Vancouver Police Pipe Band leaves audience spellbound

Divya Sharma

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Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 13

The audience reverberated with pride as Vancouver Police Pipe Band played the tune of ‘Saare jahan se achha’ during their performance to mark Baisakhi at Guru Nanak Dev University on Saturday. It also came up with traditional Canadian tunes besides those of Punjab and its culture. They also visited Jallianwala Bagh and paid homage to martyrs of the massacre.

The 34-member band was accompanied by Deputy Chief Constable Steve Rai and Barjinder S Dhahan, member, Vancouver Police Board from Canada. The band was led by Chief Constable Adam Palmer of the Vancouver police.

Dhahan informed the gathering about the incorporation of ‘dhol’ in its performance and assured to continue the practice in future. He also shared plans of the band to perform in other places in the state.

Deputy Chief Constable Steve Rai shared his emotional contact with the state and highlighted the diverse ethnicity in the band. He said, “My roots are in Punjab. The band is here for 10 days. It will be performed at different places. We have a great connection with the state and its people. To further strength the Indo-Canadian relations, the VPPB has taken up this cultural tour of India from April 8 to 18.”

Talking about the police pipe band, Palmer, said, “Vancouver Police Pipe Band has spent the last 100 years entertaining people around the globe, while at the same time acting as ambassadors of their country, province and city as the world’s oldest, continuous serving police pipe band and official band of the city of Vancouver.”

Prof Jaspal Singh Sandhu, Vice-Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), presided over the event. He said, “The objective of the programme was to make the students aware of the culture of other countries and also mark the remembrance of 100 years of Jallianwala Bagh massacre.”

Prof Hardeep Singh, Dean Student Welfare, thanked all.