Six years ago, on July 29, we lost our dear friend and respected community activist, Dr. Chin Banerjee.
To his wide circle of friends and fellow activists, he was simply and affectionately known as Chin Da.
He was a man of remarkable intellect, diverse talents, and boundless community involvement.
An accomplished educationalist, he earned both a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in English literature and taught at Simon Fraser University.
Beyond academia, however, his passion lay in progressive politics, democratic rights, and social justice. He believed that education and public engagement went hand in hand.
Chin Da also possessed a deep appreciation for the arts, particularly cinema.
He was an ardent admirer of offbeat and socially conscious films, and had a special fondness for Charlie Chaplin’s masterpieces, which combined timeless entertainment with profound social and political commentary.
His love for meaningful cinema inspired him to establish the South Asian Film Education Society, through which he introduced audiences to many outstanding Indian and international films.
Thanks to his initiative, I had the privilege of watching numerous classic Indian movies over the years, films that entertained, enlightened, and often inspired thoughtful discussion.
Once, he called me to help salvage hundreds of Indian film reels that had been abandoned at the York Theatre on Commercial Drive in Vancouver. This was when Indian movies were no longer showing in theatres because of the introduction of videos. We toiled and picked up the abandoned movie reels. I think Chin Da gave them to some archive facility.
On this anniversary of his passing, I remember Chin Da not only as an intellectual and activist, but also as a generous friend who enriched our community through ideas, culture, and compassion.
His legacy continues to live on in the many lives he touched.
— Promod Puri
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Promod Puri.com 