Kwantlen receives donation from Sikhism foundation to expand library

The B.C. Foundation for the Study of Sikhism donated more than 3100 books and online resources to Kwantlen’s Library in mid-October.

The donation, along with a pledge of $20,000 from the society, was made in honour of Teja Singh, a Khalsha Diwan Sikh who pioneered Sikhism in North America.

With the new Bachelor’s Degree in Asian Studies being introduced at Kwantlen, Simon Le Blanc, development officer of the Kwantlen Foundation, felt that it was “important to have the resources to back [that] up.”

Jas Sandhu, who is involved with the B.C. Foundation for the Study of Sikhism and a Kwantlen alumnus, was involved in making the donation.

“The foundation created this collection in honour of Teja Singh because of his important role in the status of early Indian immigrants to Canada and the establishment of the Khalsha Diwan Society,” said Sandhu.

Le Blanc said that the books aren’t just helpful for those pursuing Asian or Indian Studies.

“It’s quite interdisciplinary, too,” she said. “There are books in architecture, history and fine arts.”