Tireless volunteer recognized as unsung hero

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This article was published 21/08/2017 (2980 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A woman who has spent more than 25 years tirelessly promoting Indian culture in Winnipeg has been named the recipient of the India Association of Manitoba’s 2017 Unsung Hero award.

Surekha Joshi received the award at the Manitoba Legislative Building Sunday during a special celebration marking India Independence Day.

Since first joining the India Association of Manitoba, Joshi has served the organization in all capacities, including as treasurer, secretary, director and twice as president.

Joshi is also a fixture at the annual India Folklorama pavilion, and has served as co-ordinator of the pavilion for three years.

Joshi, who is in her 60s, said the award was a huge honour she never expected to receive.

“It’s an incredible recognition,” she said. “All these years, I’ve been working my heart out with no expectation for anything, but because volunteering gives me so much pleasure and satisfaction. To be able to do anything for somebody else is so exciting.”

The association is just one of Joshi’s many volunteer commitments.

When she isn’t working as a client adviser at the Royal Bank of Canada and a tax consultant at H&R Block, Joshi is busy volunteering with the Hindu Society of Manitoba, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Salvation Army, the M.S. Society of Canada, the Children’s Rehabilitation Foundation, the Canadian Diabetes Association, Winnipeg Harvest, Siloam Mission, the Manitoba Marathon and We Day.

Joshi moved to Winnipeg from the Indian city of Pune in 1986, 15 years after her first husband was killed in the war between India and Pakistan.

In Winnipeg, she married a mechanical engineer named Sunil Joshi.

When Sunil died in October 2001, leaving Surekha alone in Canada with their 13-year-old daughter, she was devastated.

That devastation turned into a desire to increase her involvement in the community.

“I know life has handed me a few lemons, but there are so many people who don’t have what I have,” Joshi said. “Here I am, and I have everything. I’ve got this feeling that I’ve got to go out and help people who need it, and there’s so many of them. So now, it’s become my mission in life.”

Joshi is so dedicated to volunteering she gave away her TV so she wouldn’t be tempted to spend her evenings at home.

“Those same hours of the evening, I can spend being a little productive,” she said. “In my little, small way, I’m helping someone.”

Prashant Tipnis, president of the India Association of Manitoba, has known Joshi for more than a decade and describes her as an enthusiastic person who is always smiling.

“When it comes to lending a helping hand, the word ‘no’ is not in her vocabulary,” Tipnis said. “We are honoured to have her as part of our association.”

Joshi said she doesn’t care what position she holds in the association, so long as she can keep doing the work.

“I’m there whenever they need me,” she said, “and will step up to the plate wherever needed.”

If you know a special volunteer, please contact aaron.epp@gmail.com.