canada’s Indo-Pacific policy can only work if its business and government links with India, which is one of its most important partners, are strong.
He also said, “These ties depend on both sides understanding each other’s national security concerns and being willing to deal with areas of disagreement through long-term diplomacy without being forced by local politics.”
