On April 14, 2026, the UBC Department of History was honoured to serve as the venue for a landmark roundtable discussion organized by the Chetna Association of Canada.
(L-R) Dr. Anne Murphy, Nirmala Birdi, Dr. Bonnie Effros, Dr. Seema Mahi and Ms. Ram Piari Mahmi with the BC Proclamation.
Dalit History Month
The province of British Columbia has, since 2022, proclaimed April to be Dalit History Month, to celebrate the resilience and contributions of Dalit communities historically marginalized under the South Asian caste system.
This signals the growing recognition of the South Asian diaspora’s diverse histories and struggles within Canada, and represents the culmination of years of advocacy by Chetna and other organizations.
The roundtable was hosted and moderated by Dr. Anne Murphy, Associate Professor in the department, who has partnered with Chetna for a decade to enhance engagement with Dalit issues at the University, and in the province. The event served as an opportunity to discuss and honour the importance of celebrating Dalit History Month in Canada.
Working with the Chetna Association of Canada
The event marked the first time the Chetna Association of Canada has facilitated a structured academic and community conversation dedicated to Dalit History Month. The choice of venue for the event was also clear to Chetna from the start. The UBC Department of History’s deep institutional support, and the vital role it plays in shaping public memory in BC and beyond, made it the most appropriate and meaningful setting in which to observe, celebrate, reflect, and plan future anti-caste initiatives.
“It has been an honour to work with, and learn from and with, the Chetna Association these past years, and to welcome Dr. Mahi into the Department to take forward the research we initiated with the Caste in Canada project in 2020,” said Dr. Murphy. “Every story of resistance and resilience that we have collected represents an important opportunity for us all – of all backgrounds – to listen and learn how to work collaboratively to end discrimination of all kinds.”
The event was also attended by Dr. Bonnie Effros, Chair of the UBC Department of History, whose participation underscored the department’s institutional commitment to these conversations. Dr. Effros’ ongoing support for Chetna’s work was warmly acknowledged by attendees.
“Every story of resistance and resilience that we have collected represents an important opportunity for us all – of all backgrounds – to listen and learn how to work collaboratively to end discrimination of all kinds”
Ongoing research on Caste in Canada
The roundtable drew upon the foundations of UBC’s Caste in Canada project, a SSHRC Partnership Engage and Partnership Development grant-funded initiative that has been ongoing since 2020. Led by Dr. Murphy as primary investigator alongside (in its first phase) Dr. Suraj Yengde (University of Pennsylvania) as co-primary investigator, the project has since grown to include Dr. Karun Karki (UBC Social Work) as co-primary investigator and two new community partners, in addition to Chetna: the Ambedkarite International Coordination Society (AICS) & Ambedkarite International Social Reform Organization (AISRO).
SSHRC support in the project’s second phase has also enabled the hiring of Dr. Seema Mahi, postdoctoral fellow in the Department of History, as a researcher. In the spring term of W2025, Dr. Mahi also taught Canada’s first university course on the history of anti-caste activism. Both phases of the project have documented oral histories of individuals impacted by caste, ensuring that histories of resistance are not erased: results of the first phase are available online here and through UBC library.
Honest reckoning with the past
The imperative behind this work echoes the wisdom of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar — the iconic social reformer and father of the Indian Constitution — who observed: “They cannot make history who forget history.”
“Dr. Ambedkar’s philosophy connects directly to Canada’s own domestic journey toward Truth and Reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Both movements hold that genuine inclusion is impossible without honest reckoning with the past,” said Mr. Jai Birdi, Executive Director of the Chetna Association of Canada. “Whether confronting the inherited trauma of the caste system or the colonial legacy of the residential school system, the path forward demands that we look directly at history, validate marginalized voices, and transform our institutions to build a more equitable future.”
“Whether confronting the inherited trauma of the caste system or the colonial legacy of the residential school system, the path forward demands that we look directly at history, validate marginalized voices, and transform our institutions to build a more equitable future.”
Please join us in celebrating this important milestone for the Chetna Association of Canada, and in recognizing the vital work of Dr. Murphy, Dr. Mahi, Dr. Karki, and all partners involved in the Caste in Canada project.
