Richmond’s South Asian community is this week mourning the loss of one of its most respected members.
Sardar Gurdial Singh Neel passed away in Richmond on Sunday, June 7 at the age of 95.
Neel was described as “an extraordinary educator who had an amazing ability to give his time freely, communicate openly, build cultural bridges, and genuinely care with a smile on his face.”
Indeed, he was a highly thought of figure at McNair secondary, where he taught sciences until he retired in 1985 and then donated each year a scholarship for the top science student at the school’s valedictory ceremony.
Balwant Sanghera, one of Richmond’s most prominent South Asian community leaders, said he knew Neel very well from their time volunteering at the non-profit Richmond Multicultural Community Services (RMCS), which provides settlement services for immigrants in Canada.
“I had the privilege of working with him on the RMCS board for several years. He was a very well respected member of the South Asian community,” added Sanghera.
Born in Ludhiana, India in 1925, Neel earned three degrees and started his teaching career in Punjab in 1948.
He married his wife, Swarnjit Kaur, the same year.
In 1951, he and his wife moved to Mombasa, Kenya where he taught until he moved to Canada in 1969 with his family.
They settled in Richmond, where he spent the last 51 years.
Neel's volunteer service in the community was commendable, from his work with the Boy Scouts and first-aid in Kenya, to raising funds for the Cancer Society, assisting seniors and organizing multicultural activities in Canada.
His son, Kanwal Neel, told the Richmond News his father has “always been dedicated to educating different groups in the community about the Punjabi language and Sikh way of life.”
Some highlights of his community involvement were leading the Kenyan contingent to the World Scout Jamboree in England, where he met the Queen in 1957, being the president of Khalsa Diwan Society in Vancouver in 1974, volunteering at the Commonwealth Games in Victoria in 1994, and receiving Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.
In 1986 he became the founding principal of Khalsa School in Vancouver. After the inception of the school, he had been a trustee and a board member of the Khalsa schools for the past 35 years.
Neel recently started the Founding Principal’s Scholarship, given to top students at all five Khalsa School campuses.
“He has always believed that education is a key element in breaking racial and cultural barriers,” wrote Kanwal.
Neel is survived by his wife of 71 years, their three children, four grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
