Rajinder Dhand

Rajinder Dhand
November 14, 1946 – December 5, 2024

We are heartbroken to announce that our incredible, beautiful, wise, and fearless mom, Rajinder Dhand, passed away on December 5th, 2024 in Kamloops, BC. Since coming to Saskatoon, SK from India in 1978, Rajinder was on a mission to share her love and knowledge of art, watercolours and batik. She was a gifted artist and teacher who taught for over 60 years shaping generations of art students around the world. Mom’s positivity, love and art had a profound impact on everyone. She was an extraordinary mom teaching us that nothing is impossible. Her life was a work of art. She is deeply missed by her family Amar (son), Ruby (daughter), Dipesh (son-in-law), Charlene (daughter-in-law), Asha (granddaughter), Daphne (granddaughter), Benedict (grandson), along with family members, friends and artists. She joins the love of her life, our Dad (Professor Hargopal “Harry” Dhand) for eternity.Born, raised and educated in India, Rajinder Dhand loved art and drawing since childhood. Art is in her veins – inherited from her father who was, in his own right, a great engraver, through a renowned diamond jeweller by profession. A sensitive and profound emotional family setting turned Rajinder to the world of art.Her love of nature and literature led her to complete a Master’s degree in Geography in 1968, and then another Master’s in Hindi literature from the Allahabad University in 1970. But she never left her first love – art. She completed a two-year Painting Diploma in watercolour from the Allahabad University with great distinction in 1971. Later passed the Government of Maharashtra Examination in 1974.

Her artistic zest never left her vacant. She continued her work in painting and brilliantly completed a two-year Master’s degree in Drawing and Painting from the University of Kanpur in 1981. She topped the list of successful candidates in both years. Her clinical and practical work was considered to be at the highest quality. Dr. Govind Bihari Lal, a well-known art historian of India, after critically examining Rajinder’s work, comments, “To me she appeared to be a promising realist painter of superb inclination, having an innovative mood for purity of colours and richness of many forms. She specialized in figures."

Before coming to Canada, she taught Batik, watercolour, drawing and oil painting at the Crosthwaite Girls Inter College Allahabad, India (“the Pink University”) for five years. She also taught classes to adults in the evenings in Kala Niketan, New Delhi for five years.

Since 1978, Rajinder was on a mission to share her knowledge of painting and batik techniques in Saskatchewan, Canada. She worked hard to become a well-known art teacher and artist in the community. Rajinder taught art lessons to 60 students a week in our home and ran a picture framing business for 43 years. Rajinder was inspired and honoured to learn from friends and artists in the Saturday Morning Life Drawing – Saskatoon and the Saskatoon Painters club, where she painted weekly. Rajinder encouraged generations of students to embrace art and to believe in themselves. As quoted in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, “Dhand’s work springs from her happiness and to complete the circle, her work makes her happy and busy."

She had numerous art shows of her own, which also included her student’s paintings. She was instrumental in organizing many art shows and displays. She acted as a judge for art shows in India and Canada. Her paintings were selected and featured at the Saskatchewan Open, a juried biennial exhibition of Saskatchewan Art sponsored by the Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon and in the SGI’s Third Annual Juried Art Competition and Exhibition at the Centennial Auditorium, Saskatoon. She had numerous independent shows at the Mendel Art Gallery, the Ukrainian Museum of Canada, the University of Saskatchewan Art Galleries and Centre East Galleries.

Rajinder’s techniques and exhibits were featured in numerous publications such as the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, Prairie Arts, Ukrainian Weekly and the Canadian Women’s Studies Journal. Her work is profiled by the National Gallery of Canada. Rajinder was the centre of news stories on the CBC and CTV.

Rajinder Dhand’s artwork is featured on the Artists in Canada website here:https://artistsincanada.com/saskatoon/artist/rajinder-dhand-12491

We honour our Mom's legacy by celebrating her love of art, positivity and helping others. We appreciate your support and kindness during this time.

Celebration of Life: Saturday, August 16th, 2025 at 3pm. Edwards Family Centre, 333-4th Avenue North

Courtesy Parking at Saskatoon Funeral Home directly across the street.