Family Environmental History
June 19, 2025 By: Simran Kamboj
I spent my entire life in Surrey, British Columbia. I was born in Canada, but my father took me to India when I was about eight months old so my grandparents could raise and care for me. That was because my parents had to work and earn money in Canada, and they had no other choice because no one was willing to look after me while they were both at work. My grandparents came to Canada in the 2000s, and I came with them. When I came back with them, I was around three years old.
My mother was born in India, Punjab. She was about 7 years old when she came to Canada and began attending school. Here in Canada, she lived with her aunt and uncle. She married my father in India when she was 19. After getting married, my mom came back to Canada and applied for my dad’s visa so he could come here as well. After my father arrived in Canada, my father decided to go to school, enroll in classes at BCIT, and work toward his goal of becoming a mechanic. Here in Surrey, British Columbia, my father put in countless hours to fulfill his dream of becoming a mechanic. Before starting his own company and store, he first worked for someone. He employed numerous people to work for him. My dad now owns and operates his shop. His hard work and commitment inspire me to work hard and achieve my goals. My mother spent years working as a housekeeper at the Vancouver Mirrot Hotel before her back issues prevented her from working there anymore. My mother is now a stay-at-home mom who looks after the family
On my mother’s side, my grandparents were also born and raised in Punjab, India. In India, my grandfather had a strong interest in farming, agriculture, and caring for his cows. Every day in India, he would go to his farm and work there for hours because that’s something he loved doing. My grandfather had a strong connection to his heritage and remains steadfast in his belief in farming and crop cultivation. However, my grandmother was the complete opposite; as a woman, she was not permitted to work and was compelled to stay at home and take care of the cooking and cleaning. Every time we travel to India, we make sure to visit my grandfather’s farm. We drive around the village in a tracker, taking in the farms and the village itself, and he would be delighted to show us what he has done or is doing.
Punjab, India, is also where my dad’s side of the family was born. After completing grade 12, my grandfather went to work at a small shop in India. He would leave in the morning and return at night. However, my grandma did not work or go to school because her family was very strict with her and would not let her go anywhere, not even to school. She would get into trouble even if she talked to her friends or spent too much time with them. My Grandpa and Grandma also have a passion for gardening; they visit the backyard every day to water the plants and sow new seeds to produce more herbs or plants. My grandparents are in the garden the second it gets warm. They’ve always loved gardening, whether it’s cultivating plants or herbs.
Looking back today, I am grateful to my parents and grandparents for providing me with the life I have, as it would not have been possible without them. I will never forget my father’s late night staying at work and coming back when its almost the next day.
Agriculture in India dates back to the Neolithic period. India tends to be the second-largest worldwide farm output. More than 50% of Indian workers were employed in agriculture, which also accounted for 20.2% of the nation’s GDP, according to the Indian Economic Survey 2020–21. India led the world in net cropped area, followed by the US and China. With India’s overall economic expansion, the agricultural sector’s share of the nation’s GDP is gradually diminishing. On the other hand, agriculture is the most miscellaneous economic sector in terms of population and contributes significantly to India’s overall socioeconomic structure.
Wikipedia contributors. (2025, June 18). Agriculture in India. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculture_in_India