The 100 Year Journey Gala on Saturday, November 29, 2014 presented by the publisher of Mehfil Magazine, Rana Vig, celebrated the past, present and future of the South Asian community.
The program included pioneering stories of South Asians in British Columbia and launched a commemorative publication, highlighting 100 selected stories of community members spanning the past century.
“The experiences of South Asian Canadians are an important part of Canada’s past, present and future. These pioneers have impacted Canada’s social and cultural heritage. They are inspiring and remind us that anything can be achieved with dedication, passion and integrity. We wanted the 100 Year Journey gala, publication, and website to reflect and celebrate the contributions of South Asians who were ordinary people, but did the extraordinary to overcome obstacles and flourish, " says Rana Vig, 100 Year Journey Founder and Publisher.
The sold out gala event held at the Fairmont Pacific Rim was attended by over 500 of the South Asian community’s leaders.
Emceed by CBC Vancouver’s anchor, Andrew Chang, guests were treated to two South Asian comedic performances from Paul Varghese and Rajiv Stayal as the evening’s entertainment and several prize giveaways.
With support from community members and presenting sponsors Kwantlen Polytechnic University and Surrey Honda, many South Asian pioneer narratives were highlighted and honoured for their commitment to strengthening the South Asian identity within Canada.
Premier Christy Clark spoke about the importance of South Asian immigrants for the past 100 years, and their invaluable contributions to British Columbia.
Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister for Employment, Social Development and Multiculturalism addressed guests on how the South Asian community is a key fabric of our country.
With the official launch of “100 Year Journey”, preview copies of the publication were met with excitement and somber reflection by audience members – seen pointing out notable ancestors and expanding on the stories contained within the publication with other guests.
“The vision behind the celebratory 100 Year Journey publication was to create a timeless resource that would preserve South Asian heritage and provide an expanded narrative of South Asian history, which presently does not exist in Canadian history textbooks,” says Vig.
Along with the publication, the www.100yearjourney.com website was introduced as a means of creating ongoing engagement and inclusion of stories of the ordinary and extraordinary South Asians, who shaped Canada’s rich history.
"We’re excited to develop the digital platform that will weave the rich tapestry of the South Asian community’s history in Canada. Any project of this nature is an exciting opportunity, but doing it for your own community makes it an honour," said Mo Dhaliwal, Director of Strategy for Skyrocket Digital. 
 For further information, visit  www.100yearjourney.com.