Two South Asians among 23 new appointments to Order of Ontario

TWO prominent South Asians are among the 23 new appointments to the Order of Ontario, the province’s highest honour, announced on Monday by Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and Chancellor of the Order of Ontario.

The two are Shashi Kant of Toronto, professor of forest resource economics, and Dr. Dilkhush Panjwani of Toronto, psychiatrist.

Kant’s citation reads: “The only Canadian to win the Queen’s Award for Forestry, he has an international reputation as an expert in the intersection of forest management and human rights, and is a leader in his field for considering sustainability and social aspects of forest management. He is the founding director of the University of Toronto’s ground-breaking Master of Science in Sustainability Management program.

Panjwani’s citation reads: “As a community psychiatrist for over 30 years, Dr. Panjwani has vigorously promoted dignity for those suffering from mental-health issues and workplace injuries, dedicated his career to helping patients without access to care, and advocated to end the social stigma of mental illness. He has also promoted pluralism by connecting diverse community organizations and initiating interfaith and intercultural dialogue.”