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Sham Parsram Mahtani
September 12, 1935 - March 2, 2023
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<div itemprop="description">The family of Sham P. Mahtani sadly announce his passing on March 2, 2023, peacefully at his home in Montréal, Canada, at the age of 87. <br>He will be greatly missed by his wife Lata, his children Sunil, Dinesh and Dimple, daughter-in-law Poonam, son-in-law Anand, and grandchildren Sarika, Sanjay, Anjali and Viveka, as well as family and friends around the world. <br>A celebration of his life will take place on Sunday, March 12, 2023 from 12 to 2 pm with the cremation to follow at Rideau Memorial Gardens, 4275 Sources Blvd., DDO. Please bring a head covering, although some will be provided at the venue. <br>The langar (music program and lunch) will take place on Sunday, March 19, from 11:30 am to 2 pm. at Gurudwara Sahib Quebec, 2183 Wellington Street, Montréal. <br>----- <br>The final words Sham P. Mahtani said to his wife Lalita and son Sunil were "God bless you," passing on the blessings he received during an amazing lifetime. <br>Sham was born on September 12, 1935 to Parsram and Parpati in the province of Hyderabad Sind, part of British Colonial India at the time. In 1948, with the division of India and the creation of Pakistan, the family was forced to leave their home, possessions and life behind and flee to India for their own safety. They ended up in Bombay in the Colaba district and became part of the growing Sindhi community there. <br>After his schooling, the budding businessman worked with relatives in Gibralter and Spain and displayed a natural talent for business. On a trip back to Bombay, his family decided it was time to get him married. His mother's guru told her he knew of a perfect match as he was also the guru of a woman named Gulri. They arranged a meeting and both Sham and Gulri, and their families, said yes. Brokered by a guru, it was a match made in heaven. The couple literally lived around the corner from each other and had never met before. <br>They were married on February 19, 1964. Gulri became Lalita and they began their life together. Their son, Sunil, was born in December of that same year. <br>An opportunity arose for Sham to work in Bermuda and they bought a house there and kept a dog named Belinda. Their son, Dinesh, was born in 1967 in Bermuda. <br>Sham was part of the Lion's Club of Bermuda and, when their international convention took place in Montreal in 1972, he traveled there and liked the city. As the Lions were walking down St. Catherine Street in their parade, Sham walked along the sidewalk and noticed a small souvenir and gift shop with a tiny For Sale sign in the window. Sham tried to open the door but it was locked as it was closing time. He knocked on the window and the owner answered. Sham made the decision then and there to buy the shop. He made all the arrangements, got an apartment and sent for his family. Montreal became the family's permanent new home. <br>From running the souvenir shop, Oriental Gifts, to creating a clothing company called Collection Unique, which he ran with his son Dinesh by his side, Sham excelled in the business world and took care of his family, which grew in 1974 with the arrival of Dimple. Sham also helped people with their own businesses and was always there with a listening ear and helpful advice. He helped pave the way for the growth of the Sindhi community in Montreal and, particularly, the Cote Saint Luc Sindhis were close to his heart. <br>He got both Dinesh married to Poonam and Dimple to Anand and he eventually retired from his business. In 2013, he was diagnosed with cancer and battled it courageously for ten years. He loved attending the gurdwaras on both Wellington Street and on the South Shore. Everywhere he went, everybody knew his name. <br>Dinesh blessed him with grandchildren Sarika and Sanjay and Dimple with Anjali and Viveka. His son, Sunil, returned from South Korea in 2020 to be closer to the family and help take care of him. Sham passed peacefully at his home on March 2, 2023 surrounded by his family. Sham P. Mahtani left this world with a legacy of kindness, generosity and love.</div>