Fatima Dhanani:

Business Award

Immigrants of Distinction 2011

Fatima Dhanani’s success story as an immigrant businesswoman is just as eloquent her personal one to inspire any individual with a drive.

Today this Tanzanian native runs a real estate investment business in Calgary with a market value of a couple million dollars as well as offering employment opportunities to a number of Calgarians.


It is had to believe that Dhanani started her dream to become an entrepreneur while aged only sweet 16 in her hometown of Dar Es Salaam; Tanzania. At this age she lost her father and dropped out of school and along with her mother worked to support her two brothers.

Four years later she met and married Haider Dhanani and along with their children the Dhanani’s moved to Canada in 1972 initially living in Vancouver before finally settling in Calgary in 1976. Dhahani and her children still in Calgary but tragedy befell the family when they lost Haider in 1990.

Haider Dhanani had founded Bri-Mor Developments and was running it while his wife Fatima was pursued interests in art, acting, cookery, floral décor and hair styling. Upon the death of her husband Fatima did not have any experience in running a business.

She was catapulted from being a housewife to a president of a major investment company and she handled the challenging transition with such grace and inspiration that her place as a role model to both women and immigrants is much significant than this brief can accommodate.

And a short while after the death of her husband in 1990, “all but one building she managed were sold,” according to her daughter Saifa Koonar. She adds that at the time her mother was forced with only two choices closure or rebuilding. “She opted to carry on the business…………owning a family business was a dream”
And more than that, the business expanded, more apartments and buildings were acquired o top of providing property management services.

To date Fatima has stabilized the business and she has taught her son Aleem Dhanani the family entrepreneurial spirit. Aleem is now a director of Bri-mor Developments.

Fatima has done much more than being a role model amongst her peers, her suppliers such as Chrystal Creek Homes in Calgary describe her as: “being among Calgary's top developers in terms of competence, integrity and vision of individuals.”
While Fatima's business partners such as BMO say she is; “competing as a woman in a male dominated industry is not easy but Fatima has proven that it can be done.”

Fatima is also a very generous personal and her offer to sponsor a family from Afghanistan, hosting a family of six orphans as well financial support to underprivileged students to ensure they are able to pursue post secondary education. She is also involved with many charitable organizations such as Feed A Need.

Tina Merali:

2011 Hadassah Ksiensk Distinguished Service Award

Tina Merali is an extraordinary teacher but far from being your typical Canadian. She was born in a small town a few hours from Beirut the capital of Lebanon and lost her father while still an infant.


She was taken to boarding school while aged only three so her mother could work and provide for the family.
Yet At only 15 Merali was whisked off to Calgary from Lebanon where a marriage was arranged in 1980 with a cousin here whom she had never met. The marriage however failed to work and less than two years later they divorced. Merali was left all on her own in Canada without a home, a family and friends and worse; with a murky status in regard to her continued stay in Canada.

She got a job as a babysitter for a Lebanese family in exchange for room and boarding, she also negotiated a visa to remain in Canada as the civil war in Lebanon meant her return would put her in danger. Her babysitting career led her to another family from family from Iran and while doing this job she enrolled in Henry Wisewood High School.

With this sort of history it is expected to wonder what kind of inspiration Merali would be to her students. That is history indeed because Tina’s determination to succeed has led her to impeccable personal success as well as guiding students in her care to set high standards for themselves.

And this support is necessary in Merali’s job as her centre caters for the students’ needs in education, integration, and linking student mentors with their peers says Deborah Sydorchuk from the Calgary Assessment Centre.


Merali has since been a Spanish language, ESL teacher as well as youth counselor and currently works in the administration side of things as the Coordinator of the Wellness Centre at Forest Lawn High School.

It is obvious through all her work that Merali believes in the ultimate freedom of individuals to make decisions that determine their life and lifestyle. And in her job at the Wellness Centre she has cultivated lasting and respectful relationships among 25 services providers to the centre she deals with as well as the students that are the benefactors of those services.


This is evidenced in one particular endorsement of Merali for the 2011 Hadassah Ksienski Distinguished Service Award from Anastasia Kochie a student of Forest Lawn.

“I’m a ‘girl’ but born in the wrong gender, I knew when I was 7 years old. I was scarred of dressing up as a girl. I feared what people were going to do to me in public. I’m so happy seeing Mrs. Merali because she always making me feel safe and confortable in school.

I have lots of friends who went to her asking for help. IN 2009 I have some problem with my family and I had to move out. I didn’t know where to live I was only 16 at the time and Mrs. Merali helped me to find a place to live as well as encouraging me to come to school everyday.


Mrs. Merali is not a teacher to me, she is an awesome sweet mom and I would love to meet you and tell you all how awesome she is who have always helping people and work her butt off to make Forest Lawan High School a better place for everyone to study.”

Merali is married to Taj Merali and they have three children.

Brijendra K. Sood

Community Service Award




Brijendra Sood is an 84-year-old certified master magician who plays golf and-at a moments notice; is available to perform at community events. However, his nomination for the Community Service Award is for much more accomplishments than magic.

He is a practicing physician, one held in high regard across the country and his son is the famous character Muslim Archie Bunker in the CBC series Little Mosque on the Prairie. Dr. Sood is also a shining star on the mosaic of Canada.

He was born in Kenya and his was the first Indian family to emigrate from East Africa to Canada in 1964, he settled first in Manitoba moving on to Banff and finally finding a home in Calgary since 1974.

From his time in Banff, the Stoney First Nations Chief named Walking Bufalo admitted Sood into the North American tribe as a blood brother. Sood’s status was elevated to honorary Chief Rainbow in 1967.


The recognition that Sood received from the First Nations was a testament to his dedication to the medical profession as well a unique binding instinct to the communities in which he has worked and lived. Throughout his success ridden life’s work he has worked on almost all continents.

In Alberta he is fondly remembered as the first “Flying Doctor” before Air Ambulance Services started in the province. He flew missions to the Arctic to treat injured and sick technicians there in the early stages of oil drilling in the mid 70s.

A bulk of his medical career has been spent with St. John’s Ambulance Brigade to whom he is still employed but his efforts have been recognized across the country. In 2003 he was awarded the prestigious Order Of Canada medal for his merits and service in the medical profession.

Sood is also a gift to the Indian community in Calgary. When his family settled here there almost no other Indians.
However, with the influx of East African Indians to Canada chased away from Uganda by President Iddi Amin Dada-made famous in Oscar winning movie: The Last King of Scotland-,.


Sood founded the India Canada Society. To date the society represents 40,000 East Indians in Calgary. It also led to the establishment of a Hindu temple in the city which caters for the spiritual needs of 15,000 people.

Because of his experience and willingness to share it, Sood is a regular feature on television talks on health issues relevant to East Indian communities.
He has also promoted multiculturalism in the country with his advice to people from East India to identify themselves first as Canadians; “…share their culture with the mainstream community and keep… religion at home.” These views have made him a target by extremists in that cultural segment of the country.
Dr. Sood is married to Narindar and they have three children.