India-born entrepreneur honoured in Canada for ‘advancing social change’

Firdaus Kharas, an India-born entrepreneur and thought leader, has been appointed as an officer of the Order of Canada, one of the country’s highest honours, for advancing social change through human-centred media.

The annual list of 2023 appointees to the Order of Canada was released by Governor General of Canada Mary Simon on Thursday.

The Order of Canada is one of our country’s highest honours. It recognises people across all sectors of society who have made extraordinary and sustained contributions to Canada.

Simon’s office announced three new appointments of “companions” — the highest level of the Order of Canada — 15 officers, including one honorary officer, and 59 members.

Kharas, 68, had been appointed officer of the Order of Canada “for advancing social change through human-centred media as a social entrepreneur, humanitarian and mass communications media producer”.

“I am deeply moved to receive this high honour, which is especially meaningful to me as an immigrant. Although a high achieving community, Parsis are a minuscule community numbering only 3,600 in Canada, so it is extremely satisfying to be noticed in this way,” Kharas said in a statement.

Appointees will be invited to an investiture ceremony at a later date to receive their insignia. The dates of these ceremonies will be announced in due course.

Kharas is a renowned producer of social and behavioural change communications which has been seen by over a billion people. He founded Chocolate Moose Media in 1995, a social enterprise, to create mass communications to better the human condition.

His work has been used in 198 countries, including in several languages throughout India. He is the recipient of 125 awards, including the prestigious Peabody Award and several honourary doctorates from universities.