Today on Komagata Maru Remembrance Day, we are honoured to share the incredible story of the Ghuman family, one of Surrey’s first Sikh families to make a home in Surrey.
Born and raised in Surrey, Mike Ghuman has always had a deep connection to the city. Mike’s grandfather, Harnam Singh Sohi, is a survivor of the Komagata Maru tragedy over a century ago. The tragedy did not stop him from achieving his dream of creating a better life for his family. Though he was unable to return to Canada, Harnam’s daughter–Gurnam Kaur–immigrated to Canada after her marriage to Rattan Singh Ghuman. The Ghuman family became one of the first Sikh families to make a home in what we now know as the city of Surrey.
In their time spent here, Gurnam and Rattan worked hard to build a life for their family in Surrey, a place they were proud to call home. When they passed away, Mike knew that he wanted to honour the memory of his parents and their legacy in a way that reflected their love for Surrey.
Learn more about the tragic Komagata Maru incident of 1914 here.
