ABOUT US
Our story begins
with community
Vivek Canada is a Canadian registered charity since 2006 dedicated to education, empowerment, and sustainable development. We work alongside communities in rural India and are supported by a strong and engaged community in Metro Vancouver.
The Foundation member volunteers at that time, nearing retirement from their professions in Canada, India and the U.K., wanted to help those less fortunate. As an experienced professional group, we are committed to an integrated and grass-roots approach towards rural development projects.
We go where
no one else goes
We believe that vibrant rural economies are vital not only to eradicate poverty but also in the foundation for global peace, security and quality of life for all.
From the beginning, our guiding belief has been simple: "We go where no one else goes." In 2008, we built our first elementary school in Musepur, a small village located in the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, where there were no roads, electricity, or access to education.
Working alongside the community, we helped create opportunities where few existed. Today, our work continues to focus on communities where access remains limited and where partnership can create
lasting impact.
Our approach
We believe that vibrant rural economies are vital not only to eradicate poverty but also in the foundation for global peace, security and quality of life for all.
We believe meaningful change happens through partnership.
Our approach focuses on:
-
Working alongside communities, not for them
-
Complementing existing systems rather than duplicating them
-
Prioritizing underserved and hard-to-reach areas
-
Supporting sustainable, community-led solutions
This approach allows us to respond thoughtfully to local contexts while building long-term relationships and trust.
Our founding members
Dr. Harmesh Sidher, Mr. Anil Kumar,
Mr. Devinder Sikka, Dr. Darbari Lal Sharma,
Mr. Sid Wong and Mr. Narinder Markan.
Advisors: Dr. Surinder Goswami (India),
Dr. Jagdeep Khehra (United Kingdom)
Dr. Harmesh Sidher
Dr. Sidher has a Ph.D in Dairy Science from Punjab University Chandigarh, India and a diploma in Biological Sciences from BCIT, Canada. For twenty-three years he worked with Agri-Food, Agri. Canada and Canadian Food Inspection Agency at various levels of food Inspection. For three years, he was one of the Ministerial representatives appointed by Hon. Paul Ramsey, Minister of Health to the Surrey North Community Health Council; and Co-Vice-Chair for BC Council for International Cooperation. Dr. Sidher is deeply passionate about the various projects Vivek Canada is involved with.
Dr. Khahra
After completing his B.Sc Engineering from the Punjab University in 1967, Dr. Khahra worked as a sub Divisional Officer at the Beas Sutlej Project, Sundernagar in Himachal Pradesh, India. In 1971, he migrated to England for his M.Sc and Ph.D in Thermodynamics from the University of Birmingham, UK. Before retiring, Dr. Khahra worked as a software engineer at Pegasus Software Kettering, in the UK.
Dr. Sharma
After teaching for eleven years in India, Dr. Darbari Sharma came to the University of Illinois, Urbana, U.S.A. as a graduate student in Applied Mathematics in the year 1959 and obtained a PhD in 1963. He worked in the Research Laboratory of Exxon Mobil Oil Company in Houston, Texas for four and a half years. After migrating to Canada in 1967, he joined the Mathematics Department at Simon Fraser University, where he taught for 24 years before retiring in 1991. He has been working as a volunteer, as a President and also as a member of the Board of Directors of many non-profit societies.
Mr. Kumar
Anil Kumar obtained his Masters in Engineering from Dalhousie University in 1972. For many years, he worked with B.C. Hydro as a Senior Engineer, and is now retired. He emigrated from India in 1968 and acquired Canadian Citizenship in 1975. Anil is keen to help those less fortunate.
Mr. Wong
For more than twenty five years, Sid Wong worked with the Canadian federal government. Currently, he is actively involved with various organizations as a board and committee member: Kensington Gardens Complex; Burnaby Waste Management and Environmental Committee; member of the CFIA Western Region Employment Equity Committee; and member of the PSAC Human Rights Committee. Sid sees the world as a global village and that it's important to share our resources with our fellow human beings who are not so fortunate.
Mr. Markan
Mr. Markan graduated from the Marine Engineering College in Calcutta, India in 1964 and worked for the Shipping Corporation of India up till his immigration to Canada in 1970. In Canada, he worked as a Chief Engineer with Seaspan Coastal Inter Model from 1974 till his retirement. Narinder also graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of British Columbia in 1982. Narinder is very active in the community and a great philanthropist.
Dr. Goswami
Dr. Surender Lal Goswami, is Joint Director at the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), in Karnal, India. He is the recipient of many prestigious awards including the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for his scientific contributions. NDRI is the biggest dairy research Institute in Asia and its scientists and extension workers have made significant contributions in the Indian rural dairy development.
Our current team
Dr. Harmesh Sidher (President)
Deepshika Sharma (Secretary)
Manjit Panesar (Director)
Ravi Sharma, Dawn to Dusk programming (senior)
Heti Kaushal, Dawn to Dusk programming (youth)
Vandna Sidher (Director)
Youth leadership
Beyond governance, our work is shaped by community participation. Through our Metro Vancouver programs, youth contribute to the design and delivery of initiatives, including the Dawn to Dusk program.
Working alongside seniors and community members, youth leadership helps ensure our programs reflect diverse perspectives and
lived experiences.
