Vasu Chanchlani
Encyclopedia
Vasu Chanchlani is an Indo-Canadian serial entrepreneur
, philanthropist
and trans-nations builder. He is co-founder of the Sigma Group of Companies and a founding member of the Canada India Foundation
. He is also an investor in dozens of companies globally consisting of start-ups and turn-arounds . He is best known for his efforts towards improving Canada-India relations through his philanthropic activities and engagement with Indian Diaspora to serve bilateral interests of both Canada and India.
Most recently, Vasu was awarded the Top 25 Canadian Immigrants
award by the Canadian Immigrant magazine (a Toronto Star
Publication) .
(Masters in Industrial and Management Engineering), and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management
, University of Toronto
, Canada. He began his career with Tata Consultancy Services
in India, and moved to Canada in 1979. He began working with Nortel
, eventually becoming the Senior Manager of Information Services before starting his own business.
engagement.
and Sam Pitroda
. Chanchlani also works with the foundation to enhance its engagement with Indian leaders such as former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Minister of Human Resource Development Kapil Sibal
, economic policy-maker Montek Singh Ahluwalia
, and former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations
Dr. Shashi Tharoor
.
and the Canada India Foundation
for the advancement of Canada’s research capacity in studying the politics, economy and social conditions of contemporary India
, and the bilateral relationship between the countries. The initiative’s planned $10 million endowment will fund endowed CIF Chairs for Waterloo faculty members, Visiting Chairs for India scholars, CIF Fellows, graduate student fellowships, and engagement with researchers and faculty at the Centre for International Governance Innovation
and the Balsillie School of International Affairs
. The initiative was made possible in collaboration with CIF'a National Convenor Aditya Jha
, Waterloo's Dean Ken Coates
and others.
. He has also endowed $250,000 at McMaster
to give every year Chanchlani Global Health Research Award along with $25,000 for the best global research for heart and diabetes among South Asians.
, opposition leader Michael Ignatieff
, and finance minister Jim Flaherty
.
, India
for poor students from surrounding 25 villages to stay there. According to the website, 149 children have benefited from this hostel.
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
, philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
and trans-nations builder. He is co-founder of the Sigma Group of Companies and a founding member of the Canada India Foundation
Canada India Foundation
The Canada India Foundation also referred to as CIF, is a Canadian non-profit, non-partisan, non-governmental organization established in 2007...
. He is also an investor in dozens of companies globally consisting of start-ups and turn-arounds . He is best known for his efforts towards improving Canada-India relations through his philanthropic activities and engagement with Indian Diaspora to serve bilateral interests of both Canada and India.
Most recently, Vasu was awarded the Top 25 Canadian Immigrants
Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award
Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award is an annual campaign that recognizes outstanding immigrants who "have come to Canada and have made a positive difference living in the country". First launched by Canadian Immigrant in 2009, the program takes place online, and nominations are open to all Canadians...
award by the Canadian Immigrant magazine (a Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
Publication) .
Education & Early Life
Chanchlani was born in Bhopal (M.P), India, to an upper middle class family. After completing high school in Bhopal, he went on to receive degrees from the Indian Institute of Technology KanpurIndian Institute of Technology Kanpur
The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur is a Central deemed University located in Uttar Pradesh, about 15 km north-west of the city of Kanpur in the Kalyanpur suburb....
(Masters in Industrial and Management Engineering), and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management
Rotman School of Management
The Joseph L. Rotman School of Management commonly known as Rotman School of Management is the University of Toronto's business school, located in St. George Street in Downtown Toronto. The school, named after Joseph L...
, University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, Canada. He began his career with Tata Consultancy Services
Tata Consultancy Services
Tata Consultancy Services Limited is a global IT services, business solutions and outsourcing company headquartered in Mumbai, India. It is the largest provider of information technology in Asia and second largest provider of business process outsourcing services in India...
in India, and moved to Canada in 1979. He began working with Nortel
Nortel
Nortel Networks Corporation, formerly known as Northern Telecom Limited and sometimes known simply as Nortel, was a multinational telecommunications equipment manufacturer headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada...
, eventually becoming the Senior Manager of Information Services before starting his own business.
Philanthropy
Chanchlani’s philanthropic efforts are fuelled by his belief that Canada’s ‘good global citizen’ image needs to be reflected in progressive public policy that allows for deeper trans-nationalTransnationalism
Transnationalism is a social movement and scholarly research agenda grown out of the heightened interconnectivity between people and the receding economic and social significance of boundaries among nation states....
engagement.
Canada India Foundation
Chanchlani has made an endowment of one million dollars to create the CIF Chanchlani Global Indian Award, an award that recognizes innovation and global leadership in the Indian diaspora. Past recipients of this honour include Ratan TataRatan Tata
Ratan Naval Tata is the present chairman of Tata Sons and therefore, Tata Group. Also, he is one among the few in the world...
and Sam Pitroda
Sam Pitroda
Satyanarayan Gangaram Pitroda popularly known as Sam Pitroda is an inventor, entrepreneur and policymaker. Currently Advisor to the Prime Minister of India on Public Information Infrastructure & Innovations, he is also widely considered to have been responsible for India’s communications revolution...
. Chanchlani also works with the foundation to enhance its engagement with Indian leaders such as former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Minister of Human Resource Development Kapil Sibal
Kapil Sibal
Kapil Sibal is an Indian politician and lawyer. He is currently the Minister of Communications and Information Technology. He also held the two ministries Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Earth Sciences in the First Manmohan Singh Cabinet...
, economic policy-maker Montek Singh Ahluwalia
Montek Singh Ahluwalia
Montek Singh Ahluwalia is an Indian economist and civil servant. He is currently the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of the Republic of India. He was previously the first Director of the Independent Evaluation Office at the International Monetary Fund.-Early life and education:Montek...
