International Network on Personal Meaning
Creator: Bodalia, Chandra
Description
Group portrait of Sunanda Gandhi and Raminder Dosanjh at a lecture and book signing event for Arun Gandhi, which was organized by the International Network on Personal Meaning in Richmond, B.C.
Born in the Gujarat, India, Sunanda Gandhi was an Indian-American nurse, researcher, author, women's rights advocate, and socio-political activist. She served on the Maharashtra State Women's Council and worked for prison reform, the end of domestic violence, the abolition of the caste system and in support of orphans.
​Raminder Dosanjh is a Canadian educator and community activist, recognized for her contributions to women's rights and social services. After immigrating to Canada in 1970, she co-founded the India Mahila Association, focusing on supporting South Asian women facing domestic challenges and advocating for their empowerment. Dosanjh has also been involved with organizations such as MOSAIC Immigrant Services Centre and the Vancouver Multicultural Society, contributing to immigrant integration and multicultural initiatives. In recognition of her decades-long service, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2023 Shakti Awards.
Born in 1934 in Durban, South Africa, Arun Manilal Gandhi was the fifth grandson of Mohandas K. "Mahatma" Gandhi and was a socio-political activist, author, lecturer, and journalist. Having grown up under the apartheid laws of South Asian, both his parents and his grandfather taught him the importance of justice through love, suffering, understanding, and nonviolence.
Arun and Sunanda lived in India for thirty years, and then in 1987, they moved to the United States. The couple was extremely involved in activism, which included rescuing orphan children from the street, social and economic uplifting programs, starting the M. K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, establishing residential-school in poorest rural India, and founding the Gandhi Worldwide Education Institute, among other contributions.
International Network on Personal Meaning (INPM) follows the vision of Dr. Viktor Frankl, an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist, and Dr. Paul T. P. Wong, a Canadian clinical psychologist. They advocate for research on meaning, by extending logotherapy and integrating it with the positive psychology. They engage in meaning research, meaning-centred practice, meaningful living group, as well as websites, publications, education, meaningful living groups, and meaning-centered counseling, coaching, and consultation.
Born in the Gujarat, India, Sunanda Gandhi was an Indian-American nurse, researcher, author, women's rights advocate, and socio-political activist. She served on the Maharashtra State Women's Council and worked for prison reform, the end of domestic violence, the abolition of the caste system and in support of orphans.
​Raminder Dosanjh is a Canadian educator and community activist, recognized for her contributions to women's rights and social services. After immigrating to Canada in 1970, she co-founded the India Mahila Association, focusing on supporting South Asian women facing domestic challenges and advocating for their empowerment. Dosanjh has also been involved with organizations such as MOSAIC Immigrant Services Centre and the Vancouver Multicultural Society, contributing to immigrant integration and multicultural initiatives. In recognition of her decades-long service, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2023 Shakti Awards.
Born in 1934 in Durban, South Africa, Arun Manilal Gandhi was the fifth grandson of Mohandas K. "Mahatma" Gandhi and was a socio-political activist, author, lecturer, and journalist. Having grown up under the apartheid laws of South Asian, both his parents and his grandfather taught him the importance of justice through love, suffering, understanding, and nonviolence.
Arun and Sunanda lived in India for thirty years, and then in 1987, they moved to the United States. The couple was extremely involved in activism, which included rescuing orphan children from the street, social and economic uplifting programs, starting the M. K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, establishing residential-school in poorest rural India, and founding the Gandhi Worldwide Education Institute, among other contributions.
International Network on Personal Meaning (INPM) follows the vision of Dr. Viktor Frankl, an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist, and Dr. Paul T. P. Wong, a Canadian clinical psychologist. They advocate for research on meaning, by extending logotherapy and integrating it with the positive psychology. They engage in meaning research, meaning-centred practice, meaningful living group, as well as websites, publications, education, meaningful living groups, and meaning-centered counseling, coaching, and consultation.
Creator: Bodalia, Chandra
Description
Group portrait of Arun Gandhi and Charan Gill at a lecture and book signing event for Arun Gandhi, which was organized by the International Network on Personal Meaning in Richmond, B.C.
Born in 1934 in Durban, South Africa, Arun Manilal Gandhi was the fifth grandson of Mohandas K. "Mahatma" Gandhi and was a socio-political activist, author, lecturer, and journalist. Having grown up under the apartheid laws of South Asian, both his parents and his grandfather taught him the importance of justice through love, suffering, understanding, and nonviolence. He and his late spouse, Sunanda, lived in India for thirty years, and then in 1987, they moved to the United States. The couple was extremely involved in activism, which included rescuing orphan children from the street, social and economic uplifting programs, starting the M. K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, establishing residential-school in poorest rural India, and founding the Gandhi Worldwide Education Institute, among other contributions.
