Dr. Gurdev Singh Gill was the first Indo‑Canadian to earn a medical degree from UBC and to practice medicine in Canada, which he continued to do for 40 years in New Westminster, BC.

When Dr. Gill arrived in Canada, South Asians were not treated as equal members of society. He continued to experience this treatment after becoming a citizen in 1954, and witnessed human rights issues faced by other immigrants and new Canadians of colour. In response, he co‑founded the East Indian Welfare Society and lobbied the Canadian government to improve conditions for his community.

He was instrumental in family reunification, enabling women in India to come to Canada and join their families. Immigration increased, and he helped newcomers integrate. He also lobbied to ensure people with education and skills from foreign jurisdictions were recognized and could get a job in their chosen profession in Canada. He was very active within the Sikh community, serving as president of the Khalsa Diwan Society in Vancouver and raising funds for the building of Ross Street Gurdwara in 1970.

Remarkably, all this was done on top of his day job as a physician – one whose office was more like a community hall than a traditional doctor’s office; Indo‑Canadians all across Metro Vancouver came not only for treatment, but also for guidance and help.

Dr. Gill retired in 1995, but his work was only beginning. Through the Indo‑Canadian Friendship Society, which he founded, he improved the lives of millions through village projects in Punjab that provided greater access to drinking water; computers and technology for local schools; and assistance in the construction of waste‑water treatment plants, sewage disposal systems, paved concrete roads, and solar street lighting.

Dr. Gill has received significant recognition throughout the years, including the Order of BC, a Global Citizenship Award from alumni UBC, and the Wallace Wilson Leadership Award from the UBC Medical Alumni Association. It's often said that a rising tide lifts all boats. For so many people in both Canada and India, Dr. Gill was that rising tide.