COLLEGE OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology
An Eulogy to My Friend Dr Surinder Singh Saini
The fate could not have been more cruel than having lost a dear friend, Colleague and foremost a scientist of an outstanding caliber in Dr. Surinder Singh Saini, who enlightened the world with his ‘Science’, touched our life and made a difference to Canadians with his par excellence professional competence. This is a personal loss to me, as I had the good fortune of being associated with dear Surinder directly for over a decade and through the life that led me to find in him a fine human being with remarkable simplicity, thoughtfulness and far-sightedness. Surinder was a ‘Giver’ – Gave his life to science, professional excellence, family, friends and community at large.
Underlying these was his deep faith in the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev ji with whose blessings he succeeded in every walk of life. Dr Surinder Singh Saini will be known in the world for his discovery of ‘Cow Mega-antibodies that have opened way to novel vaccines and antibody based drugs. This will help save many lives in the world, a humanitarian cause dear to his heart. In all this, it was his family, Dr (Mrs.) Navjot Kaur Saini, and young Sherry and Sukhman who were Surinder’s joy and inspiration to do more and more for the community at large. This is particularly a trying and difficult time for them to bear with the loss of such ‘Noble Soul’ who touched the heart of everyone he came in contact with. We all stand with them at this hour, and for all the time, with the hope that they would bow before the God’s wish, no matter how difficult, and continue with the path set by him. Through Sherry and Sukhman, our Surinder will always be with us. This would be a real tribute to Dr. Saini, as we know ‘those whom God loves die young.” So, our Surinder is with those noble ones, loved by Him. Personally to me, it is a double whammy as I emerge out of the loss of my father to mourn again from an unexpected loss of my very dear friend in Dr Surinder Singh Saini. I am at pains to bear with it and pray to The Almighty to grant peace to the Nobel Soul who only did good to all around him. Aum Shanti.
Azad Kaushik, DVM, MVSc, DSc (Paris)