, and former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations
Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations
An Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations is a senior official within the United Nations System, normally appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Secretary-General for a renewable term of four years....
Dr. Shashi Tharoor
Shashi Tharoor
Shashi Tharoor is an Indian politician and a Member of Parliament from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency in Kerala...
.
University of Waterloo
Vasu is a seed contributor to the ‘India Initiative’, a joint undertaking between The University of WaterlooUniversity of Waterloo
The University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff...
and the Canada India Foundation
Canada India Foundation
The Canada India Foundation also referred to as CIF, is a Canadian non-profit, non-partisan, non-governmental organization established in 2007...
for the advancement of Canada’s research capacity in studying the politics, economy and social conditions of contemporary India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and the bilateral relationship between the countries. The initiative’s planned $10 million endowment will fund endowed CIF Chairs for Waterloo faculty members, Visiting Chairs for India scholars, CIF Fellows, graduate student fellowships, and engagement with researchers and faculty at the Centre for International Governance Innovation
Centre for International Governance Innovation
The Centre for International Governance Innovation is an independent, non-partisan think tank on global governance. Led by experienced practitioners and academics, CIGI supports research, forms networks, advances policy debate and generates ideas for multilateral governance improvements...
and the Balsillie School of International Affairs
Balsillie School of International Affairs
The Balsillie School of International Affairs is a centre for advanced research and teaching on global governance and international public policy, located in Waterloo, Ontario. The school is a collaborative partnership among Wilfrid Laurier University , the University of Waterloo and the Centre...
. The initiative was made possible in collaboration with CIF'a National Convenor Aditya Jha
Aditya Jha
Aditya Jha, LL.D is a celebrated Indo-Canadian entrepreneur, philanthropist and social activist with active involvement in Canadian public affairs. His business portfolio consists of several start-ups and turn-arounds...
, Waterloo's Dean Ken Coates
Ken Coates
Kenneth Sidney Coates was a British politician and writer. He chaired the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation and edited The Spokesman, the BRPF magazine launched in March 1970. He was a Labour Party Member of the European Parliament from 1989 to 1999...
and others.
McMaster University
Vasu and his wife Dr. Jaya Chanchlani have set up a $10 million fund (through $1 million seed) to set up Chanchlani Health Research Centre for research and studies on genetic and environmental health issues of the South Asian population at the McMaster Uni.McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
. He has also endowed $250,000 at McMaster
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
to give every year Chanchlani Global Health Research Award along with $25,000 for the best global research for heart and diabetes among South Asians.
Saluting fallen Canadian Armed Forces
In September 2010, Chanchlani along with fellow businessmen Ajit Someshwar and Bhupinder Khalsa donated a maple-leaf-shaped monument to the Canadian Armed Forces for their exemplary service as global peace-keepers. The unveiling ceremony was attended by a large number of Canadian Armed Forces personnel in their ceremonial attire, as well as top leaders including defence minister Peter MackayPeter MacKay
Peter Gordon MacKay, PC, QC, MP is a lawyer and politician from Nova Scotia, Canada. He is the Member of Parliament for Central Nova and currently serves as Minister of National Defence in the Cabinet of Canada....
, opposition leader Michael Ignatieff
Michael Ignatieff
Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...
, and finance minister Jim Flaherty
Jim Flaherty
James Michael "Jim" Flaherty, PC, MP is Canada's Minister of Finance and he has also served as Ontario's Minister of Finance. From 1995 until 2005, he was the Member of Provincial Parliament for Whitby—Ajax, and a member of the Progressive Conservative Party caucus...
.
The Canadian National Institute for the Blind
Chanchlani has set up the "CNIB Chanchlani Global Vision Research Award” to recognize the best researcher in the field of vision care and vision enablement, world wide. The $100,000 endowment and award was announced at a special reception in Toronto on April 3, 2011. http://starbuzz-starbuzz.blogspot.com/2011/04/lions-have-been-committed-to-stem.htmlLions have been committed to stem the rising tide of blindness in Canada and globally.Others
Vasu has sponsored a student home (through Aim of Seva) in HoshangabadHoshangabad
Hoshangabad is a city and a municipality in Hoshangabad district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is a city in the central india region, located on the south bank of the Narmada River, and is the administrative center of Hoshangabad District.-History:mohammed bharmal & abdeali batawalaThe...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
for poor students from surrounding 25 villages to stay there. According to the website, 149 children have benefited from this hostel.
Awards and Recognition
- Lifetime Achievement Award 2011, Global Indian Origin
- South Asian Person of the Year Award 2010 - Mid Week
- Entrepreneur of Year Award 2011 - Voice Weekly
- 30 most Influential Indo Canadians, Rediff India Abroad magazine's Power List (published September 2009)
- Winner, Top 25 Canadian Immigrants 2010
- Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year - Finalist Award for 2001
- Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce Technology Achievement Award for 2002
- Co-Founder & Board Member, Canada India FoundationCanada India FoundationThe Canada India Foundation also referred to as CIF, is a Canadian non-profit, non-partisan, non-governmental organization established in 2007...
- Desi News Grant's Community Achievers Awards (2009)
External links
- CIF Chanchlani Global India Award
- Canada India FoundationCanada India FoundationThe Canada India Foundation also referred to as CIF, is a Canadian non-profit, non-partisan, non-governmental organization established in 2007...
- Profile at Canada India Foundation http://www.canadaindia.org/charter-members/vasdev-vasu-chanchlani.html
- Sigma Global Solutions: http://www.sigmaglobal.ca/12_management.htm
- YouTube-CIF Chanchlani Global Indian Award: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86Pvl_r4SMQ&feature=related
- Chanchlani Foundation: http://chanchlanifoundation.com/gallery.html