Punjab-origin realtor, scientist honoured with Order of Canada

Two Indo-Canadians -- top realtor Bob Dhillon of Calgary and clean energy scientist V.I. Lucky Lakshmanan of Mississauga -- have been honoured with the Order of Canada.

The two are among 39 persons who have been honoured with the Order of Canada by Governor General Mary Simon.

The award citation says Dhillon has been awarded for "his achievements in business, and for his unwavering commitment to philanthropy and higher education", and Lakshmanan for "his philanthropy and for his expertise in hydrometallurgy and business, which have greatly benefited his profession, community and Canada-India relations".

Dhillon, who founded the real estate group Mainstream Equity, is the biggest landlord in Canada in the mid-segment rental market today. His group owns more than 15,000 units across the country.

One of the richest Indo-Canadians, Dhillon comes from a family from Tallewal village near Barnala in Punjab.

Lakshmanan is an internationally renowned clean energy scientist and innovator in sustainable development.

Born in Chennai, he went to the UK for higher studies and came to Canada in 1974. He founded Process Research ORTECH which is a global leader in sustainable process technologies. It runs its laboratory and pilot plant in Mississauga on the outskirts of Toronto. He is currently the CEO of the company.

Another Indo-Canadian, Pradeep Merchant of Greely in Ontario, has been appointed Member of the Order of Canada "for his long-standing contributions to his community, including his philanthropy and his leadership in the promotion of bilateral ties between Canada and India".

The Order of Canada is one of the highest civilian awards in Canada, recognising outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation