After wrapping up her time at the South Asian Studies Institute (SASI), Dr. Satwinder Kaur Bains — founding director of SASI — retired on Aug. 15. Succeeding her is Dr. Jatinder Mann, a former visiting researcher from the University of Reading in the U.K.
Mann spoke to The Cascade about his new position, upcoming projects, and what he has in store for SASI.
Stepping into Bains’s big shoes, Mann shared that he feels fortunate and inspired by the hard work SASI has already accomplished. He values the connections built over the past two decades and looks forward to engaging with the community while strengthening those relationships.
Mann is proud of the work SASI has achieved so far. He believes anyone who wishes to collaborate with SASI won’t hesitate for long, considering their strong foundation and the institute’s achievements so far. He also believes that the South Asian Canadian Digital Archive is SASI’s biggest achievement and sees much potential in these projects.
As for his plans for SASI, Mann will prioritize moving them in new directions with more projects and added that his approach isn’t about choosing between existing initiatives and new projects — he believes SASI can do both. He wishes to use his connections to help build lasting relationships through projects, collaborations, and more.
“I want very much [to] continue the strong work that SASI has been doing, especially in terms of the archive of South Asians in B.C., but also broaden its scope a bit as well and look at [the] South Asian community nationally, internationally, and transnationally.”
One of the projects he is eager to start from scratch is a transnational family project — the roots of which stem from his personal life experiences. Born and raised in the UK and descended from Punjab, India, Mann resonates closely with the international South Asian diaspora. According to him, this project holds immense educational value as it aims to educate communities unfamiliar with the South Asian Diaspora about the diverse experiences spread across different countries.
“Quite often you’ll have family in several different countries, and I think being able to highlight that especially [to] a non-South Asian audience would be really interesting, and also quite important to educate people [that] we might originally be from India, but we also come from many other places and we have roots there as well. It’s not like we’ve just recently arrived.
“…my family [has been] in the UK for over 70, maybe close to 80 years, and [there] are families who have been here for over a century. Those are deep roots. And I think it would be really important to show that kind of global transnational phenomenon.”
Mann wants students to know that they are always welcome and that SASI has something for them to take away that will leave them with a desire to return. He believes SASI does what it can to build something meaningful. The institute not only caters to academics, but also stands for the wider community beyond it.
In Mann’s eyes, SASI is an extremely unique institution. The way SASI makes everyone who walks in feel seen is something he wishes more organizations had. He acknowledges the responsibilities and honours the trust that comes with his role.
“I’m going to do my best to continue that legacy, which is a huge responsibility. I acknowledge that straight away. But it’s also a privilege and an honour to be given that trust.”
