Rajinder Dhand

(November 14, 1946 � December 5, 2024) We are heartbroken to announce that our incredible, beautiful, wise, and fearless mom, Rajinder Dhand, passed away on December 5, 2024, in Kamloops, BC. Since coming to Saskatoon, SK, from India in 1978, Rajinder was on a mission to share her love and knowledge of art, watercolours and batik. She was a gifted artist and teacher who taught for over 60 years, shaping generations of art students around the world. Mom's positivity, love and art had a profound impact on everyone. She was an extraordinary mom, teaching us that nothing is impossible. Her life was a work of art. She is deeply missed by her family: Amar (son), Ruby (daughter), Dipesh (son-in-law), Charlene (daughter-in-law), Asha (granddaughter), Daphne (granddaughter), and Benedict (grandson), along with family members, friends and artists. She joins the love of her life, our Dad (Professor Hargopal "Harry" Dhand) for eternity. We love you so much Mom, we will miss you in everything we do. Your positivity and loving energy surrounds us every day. Your exquisite paintings embrace our hearts and every wall in our Kamloops home. Mom � you are so beautiful, my person and my heart. No matter what, you never let me give up on my dreams, inspiring me in every moment. You always encouraged me to help our community, advocate for justice and pursue my love of teaching and art. Mom, you were a trailblazer, recognized as an outstanding artist in Canada and India. Mom taught art at Crosthwaite Girls Inter College Allahabad (the pink university) and was awarded three Masters Degrees (Geography, Hindi Literature, Painting and Drawing). Since 1978, our mom was on a mission to share her knowledge of painting and batik techniques in Canada. She worked hard to become a well-known art teacher and artist in the community. She taught art lessons to 60 students a week in our home and ran a picture framing business. Mom was inspired and honoured to learn from friends and artists in the Saskatoon Saturday Morning Life Drawing Group and the Saskatoon Painters Club, where she painted weekly. Mom encouraged generations of students to embrace art and to believe in themselves. Mom, you always had such beautiful art shows all over Saskatchewanm including at the Mendel Art Gallery, Ukrainian Museum of Canada and the University of Saskatchewan Art Galleries. Dad was mom's greatest love and supporter, always making mom's students his chai tea and homemade snacks. With your six power saws, your legacy is so powerful Mom. Along with being an amazing artist, I knew you were always there for me as the most incredible mom and best friend. Like, when you painted the house yellow and built the orange fence because I wanted it to match our cat, Chum Chum, and when you helped me make a giant seven-foot snowman in high school just because it was fun. Every Christmas, you would spend hours making ten layered Jello for me and my friends and you always had great surprises (surprising me with bunnies to love for my twelfth golden birthday). You and Dad loved all of us with the same joy and excitement, always showering Amar, our friends and community with incredible dinner parties with your delicious cooking and welcoming everyone to our Saskatoon home. Every person close to me, was close to you and Dad. You were everyone's cheerleader. You inspired us all to be better people and show kindness and love to our community. Your art, positivity and indomitable spirit will continue to inspire future generations. Thank you for teaching me all of the life lessons, encouraging me to always have fun. Mom, you celebrated every small and big moment, throwing me a party with matching outfits after we spent a year making a giant paper m�ch� woman together. You celebrated and acted upon every moment with joy (as you and Dad immediately flew out to meet Dipesh on our fourth date because you just knew he was my true love like you and Dad). You organized our beautiful wedding with Dad, and you found time to tailor my wedding lehengas, sew 350 almond purses and scarves for everyone, make batiks for our mandap and create the beautiful golden comforter set which you wore on your final journey to Dad. We all love you so much Mom. Mom also had an incredible impact on our Kamloops community, spreading her love and positivity. I was so happy to have so many adventures with Mom, Asha and Dipesh, having tea, treats and enjoying art lessons, Dipesh's delicious cooking, taking walks, going shopping and talking about everything every day. We also created special memories with Amar, family and friends. Mom - we never had secrets; you knew me better than anyone. Mom always told me "I was so beautiful," whether