Indo-Canadian organisations call upon British Columbia govt to establish learning centre in remembrance of Air India flight bombing

Jun 01, 2025 11:05 AM IST

While a memorial to the victims of the bombing of the Kanishka was established in 2007 at Stanley Park in Vancouver, the Indo-Canadian groups want a learning centre “to teach future generations about the real cost of extremism”

Toronto: A coalition of Indo-Canadian organisations has called upon the Government of the province of British Columbia to establish a learning centre in remembrance of the bombing of Air India flight 182, the Kanishka, in June 1985.

Mourners at the memorial to the victims of Air India flight 182 at Stanley Park in Vancouver,Canada gathered on June 23 last year. (HT Photo)

That request was made in a letter sent by representatives of five organisations to the Premier (equivalent of an Indian Chief Minister) of the province David Eby.

While a memorial to the victims of the bombing of the Kanishka by pro-Khalistan terrorists on June 23, 1985, was established in 2007 at Stanley Park in Vancouver, the Indo-Canadian groups want a learning centre “to teach future generations about the real cost of extremism”.

The letter to Eby stated that the centre was envisioned as “not merely a site of memory but a living testament to the resilience of our communities and a powerful statement of our collective values”.

The memorial to the victims of Air India flight 182 at Stanley Park in Vancouver. (HT photo)

“Premier Eby, building this centre is not only a moral imperative – it is a profound act of reconciliation and compassion. It represents our shared commitment to justice, our determination to confront hate, and our duty to nurture a safer, more cohesive society for future generations,” the letter noted.

The first memorial dedicated to the tragedy was established in Ahakista in Ireland in 1986. The bomb planted by the pro-Khalistsan separatists exploded while the Kanishka was flying close to Ireland and debris washed up on and near its shores. Memorials also exist in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal in recognition of what remains the worst incident of terrorism in Canadian history, and the worst instance of aviation-related terrorism till 9/11.

A total of 331 persons died in the bombs targeting the Air India flight, with 329 of them aboard the Kanishka. Two Japanese baggage handlers who were killed when a second bomb placed within luggage on another Air India plane exploded at Narita airport. The victims included 268 Canadian citizens and 82 children.

A website seeking the centre has also been established ahead of the 40th anniversary of the terror attack. It states, “This was not a plane crash. It was a preventable act of terrorism, rooted in extremism and worsened by failures in Canada’s intelligence, security, and justice systems.”

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