DR JAWAHAR ‘JAY’ KALRA MD
Professor, Clinical Scientist, Educator
University of Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan Health Authority | Saskatchewan, Canada
Janam Bhumi:
Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India
Dharma Bhumi:
Sargodha, Punjab, India
Karma Bhumi:
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Chai, Community, and Compassionate Leadership
The ‘Jawahar’ Factor: “Integrate with cultures, adopt their wisdom, and lead with understanding.”
THE MAN
Dr Jawahar ‘Jay’ Kalra’s father always told him, “People can steal anything from you, except your knowledge and education.” It is advice, the good doctor has never forgotten. It has shaped his career and his character. Few lives exemplify the seamless blend of professional excellence, cultural stewardship, and deep humanity as completely as that of Dr Kalra.
Born in Aligarh in 1949, the third youngest of 11 children, Dr Kalra grew up in post-Partition India in a home grounded in faith, simplicity, and hard work. His parents ran a small sports goods shop, but their real legacy was the way they treated others, with honesty, warmth, and complete absence of hierarchy. From them, he learned that education mattered. Although academics didn’t come easily, he scraped through biology with grace marks in his early years of education. Dr Kalra found his academic rigour at Aligarh Muslim University, completing a B.Sc. in Chemistry and Biology, followed by an M.Sc. in Biochemistry. He then pursued a PhD in Biochemistry at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, supported by a junior research fellowship. It was during this time that Dr Kalra lost his father to a heart attack. This strengthened his resolve to pursue medicine and help prevent and treat cardiac conditions. In 1971, at age 21, he immigrated to Canada, becoming the first and only member of his family to move abroad. He began graduate studies at Memorial University of Newfoundland and later on earned an additional M.Sc., a PhD, and an MD.
THE JOURNEY
Canada is where Dr Kalra now lives and continues to fulfil his destiny as a conscientious physician, scientist, teacher, leader, and mentor. The country welcomed him, but it came with its set of teething troubles. The climate was harsh, the culture unfamiliar. But Dr Kalra’s can-do attitude had followed him to the new country. He championed multiculturalism at Memorial University, helping co-ordinate student activities such as cultural gatherings, sports tournaments, and international cuisine days. He also fundraised for causes like the Wheelchair Sports Association of Newfoundland and Labrador.
His cardiac drug research earned international recognition, and he helped launch student research forums that still thrive. After a residency in medical biochemistry at the University of Ottawa, where he also taught advanced cardiac life support, he joined the University of Saskatchewan in 1985 and became Professor and Head of Pathology in 1991.
He later led laboratory medicine in Saskatoon’s hospitals and health region, co-founded the Saskatchewan Stroke Research Centre, and helped redesign medical services. He developed postgraduate programmes, mentored widely, and advanced evidence-based lab use and quality management. He also pioneered thyroid-function testing with sensitive thyrotropin (s-TSH) as Canada’s first-line approach. He served as President of the Canadian Association of Medical Biochemists, the Canadian Association of Pathologists, and the American College of Angiology. His most notable contribution to the health sector has been the no-fault system for medical error disclosure, now adopted across Canada and beyond.
Dr Kalra’s professional journey reflects not just a career but a calling—one that merges science with service, medicine with mentorship, and leadership with compassion.
THE SPIRIT WITHIN
Observe Dr Kalra closely, and you’ll notice how he greets a hospital lift man with the same ease and respect he gives a senior professor. That, in essence, is his philosophy. He practices kindness and lives “in service to the community.”
From his student days in Canada, he has been a cultural ambassador for India and Canada. He has volunteered with organisations like Saskatoon Folk Fest, the Rotary Club, the Multicultural Council, the Hindu Society, CNIB, and the Heart and Stroke Foundation, always driven by a belief in bridging cultures, promoting inclusivity, and strengthening social bonds through active involvement and leadership. He also served with the United Way, the Saskatchewan Intercultural Association, and Rotary Clubs in Saskatoon.
A true Rotarian at heart, Dr Kalra has been an exemplary mentor, guiding high school students, launching youth initiatives like ‘Rotary Adventures in Technology’. Leading by example, he has always sent across the message that the act of giving has to be about empowerment, not just charity. He also initiated the ‘University to the People’ lecture series to bring medical knowledge directly to communities. It reflects in the improvement of patient safety, the success of future physicians he has mentored, and the multicultural harmony that one sees in Saskatchewan. Over the past five decades, Dr Kalra has navigated effortlessly between different worlds, carrying his Indian values and the warmth of community connection wherever he goes. No wonder he’s affectionately known as the ‘Cultural and Diversity Ambassador.’