Charan Pal Gill (June 17, 1936 - February 2, 2021), born in Hong Kong, was a social worker, social activist, labour organizer, anti-racism pioneer and a South Asian community leader in British Columbia. Gill relocated to Vancouver, Canada in 1967, where he briefly worked as a berry picker before finding employment in a sawmill in Williams Lake, British Columbia. Due to an injury to his wrist, Gill left the sawmill and after some training began working as a social worker in Prince Rupert. After working for five years as a social worker, Gill became a registered social worker after obtaining his bachelor's degree from the University of British Columbia in 1970. Gill was involved with the Indian People's Association in North America (IPANA) in Vancouver. Founded in Montreal in June 1975, IPANA was a left-wing social group initially focused on generating support for the Naxalite movement in India. In 1979, Gill with IPANA in Vancouver played significant roles in the formation of the Farm Workers Organizing Committee (FWOC). On 6 April 1980, the FWOC transformed into the Canadian Farmworkers Union (CFU). The CFU became the first union in Canada's history centred on farmworkers. Gill was elected CFU founding secretary (by 2004 he also served as secretary and treasurer). He also became the editor of the Farmworker, the CFU's newspaper (published in English and Panjabi). While contributing towards the CFU, Gill pursued postgraduate studies and earned his master's degree in social work in 1983. For much of his professional career he worked for the BC Ministry of Human Resources and Ministry of Social Services and Housing. In November 1980, Gill co-founded the volunteer organization British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism (BCOFR). In 1985 Gill established a new service provider catering to the immediate needs of the South Asian community in British Columbia. The charitable organization was originally known as the Progressive Indo-Canadian Community Services Society and later became the Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society (PICS). Gill served as the organization's chief executive officer until 2017. Gill gradually retired from social work while working with PICS. He also served on the boards of various organizations, including the agriculture cooperative AgSafe (formerly FARSHA) since 1993; Rainbow Community Health Co-operative since 1998; Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) since 2011; and the BC Non-Profit Housing Association from 2008 to 2012. Gill was the recipient of numerous awards and honours in recognition of his activism and contributions to human rights and workers' rights, such as, the Order of British Columbia (1999) and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012).
International Network on Personal Meaning (INPM) follows the vision of Dr. Viktor Frankl, an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist, and Dr. Paul T. P. Wong, a Canadian clinical psychologist. They advocate for research on meaning, by extending logotherapy and integrating it with the positive psychology. They engage in meaning research, meaning-centred practice, meaningful living group, as well as websites, publications, education, meaningful living groups, and meaning-centered counseling, coaching, and consultation.
Born in 1934 in Durban, South Africa, Arun Manilal Gandhi was the fifth grandson of Mohandas K. "Mahatma" Gandhi and was a socio-political activist, author, lecturer, and journalist. Having grown up under the apartheid laws of South Asian, both his parents and his grandfather taught him the importance of justice through love, suffering, understanding, and nonviolence. He and his late spouse, Sunanda, lived in India for thirty years, and then in 1987, they moved to the United States. The couple was extremely involved in activism, which included rescuing orphan children from the street, social and economic uplifting programs, starting the M. K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, establishing residential-school in poorest rural India, and founding the Gandhi Worldwide Education Institute, among other contributions.
Charan Pal Gill (June 17, 1936 - February 2, 2021), born in Hong Kong, was a social worker, social activist, labour organizer, anti-racism pioneer and a South Asian community leader in British Columbia. Gill relocated to Vancouver, Canada in 1967, where he briefly worked as a berry picker before finding employment in a sawmill in Williams Lake, British Columbia. Due to an injury to his wrist, Gill left the sawmill and after some training began working as a social worker in Prince Rupert. After working for five years as a social worker, Gill became a registered social worker after obtaining his bachelor's degree from the University of British Columbia in 1970. Gill was involved with the Indian People's Association in North America (IPANA) in Vancouver. Founded in Montreal in June 1975, IPANA was a left-wing social group initially focused on generating support for the Naxalite movement in India. In 1979, Gill with IPANA in Vancouver played significant roles in the formation of the Farm Workers Organizing Committee (FWOC). On 6 April 1980, the FWOC transformed into the Canadian Farmworkers Union (CFU). The CFU became the first union in Canada's history centred on farmworkers. Gill was elected CFU founding secretary (by 2004 he also served as secretary and treasurer). He also became the editor of the Farmworker, the CFU's newspaper (published in English and Panjabi). While contributing towards the CFU, Gill pursued postgraduate studies and earned his master's degree in social work in 1983. For much of his professional career he worked for the BC Ministry of Human Resources and Ministry of Social Services and Housing. In November 1980, Gill co-founded the volunteer organization British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism (BCOFR). In 1985 Gill established a new service provider catering to the immediate needs of the South Asian community in British Columbia. The charitable organization was originally known as the Progressive Indo-Canadian Community Services Society and later became the Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society (PICS). Gill served as the organization's chief executive officer until 2017. Gill gradually retired from social work while working with PICS. He also served on the boards of various organizations, including the agriculture cooperative AgSafe (formerly FARSHA) since 1993; Rainbow Community Health Co-operative since 1998; Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) since 2011; and the BC Non-Profit Housing Association from 2008 to 2012. Gill was the recipient of numerous awards and honours in recognition of his activism and contributions to human rights and workers' rights, such as, the Order of British Columbia (1999) and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012).
International Network on Personal Meaning (INPM) follows the vision of Dr. Viktor Frankl, an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist, and Dr. Paul T. P. Wong, a Canadian clinical psychologist. They advocate for research on meaning, by extending logotherapy and integrating it with the positive psychology. They engage in meaning research, meaning-centred practice, meaningful living group, as well as websites, publications, education, meaningful living groups, and meaning-centered counseling, coaching, and consultation.