Excelsior Correspondent
BRAMPTON, (Canada) Nov 9: The World Brahman Federation Canada (WBFC) hosted its annual function 2025 celebration at the Courtyard by Marriott, Brampton, where the organization conferred the prestigious “Brahman Shri Award” to two notable members of the Kashmiri Pandit community in Canada for their exceptional contributions to literature, cultural preservation, and community advocacy.
The two members of KP community who were honoured included Vidya Bhushan Dhar community leader, writer, theatre artist, media personality and Kashmir activist and Meenakshi Raina poet, author, and cultural interpreter
The awards were presented by Dr. Budhendranath Doobay (Order of Canada)—a renowned heart surgeon, religious scholar, in the presence of Dr. Sadhana Joshi (President, WBFC) and Dr. Azad K. Kaushik (Founding Chair, WBFC).
Vidya Bhushan Dhar, Director of the Indo-Canadian Kashmir Forum (ICKF), was honored for his literary work, cultural leadership, and decades-long activism in raising global awareness about the genocide and forced exodus of the Kashmiri Hindu community.
The award recognizes his “outstanding dedication and commitment to promoting Brahmanical values and enlightening the world with the wisdom of Vedic philosophy and civilizational ethos.”
Meenakshi Raina was recognized for her profound literary contributions and poetic voice that preserves the emotional, spiritual, and cultural landscape of Kashmir. She is the author of two acclaimed books:
The Divine and the Destiny (2013) and Far In The Meadows and Other Poems (2018).
Speaking on the occasion, Meenakshi Raina expressed that literature is not merely creative expression—it is “a bridge between loss and continuity, a way to keep Kashmir alive in our collective memory.”
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