Dr. Kanwal Inder Singh Neel Collection

Collection consists of records related to Canadian Sikhs as well as records pertaining to events surrounding the commemoration events of the Komagata Maru tragedy. In 1914, the Komagata Maru, a ship carrying 376 Indian passengers, arrived at Vancouver, but was prevented from disembarking. Fueled by racist sentiments, exclusion laws in Canada were enforced to prevent the passengers from entering the country and the Komagata Maru along with its passengers, was forced leave. As a member of the Khalsa Diwan Society Vancouver and the Komagata Maru Historical Society, Dr. Kanwal Singh Neel is a prominent member of the Punjabi community in the Greater Vancouver area. He played a significant role in pushing for greater recognition of the Komagata Maru tragedy, and in organizing the events commemorating the 75th and 100th anniversaries. The collection includes records created by Dr. Kanwal Singh Neel himself, as well as records he collected over time. The records are organized into two series: Komagata Maru anniversaries and Canadian Sikhs.