News, press, and media coverage of the South Asian Canadian Digital Archive.
Chandra Bodalia had an eye for the streets of Metro Vancouver, covering many cultural events, politics and sports around the Lower Mainland. Satwinder Bains speaks with Glora Macarenko about why his work elevated public attention of minority communities.
Listen to audioSASI is pleased to announce that the work of SACDA has been featured on the Association of Canadian Archivists (ACA) website. The Association of Canadian Archivists (ACA), founded in 1975, is a non-profit organization that represents the needs and interests of archives and records professionals throughout Canada. They provide members with opportunities to network with archives and records professionals across the country, develop professional skills and expertise, and participate in national and international advocacy initiatives.
Read article(Abbotsford) March 4 - Dr. Satwinder Bains, Director of the South Asian Studies Institute (SASI) at the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV), has partnered with the Royal BC Museum and the BC Archives to sort, preserve and digitize more than three million historical photos. Prolific BC photojournalist Chandravadan "Chandra" Bodalia passed away in 2017, leaving his life's work in the care of his family. To ensure the preservation of his legacy, his family members have entrusted the 400 carefully stored boxes to SASI.
Read articleIt was a rainy October day in Vancouver, BC when Dr. Satwinder Bains, director of UFV's South Asian Studies Institute, stepped into a garage full of three million photos. "There's maybe 100 boxes in there," the photographer's son, Vimal Bodalia, had guessed on the phone. It was 2021. Chandravadan "Chandra" Bodalia had passed away four years earlier, leaving his extensive body of work to the care of his family. For years, the boxes shared garage space with Vimal's collection of classic cars. Fearing possible damage, the Bodalias knew the photos needed to be professionally cared for - so they reached out to the South Asian Studies Institute (SASI).
Read articleJanuary 27, 2025, marked the official launch of the South Asian Canadian Digital Archive's (SACDA) newsletter - The Hive. SACDA is honored to be able to launch The Hive in the month of January - a month which celebrates Tamil Heritage Month, Lohri, Pongal and Makar Sankranti, which are occasions of community, renewal, harvest and togetherness.
Read articleThe SASI is thrilled and proud to announce that it has been awarded by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) for the project Histories of South Asians in Canada: A Visual Ethnographic Documentation of renowned South Asian Canadian photojournalist, Chandra Bodalia remarkable collection. The Digitizing Hidden Collections: Amplifying Unheard Voices Awards are generously funded by the Mellon Foundation which focuses on thematic digitization efforts, prioritizing materials that deepen public understanding of historically marginalized communities and unrecognized perspectives.
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