Pada, now an acclaimed Bharata Natyam dancer, choreographer and teacher of Indian classical dance forms, said, "To know that we now have a place in Toronto to go to not only on June 23, but any time of the year and be there to reflect on enormity of this tragedy and remember those who died is so overwhelming."
She also hoped that the Air India memorial will not be seen as a place just for Indo-Canadians, but as a ‘’national memorial’’ where all Canadians can go to ‘’reflect on Canada's 9/11.’’
However, some people are questioning why the memorial was 22 years in the making and why it took so long for Canada to 'recognise (the Kanishka bombing) as a Canadian tragedy'.
Pada said, "It hurts when you think of the fact that the memorial in Ireland was unveiled exactly a year after the bombing. Why did it take 22 years to build a memorial here? Because the truth is that we never saw this as Canada's tragedy and even Prime Minister Harper referred to that in his comments."
Image: Prime Minister Harper speaking at the unveiling of the memorial
Also read: The tragedy that struck Flight 182
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