A little known chapter in World War 1’s 100-year old history—the contributions of India’s soldiers—is being told in a rare exhibit coming to Simon Fraser University’s Surrey campus in time for Remembrance Day.
The touring exhibit, featuring life-sized storyboards and a historical artifact display, is currently available for viewing at the Surrey Centre Library. The exhibit will be featured November 10 in the SFU Surrey campus Mezzanine, along with other related events.
The exhibit features Indian troops on the Western Front, where Canadians forged a proud military tradition in battles such as Vimy Ridge, and highlights the pivotal role that Sikh soldiers played as the war began, noting the shared heritage with Canadians and other allied powers.
The exhibit’s creator, Steven Purewal, says the role of India's military force, particularly soldiers from the Punjab region, was substantive; more than 74,000 Indian troops were killed in WW1, a heritage shared with Canada and its 66,000 lives lost during the war.
“As part of the war effort, South Asians made a significant contribution, and today, communities across Canada have little or no knowledge of the role India played and its shared history with Canadian counterparts,” said Purewal, a Surrey resident and community historian. “These are the ties that bind; it is a common heritage we can build upon.”
During the exhibit’s November 10 visit to SFU, the Surrey campus will facilitate a daylong workshop for School District #36 teachers on creating lesson plans that focus on India’s war contributions. The campus will host a special presentation on The India Army and the Great War, featuring Major Gordon Corrigan, author of “Sepoys in the Trenches: The Indian Corps on the Western Front 1914 -15.” The free, public event will be held in the SFU Surrey theatre.
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