Odd jobs in Canada to village heads: Meet the 3 foreign-returned sarpanches of Punjab

The youngest sarpanch: From loading vegetables in Canada to village head

At 22, Shavraj Singh Dhillon is likely the youngest sarpanch in Punjab. He worked at a warehouse in Canada, loading fruits and vegetables. Now, in traditional attire with a turban, he thanks the villagers of Ghaloti in Dharamkot, Moga, for unanimously electing him as their sarpanch. Dhillon returned from Canada in March after completing a course in international business at Lambton College, Ontario, and had worked in a warehouse earning 16 Canadian dollars per hour.

Nephew of Dharamkot Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Devinderjeet Singh Laddi Dhos, new sarpanch Dhillon said, “Initially, I wasn’t interested in going to Canada, but when I saw everyone around me preparing for IELTS, I decided to do the same. I didn’t want to fail in front of my peers.” After scoring 6.5 bands in his first attempt, Dhillon left for Canada in 2021.

Dhillon returned to Punjab to care for his unwell uncle and was encouraged to run for sarpanch. His plans for village development include improving roads, filling vacant teaching positions, reducing plastic use, enhancing solid waste management, upgrading the crematorium, and establishing a herbal garden with native plant species. “I’ve created Instagram and Facebook pages to keep villagers updated on new projects,” he added.

The electrician sarpanch with Canadian PR

Harinder Singh Sran, 37, the newly elected sarpanch of Bhinder Kalan village in Moga, returned from Canada last year, despite holding Canadian permanent residency. During his five-year stay in Surrey, Harinder worked in pest control, as an electrician, a realtor, and on construction sites. He returned to reconnect with his roots and was inspired by local MLA Dhos.

Harinder Singh Sran, 37, the new sarpanch of Bhinder Kalan village, holds Canadian PR and worked as an electrician.

“Life in Canada was amazing—hunting, boating on weekends—but now it’s time to serve our people,” said Sran, who comes from a family of traditional Shiromani Akali Dal supporters, now aligned with AAP.

From managing traffic at Vancouver airport to village head

Parampal Singh Buttar, 24, the new sarpanch of Rasulpur and Chak Kisana villages in Moga (which share a common panchayat), worked as a dispatcher at Vancouver airport in Canada, earning 22 Canadian dollars per hour. “I used to manage traffic at the airport and coordinate between passengers and taxi drivers to ensure there was no congestion,” says Buttar, who also worked as a construction worker before returning to Punjab in September last year. Buttar, who studied psychology at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, British Columbia, says he returned to Punjab after about two years, deciding to work for his own people.

Parampal Singh Buttar, 24, the new sarpanch of Rasulpur/Chak Kisana villages, worked as dispatcher at Vancouver airport.

“My mother, Sukhwinder Kaur, was the incumbent sarpanch before I was chosen for the post. So, when everyone decided to make me the pardhan of the pind, I grabbed the opportunity as I had always wanted to do something for my village,” says Buttar. His plans include setting up a library, ensuring clean drinking water, providing the youth with a sports stadium, and installing streetlights in every lane and corner of the village.