THE LEGACY
Dr Kalra has been recognised for his contributions to science, community, and philanthropy more times than one can count. He has received honours that include the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation Achievement Award, RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award, Citizen of the Year, Paul Yuzyk Award for Multiculturalism, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal. He was also recognised as one of only ten University of Saskatchewan “Canada 150 Citizens,” named among “60 Influential Canadians over 60,” and awarded the Canadian Academy of Clinical Biochemistry’s highest honour for Outstanding Service to the Profession. The latest achievement in his growing list of honours is his being named 2024 Top Scholar by ScholarGPS, receiving lifetime recognition for being ranked in the top 0.5% of all scholars worldwide, and achieving a global ranking of 7 in the field of Medical Error.
Any success in life Dr Kalra has had, he unequivocally credits his wife, Kamla. She worked and then volunteered, while raising two children, Neil and Natasha. Neil and Natasha have moved out of the family home and are pursuing their own successes, but they have carried with them the values that are both Canadian and Indian. Diwalis and Christmases are celebrated with the same vigour.
Dr Kalra’s fame does not follow him home. At the Kalra home in Saskatoon, mornings begin with a simple routine: a cup of chai and a quiet prayer. The pride of the home is its temple, which houses multicultural deities. Built and cared for with devotion, it is the physical manifestation of Dr Kalra’s life message: that spirituality has no borders and the only religion one should follow is that of humanity. He often quotes Mahatma Gandhi: “I want the cultures of all the lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any.”
Steady on his feet and firm in his beliefs, Dr Kalra is always ready to serve everyone a cuppa, with a generous helping of humility and empathy.
MAPPING THE INDIA WITHIN
Bharat: Then and Now
“I grew up in an India that provided me with core infrastructure—humility, respect, community. I remember close-knit families, shared meals, and deep-rooted traditions. Today’s digital, dynamic India fills me with pride, but I still yearn for the authentic, heartfelt connections that defined my early experience of Bharat.”
Bharatiya Values that Travelled
“I carry with me the values my upbringing instilled—respect, compassion, and discipline. I start each day with prayer, cook traditional meals at home, and extend genuine hospitality. These values aren’t just rituals; they form my identity and guide my actions wherever I go, both near and far from home.”
Generations Abroad: A New Bharatiya Identity
“Living abroad, I’ve woven my Indian heritage into every facet of my life. I built a sanctuary with a temple in my home, celebrated festivals with my children, and balanced two cultures with pride. As a family, we believe that maintaining our traditions enriches our global identity and strengthens our connection to Bharat.”
Pride, Progress, and the Spirit Of Bharat
“Every visit to India reminds me how much has changed, yet so many values endure. I see modern achievements alongside the age-old spirit of respect and community. I take pride in our ability to blend innovation with tradition, affirming that Bharat is not only a nation but an enduring feeling in my heart.”
Dreams for the Youth and Future of Bharat
“I dream of an India where every child enjoys free education and accessible healthcare, and where innovation is driven by ethics. I envision a future marked by inclusive growth and global solidarity—a nation that leads with both heart and mind, guided by the cherished values of our past.”
BACK TO THE FUTURE – IN FIVE MOMENTS
Food Cravings
THEN
‘Pani puri’ on the streets, shared with neighbours—it was a joy we looked forward to.
NOW
We enjoy roasted spiced cashews and ‘pakoras’—always with chutney and chai.
Sport Spirit
THEN
We played ‘gulli danda’, cricket, marbles, sometimes barefoot.
NOW
There’s hiking and organised sports now, and electronic and laser games. But our old carrom board still brings joy.
Music Tastes
THEN
Each morning began with a walk followed by ‘bhajans’.
NOW
The playlist has grown and, sometimes, weekends include concerts by Indian artists.
Holiday Life
THEN
Train journeys to ‘Maasi’s’ (aunt) house and group camps.
NOW
Now it’s flights across continents—but it’s always train travel when in India.
Leisure Habits
THEN
Leisure meant chores, temple visits, and listening to stories at home.
NOW
It’s Zoom calls and packed schedules. But we find time to watch old movies.
AKA
Professor, Clinical Scientist, and Educator at the University of Saskatchewan | Dr. Jawahar Kalra University of Saskatchewan
