That the Guyanese community is proud of its achievers was evident in the awards given last month to internationally acclaimed cardiologist Dr Vivian Srinivas Rambihar and Danny Doobay, Guyana's former Consul General in Toronto. The awards were handed out last month by the Vedic Cultural Centre at its Annual Dinner and Awards Presentation.
Both men were honoured for outstanding accomplishments and community service.
Dr. Rambihar is well-known in the South Asian Heart Health Research field with over 25 years of cardiology practice in the GTA. He has worked as a pioneer on the linkages between ethnicity and heart disease/diabetes among South Asians, Native Peoples, Hispanics, and people of African origin. His research has found we are at an increased risk and there is need for us to deal with this in a proactive manner. Dr Rambihar is also credited with introducing the 'chaos and complexity science' to medicine, peace, health and development.
Danny Doobay was honoured for his work as Consul General of Guyana to Canada from 1998 to 2010. He held jurisdictional responsibilities for the Greater Toronto Area, Western Ontario and Western Canada. He is credited with initiating the Guyana Awards Program that encourages Guyanese-Canadians to emulate best practices in leadership, innovation, dedication to community, and commitment to Guyanese Heritage.
Under his guidance, the Toronto Consulate has been built into one of Guyana's most vibrant foreign missions. He was also a key figure in setting up the Guyana Festival, the Guyana Awards program, the Cross-Canada Celebrations, and the Guyana-Canada Chamber of Commerce.
Over 300 attendees were at the award ceremony including MP Peter Kent, Minister Michael Chan, Sattie Sawh, Consul General of Guyana (Ag), and past VCC awards recipients, Dr Ganraj Kumar, Dr. Krishna Persaud, Dr Unus Hack, Dr Nar Daljeet, Vishnu Sookar, Dhaman Kissoon and Pandita Jasodra Prasad.
Our congratulations to this year's recipients - well done!

 

In the week ahead before Diwali we will spend time preparing our homes and our minds. Many of us here, and throughout the rest of the world, are eagerly looking forward to filling our hearts and our hearths with the sacred light.
The lighting of the little deyas is very meaningful. On Diwali night these little lamps combine to light up the world. As it chases the darkness out of our homes, so too does it remove the dark from the wider world. In lighting up the world is also the triumphing of good over ill – all that is good is on this night made evident with our conscious decision to chase evil away.
This is among the many meanings of Diwali. As we spread the goodness around us as we light these humble clay vessels, we become the small spark that together lights up the entire world. It is our concerted action in lighting the lamps that makes darkness flee. When we let this sacred light into our lives, we remove despair, ignorance and evil. We replace it with the wealth of enlightenment and goodness.
We look forward to the week ahead when we welcome peace, harmony, forgiveness into our homes. We listen for the laughter and joy in the voices of children as they receive Diwali gifts. This is the time of year when we emphasise bonding. It is the time when we knit again the broken links as family and friends under one roof. Everyone is welcome. We put enmity behind with a warm embrace. With open doors we let out tensions that have accumulated in relationships. We forgive; we mend; and we rebuild.
Such is the sacred joy in celebrating Diwali.
In the next week, we look forward to the uplifting within so the soul soars with generosity. So much so that charity and giving rise within so we reach out to those who are not only impoverished in spirit, but also to those who are indigent and in need of the basic necessities.
Happy Diwali to all.