Wife, mother, teacher. Born July 29, 1963, in New Delhi. Died Nov. 1, 2010, in Toronto of a lung infection, aged 47.
As the sacred texts of ancient India say, "Money and mansions are not the only wealth. Collect the wealth of the Spirit." With her hard work and desire to uplift herself and those around her, Chandra Chhabra personified this teaching of the Vedas. As a South Asian wife and mother, it was no small matter that she returned to university at 43. Canada gave her the opportunity to fulfill her desire to be a teacher.
Selfless, loving and passionate just begin to describe her. Raised in New Delhi, Chandra was the youngest of three children. Always a serious student, she graduated with top honours from both high school and university. She met Akshay Chhabra shortly after her graduation and they tied the knot in 1984. Two children soon followed, a boy and a girl, Dhruv and Dhriti. Chandra strove to furnish her children with the "best of education," as she would often say.
Though she was left-handed and injured her left arm in a vehicle accident in 1994, her spiritual energy helped her overcome this. "I am a Leo, after all," she would say. Like a lioness, Chandra took this life-altering drawback in stride, learning to write and perform her daily tasks with her right hand.
She was courageous, dreamed big and pursued her ambitions with determination. After immigrating to Canada in 2004, Chandra and her family began a new life in a land they grew to love. Having recently arrived in a new country, she did not waste time in charting out a career path for herself. She obtained a bachelor of education degree from the University of Ottawa. With just 17 months of Canadian experience, she graduated and promptly joined the Peel District School Board in 2006 as an elementary-school teacher.
She was a keynote speaker that same year at the neighbourhood Newcomer Resource Centre on Women's Day, and became an unofficial godmother to many women of diversity at the centre.
As a learner, Chandra loved exploring the globe with her family. With a little bit of planning and lots of enthusiasm, she managed to see the major tourist destinations in North America. Though she was unable to visit some of the places on her list, she did love both coasts of Canada.
She also cared for the less fortunate and encouraged her family to give back to the community, often leading drives for food and clothes, particularly for seniors. Her one flaw was that she was a perfectionist, always striving to do her best, always concerned about everyone but herself.
Chandra's positive attitude and zest for life impressed everyone around her. She succeeded at always being content, counting her blessings even at the end. Though she left us at the young age of 47, her love resonates still and we continue to feel enriched by her enveloping radiance.
By Dhruv Chhabra, Chandra's son