By J.M. LEE
Harmohanjit (Harman) Singh Pandher was born on December 6, 1976, in Vancouver, BC. The Pandher family relocated to Burnaby on Christmas Day that same year, and Pandher has made Burnaby his home ever since.
He attended Second Street Community School, Khalsa School, and Cariboo Hill Secondary School before earning his Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Bachelor of Education degrees from the University of British Columbia, and his Post Graduate Certification in Inclusive Education from Queen’s University.
After completing his student teaching stint at Burnaby’s Capitol Hill Elementary, Pandher was hired by the Burnaby and Surrey School Districts as a teacher-on-call. He has been a teacher in the Surrey School District since 2002. With over two decades of classroom experience, including 19 years at Beaver Creek Elementary in Surrey’s Newton area, Pandher is now utilizing his skills as a Learning Support Teacher at École Élémentaire KB Woodward in the Whalley area of Surrey.
Pandher has also made a tremendous difference outside the classroom through a long list of community service efforts. He is the co-founder and Chair of the SACH South Asian Community Hub Society. This non-profit organization helps individuals overcome cultural, linguistic, and systemic barriers to accessing mental health counseling, addiction treatment, housing support, and other vital services. Thanks to the efforts of Pandher and the other co-founders, SACH employs a dedicated outreach team that assists community members in need throughout the Lower Mainland. SACH – which also stands for its Safe, Accepting, Compassionate, and Holistic values – has a working partnership with the BC Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. It has received funding from the BC Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions, which has now been integrated back into the BC Ministry of Health.
Pandher’s community service has been significantly enhanced by his political involvement. He served as an elected School Trustee from 2011 to 2018 and was Vice Chair of the Burnaby Board of Education. Pandher was the first turbaned Sikh elected to any political office in BC history. Pandher has participated on numerous governmental and community boards, including the College of Massage Therapists of BC, the College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC, the Punjabi Language Education Association of BC, the Foundation for a Path Forward, the SONG Creative Mentorship Association of Greater Vancouver, the Burnaby Village Museum Community Advisory Committee, Burnaby Neighbourhood House, Burnaby Multicultural Society, and New Vista Society.
He has received recognition for his exceptional service to the community. As part of the 2021 BC Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Awards, the Province of BC honored Pandher with the Intercultural Trust Award for his outstanding efforts in building intercultural trust and reducing racism and hate among communities.
A talented writer and storyteller, Pandher is the author of five children’s books that proudly celebrate Sikh and South Asian heritage and contributions to Canada. These titles include Sugar; Steel and the Maple Leaf: The Poems of a Young Sikh Canadian; Gurpreet Goes to Gurdwara: Understanding the Sikh Place of Worship; Welcome to Paldi: A Place for Everyone; Once Upon the Golden Temple: A Journey to Sri Harmandir Sahib; and I Am Sikh. He is also a regular writer of educational literacy resources for Pearson Canada.
A firm believer in the positive power of volunteerism and the Sikh concept of seva, Pandher has dedicated countless hours to serving his community. For the past twenty years, he has coached youth basketball, soccer, and badminton, while also raising awareness about critical issues such as mental health, addiction, homelessness, food insecurity, and
