Hari was born to Kailashi Devi and Shanker Lal in Kazimabad on 7 November 1941. He had always seen his father helping the people of his village where he was the sarpanch. His mother was an altruistic lady who embraced the values of being generous and empathetic in all their five children. From their parents, they learned the importance of involvement, leadership and helping the unprivileged. She always believed Hari would become “a big babu” someday.
He completed his primary education from a school in the village. He remembers how all his siblings studied under their only source of light of their home – a kerosene lamp! They had to bike 4 miles, each way, to reach KMV Inter College, Atrauli, from where he and his brothers completed grade 12.Varshney was a mischievous child. He giggles as he shares his school days, “Once I had a fight with someone and bit his ear. I also would take up challenges and pick up fights and what not!” Apart from studies and challenges, kabaddi and volleyball kept him busy.
He scored the highest marks in B.Com. from Agra University and also won the chancellor’s gold medal. He carried his streak of excellence into his post-graduation and topped the university again. Right after, B.R. College, Agra, offered him to join them as an assistant professor. A year and a half later, he joined Modi Arc Electrodes, Modinagar, as secretary in-charge of the office administration.
Meanwhile, Hari married Madhu, an MA in literature. Bound by their arranged marriage, she likes to call it a love marriage. She quips, “I found him to be intellectual in our very first meeting and loved his wavy hair. It was love at first sight?” Post-marriage, she initially was a stay-at-home wife, but that wasn’t her true self. She completed another MA in economics and started teaching in Modinagar. The couple was blessed with two sons, Praveen in 1964 and Peeyush in 1966.
Up the ladder
Hari continued working with the Modis for two years but the zeal to grow – mentally and financially to better support the family – made him pursue MBA. He chuckles as he shares, “I got admission in five universities around the world but the University of British Columbia (UBC) was the only one that offered me a scholarship as well. With just $100 in my pocket and a scholarship, I landed in Vancouver in 1967.”
Hari had dreams. Though when is settling in a foreign country easy? To adapt to a new culture and people in a completely new environment without a family was a big challenge. He had a part-time job as a busboy at the campus canteen that paid $1.30 an hour. Amid all the hardships, he learned the art of service with a smile.
Soon he noticed recruiting firms on the UBC campus looking for students who wanted to be chartered accountants. Hari too had dreamed of being one. Luckily, Arthur Andersen, one of the ‘big eight’ accounting firms based in Chicago hired him. He worked and continued his MBA and reunited with his family in Vancouver. Family and CA studies kept him busy to submit MBA thesis. He also kept himself busy with his newborn baby girl, Vandana, who was born in 1972.
In 1971, he became the first CA in British Columbia of Indo-Canadian origin. He still is extremely thankful to UBC. “I don’t know where I would have been had it not been for UBC and the scholarship they gave me.”
In 1985, he started his own firm, Varshney Capital Corp. (VCC), a venture capital, merchant banking and corporate advisory services firm with specialisation in public venture capital. It has taken dozens of companies public across Canada and the USA. Praveen, a CA, and Peeyush, a lawyer, joined him as partners a few years later. As his horizons expanded, he grew as a person and realised his responsibilities towards society. Madhu and Hari started spending time in philanthropic ventures – their hearts lie in education and health. They have donated to UBC, Simon Fraser University (SFU), St. Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver General Hospital, etc. They funded the Hari B. Varshney Business Career Centre at Sauder School of Business, UBC and four scholarships at UBC – two for B.Com. and two for MBA students. He swells with pride when students return to thank him. Moreover, he takes care of the temple his mother built in Kazimabad. He and his brothers have also set up five scholarships at their alma mater in Atrauli. VCC also organised a charity golf tournament and raised $1 million over 15 years under the guidance of Anuja, Praveen’s wife.
Hari has done many legacy services for the community and left a significant impact. He has been often recognised with awards: the Order of British Columbia in 2015, the highest form of recognition the province extends. For his many achievements and everlasting services to the community, he was awarded British Columbia Community Achievement Award in 2006, the Inaugural Canadian Immigrant of the Year in 2009 and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal in 2012. SFU also honoured Hari and Madhu with the 2018 President’s Distinguished Community Leadership Award.
It always starts at home...
Hari, without fail, credits all the good in him to Madhu. It is her strong backing that he has been able to do all that he has. Indeed, she started teaching Hindi at Ganesh School at the Hindu temple in Vancouver once she came to Canada. She has also led an Indo-Canadian folk dance group and performed at EXPO 86, workshops and festivals across Vancouver. She was recognised for her efforts with the British Columbia Community Achievement Award in 2008, among others. They are the only couple who both have been given this award.
In August 2009, Hari faced the most difficult challenge when Madhu was diagnosed with an aneurysm. “One evening, we were sitting together when she complained of a severe headache. We thought it was a regular headache. A few hours later, her condition worsened and we rushed her to the UBC Hospital. What we were told sounded potentially devastating – her survival was difficult. I had never heard of aneurysm before but Madhu miraculously overcame it!” It was a reason to rejoice for the entire family.
Hari has always made valuing time with the family a priority as evident through the annual family holiday with all 16 of them – children & grandchildren. Madhu and Hari love to travel together – they have travelled all seven continents and visited more than 100 countries. The couple still loves to watch Madhubala (Bollywood actress) movies. He believes in the philosophy of Arya Samaj which believes God is formless, unborn, blissful and omnipresent. He is still connected to his Indian roots which is clearly visible in his love for mantras, pranayama and meditation.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
His children too generously work towards community betterment. All three of them have studied at the UBC Sauder School of Business and lead successful lives. Praveen, like his father, is an FCPA, FCA, the highest honour for accountants and is on the Advisory Boards of Room-to-Read, an NGO emphasising girls’ education. He is a former director of the Vancouver Board of Trade and Vancouver Police Foundation. He also served 12 years on the Sauder School of Business Faculty Advisory Board. He is a recipient of Business in Vancouver’s 40 Under 40 Awards and an inaugural The Top 500 Most Influential Business Leaders in British Columbia. Currently, he is a director of Vancouver Foundation, The Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education and Foundation for Social Change. Anuja, also a CA, is a former director of Royal BC Museum and currently serves on the Board of Telus Community Foundation. Peeyush is a cabinet member of the Business Laureates of British Columbia Hall of Fame. His wife, Poonam, is a former Miss India-Canada and Miss India-Worldwide who has worked in Bollywood. The couple has been involved with Arts Umbrella, Canucks Autism Network and Forum for Women Entrepreneurs. Vandana was a senior investment advisor at Canaccord Genuity, the largest independent brokerage house in Canada. Her husband, Patrick, is a vice president at the same firm. She currently serves on the Board of Cause We Care Foundation which helps single mothers achieve economic security. She also served on the Board of York House School.
Madhu and Hari feel blessed to have eight grandkids; a hug from them makes everything better! His family is his strength and the facilitator of his happiness.