About ICFC >>> Background & Mission | Executive Committee | Volunteers
Background & Mission of ICFC
Established in 2004, India Canada Friendship Circle (ICFC) is a registered, non-profit Canadian organization comprising individual and corporate members and supporters. It is a non-religious, non-political entity, and its language of operation is English.
ICFC is not affiliated with existing Indo-Canadian organizations, and its intent is not to duplicate their work.
ICFC's Mission
ICFC encourages dialogue on India in a harmonious environment. The words “friendship” and “circle” in its name, convey an explicit desire to forge and maintain close ties among Canadians with an interest in India.
The primary objective of ICFC is to raise awareness of key Canadian issues and to enhance the profile of India in Canada through prominent speakers who articulate and interpret from their perspective the many facets of India’s history, philosophy, scholarship, culture, industry, economy, arts, and sciences.
ICFC has undertaken the task of creating awareness about India by:
- Presenting comprehensive and well-balanced perspectives on different intercultural facets;
- Encouraging dialogue on India;
- Forging relationships among people with an interest in India; and
- Sponsoring speakers who articulate and interpret from their perspective the many facets of India’s history, philosophy, spirituality, scholarship, culture, the arts and sciences.
ICFC held its inaugural meeting in August 2004, and regularly holds five events each year, all featuring a prominent speaker.
To date, ICFC is proud to have included among its roster of speakers, Dr. Stephen Inglis, Director General, Research and Collections Branch, Canadian Museum of Civilization, and Her Excellency Mrs. Shashi Tripathi, former High Commissioner for India in Canada.
The ICFC website is intended as a medium of communication with those interested in ICFC’s activities and for online registration to events.
We, members of the Executive Committee invite you to give us your feedback on how you would like to see ICFC’s activities evolve.
ICFC Executive Committee
The original founding members had an idea to inform people living in Canada about India from an intercultural perspective by inviting speakers to talk about different topics related to India. Their idea, imaginative minds, and tenacity have resulted in India Canada Friendship Circle, a not-for-profit, non-political, and non-partisan organization pursuing the mission to forge close ties among Canadians having an interest in India.
An Executive Committee, made up of volunteers, runs the affairs of the ICFC— strategizing, networking to invite speakers and inform audiences, planning, and organizing the events. Members of the Executive Committee meet 7 to 8 times a year.
Presently, the Executive Committee comprises (in alphabetical order):
Roohi Ahmed, President
Nipa Banerjee, Ph.D.
Steven Desjardins, Ph.D., Vice-President
Prakash Diar (Special Advisor)
Malti Kesarwani
Ann Pollack
Veena Rawat, O.C., Ph.D.
Amitava Sanyal
Elliot Tepper, Ph.D. (Special Advisor)
Geeta Thakur
Volunteers
The ICFC Executive Committee thankfully acknowledges that the following members of our community have voluntarily helped the ICFC in carrying out various functions (their names are given in alphabetic order of last names):
Amisha Agarwal
Anil Agrawal [credits for designing and maintaining the web site, video recording the events and putting the videos online, and coordinating memberships and mailing lists]
Subodh Anand and Sareena Anand
Sarita Dilawri
Seema Johri
Laila and Rafiq Khan
Tazim Lal [credits for creative ideas for table decorations]
Supriya Mayank
Radhika Mehta
Anita Saxena
Santosh Shail [credits for redesigning our new ICFC logo; thanks a lot!]
Shalu Sinha
Maria Soska
Niloffer Yarkhan