I was in Dad's nightgown working late or wearing my red work dress. You always said "Ruby, I am your biggest fan." Asha will miss her incredible and beautiful Nani so much and she will always be inspired by you. When Asha was born (eight years ago, December 22, 2016), mom had spent months making her an incredible painting featuring a deer. It was a beautiful moment, when after your cremation, Asha saw the deer and said, "Mommy, it is Nani's spirit," and then 16 deer majestically arrived to honour you. You are so beautiful Mom, you are my person and my heart. You and Dad are in everything I do. Asha and I will finish the paintings we started together while listening to your favourite song, "Dil Hai Chota, Choti Si Asha." Mom - I know you are home with Dad, making beautiful paintings, teaching, cooking amazing food and showering us with your love and spirit. Thank you so much to everyone for surrounding us with love. Below, I share our Dad, Professor Hargopal "Harry" Dhand's beautifully written bio of Mom, which was in her Saskatoon home gallery. Born, raised and educated in India, Rajinder Dhand loved art and drawing since childhood. Art is in her veins � inherited from her father who was, in his own right, a great engraver, through a renowned diamond jeweller by profession. A sensitive and profound emotional family setting turned Rajinder to the world of art. Her love of nature and literature led her to complete a Master's degree in Geography in 1968, and then another Master's in Hindi literature from the Allahabad University in 1970. But she never left her first love � art. She completed a two-year Painting Diploma in watercolour from the Allahabad University with great distinction in 1971. Later, she passed the Government of Maharashtra Examination in 1974. Her artistic zest never left her vacant. She continued her work in painting and brilliantly completed a two-year Master's degree in Drawing and Painting from the University of Kanpur in 1981. She topped the list of successful candidates in both years. Her clinical and practical work was considered to be at the highest quality. Dr. Govind Bihari Lal, a well-known art historian of India, after critically examining Rajinder's work, comments, "To me she appeared to be a promising realist painter of superb inclination, having an innovative mood for purity of colours and richness of many forms. She specialized in figures." Before coming to Canada, she taught Batik, watercolour, drawing and oil painting at the Crosthwaite Girls Inter College Allahabad, India ("the Pink University"), for five years. She also taught classes to adults in the evenings in Kala Niketan, New Delhi, for five years. Since 1978, Rajinder was on a mission to share her knowledge of painting and batik techniques in Saskatchewan, Canada. She worked hard to become a well-known art teacher and artist in the community. Rajinder taught art lessons to 60 students a week in our home and ran a picture framing business for 43 years. Rajinder was inspired and honoured to learn from friends and artists in the Saturday Morning Life Drawing � Saskatoon and the Saskatoon Painters club, where she painted weekly. Rajinder encouraged generations of students to embrace art and to believe in themselves. As quoted in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, "Dhand's work springs from her happiness and to complete the circle, her work makes her happy and busy." She had numerous art shows of her own, which also included her student's paintings. She was instrumental in organizing many art shows and displays. She acted as a judge for art shows in India and Canada. Her paintings were selected and featured at the Saskatchewan Open, a juried biennial exhibition of Saskatchewan Art sponsored by the Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon and in the SGI's Third Annual Juried Art Competition and Exhibition at the Centennial Auditorium, Saskatoon. She had numerous independent shows at the Mendel Art Gallery, the Ukrainian Museum of Canada, the University of Saskatchewan Art Galleries and Centre East Galleries. Rajinder's techniques and exhibits were featured in numerous publications such as the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, Prairie Arts, Ukrainian Weekly and the Canadian Women's Studies Journal. Her work is profiled by the National Gallery of Canada. Rajinder was the centre of news stories on the CBC and CTV. Rajinder Dhand's artwork is featured on the Artists in Canada website here: https://artistsincanada.com/saskatoon/artist/rajinder-dhand-12491 We honour our Mom's legacy by celebrating her love of art, positivity, teaching and helping others. We appreciate your support and kindness during this time.