On December 30, 2012, Aditya was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada, Canada's highest civilian awards, by Governor General David Johnston. His citation read, "for his achievements in business and for his commitment to promoting education and entrepreneurial opportunities for Aboriginal and disadvantaged youth". On May 8, 2013, he was recognized as Champion of Public Education in Canada by The Learning Partnership, along with scotiabank CEO Richard E. Waugh and The Globe and Mail Editor-in-Chief John Stackhouse. The award recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of extraordinary Canadians whose lifelong dedication, generosity and commitment have contributed to making the Canadian public education system one of the best in the world. He is winner of the Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award (2010), inductee to the '30 most influential Indo-Canadians Power List (2009)', and recipient of Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Ryerson University - the highest honour conferred by the University. Aditya is the former National Convenor of the Canada India Foundation— a public policy organization.
Early life
Aditya Jha was born to an indigenous Nepalese family of Maithali ethnicity in Janakpur, Nepal and grew up in Sitamarhi, Bihar, India. His Mother tongue is Maithili and his ancestral roots are from Mithila Region of Nepal. He was brought-up in a landed middle-class family of three brothers and two sisters. His father was lawyer by profession and practiced law in district court (Sitamarhi, India). Upon completion of his secondary education in a village near Indo-Nepal border, Aditya went on to pursue post-secondary education in Delhi, India. After receiving a bachelor's degree in sciences from Hans Raj College Delhi University, he went on to do M.Sc. Mathematical Statistics at Kurukshetra University and PG Diploma in Computer Science from Kurukshetra University. He further invested four and a half years from 1979 to 1984 as a Research Scholar at the School of Computer and Systems Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University before visiting Paris, France for Mainframe computer training with CIT Alcatel for six months. He was the recipient of University Grants Commission's Junior and Senior scholarship and Research Associateship from Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. He was very active in student politics and student union activities and worked underground with those who were working against when Emergency measures suspending democratic rights in India were promulgated. He played leadership role with the largest student organization in India as General Secretary for Delhi and Haryana state and was on the National Executive of the national student organization when he was just 22 years old.
Career and business interests
He started his career in India and then subsequently worked in Singapore, Australia and South East Asian countries. He migrated to Canada in late 1994 and joined Bell Canada, later becoming a General Manager. After a career at Bell, he co-founded (with four other partners) a software company, Isopia Inc. Isopia was a Canadian success story and their company was acquired by Sun Microsystems for over $100 million (combination of cash & stock). After his work at Isopia, Aditya started Osellus Inc, another software firm with offices in Toronto and Bangkok, and diversified his portfolio through acquisition of several businesses including a business from Allan Candy/Cadbury Adams Canada. He renamed the confectionery manufacturing business, to Karma Candy owing to his belief in the concept of Karma. After this acquisition, Aditya helped save more than 150 jobs who were to be laid-off owing to the imminent closure of one of the oldest confectionery factories in Canada.
Public affairs interests
Jha is active with Canadian, Indian and Nepalese public affairs. From November 16–18, 2009 he accompanied Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to India as one of the seven members of his Canadian delegation. He is one of the founding directors of the Canada India Foundation where he is currently the National Convener. Prior to this he chaired the 'Educational & Institutional' committee. Most recently, he was instrumental in designing the University of Waterloo and the Canada India Foundation's (CIF) first-of-its-kind joint initiative for the advancement of Canada's research capacity in studying the politics, economy and social conditions of contemporary India and bi-lateral relationship of both countries through a planned establishment of a $10-million endowment.
Aditya moderated Canada session during Pravasi Bhartiya Divas event (Delhi, January 2007) organized by Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs. He also moderated India Business Roundtable (Toronto, October 2006), jointly organized by Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce and Department of Foreign Affairs of Canada as well as the roundtable entitled Engaging India: tapping Roots- Seizing Opportunities (Delhi, January 2007) jointly organized with CII, India and ICCC, Canada. Aditya was an official blogger for the Toronto Star's "Your City, My City" series with focus on Toronto's Mayoral race.
Aditya facilitated and helped fund a workshop on 'Opportunities and Challenges For Nepali Political Parties' co-organized by National Democratic Institute (NDI, Washington D.C.) and Nepal Study Center (NSC) of the University of New Mexico (UNM). The workshop provided a forum for thoughtful exchanges on the issues of development and democracy between Napalese policy/political leaders and their U.S. counterparts.
Arts and culture
Jha supports the Canadian Youth Ballet Ensemble to promote dance education and training for young Canadians, and the "Share the Music" program of Roy Thomson Hall to give Canadian aboriginal youth access to best musical performances. He also supports Toronto International Film Festival group as Gold Patron. The Toronto International Film Festival Group is a charitable, not-for-profit, cultural organization whose mission is to transform the way people see the world. Its vision is to lead the world in creative and cultural discovery through the moving image. Jha also supports the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
Awards, recognition and appointments
- Champion of Public Education in Canada, The Learning Partnership, Canada (2013)
- Member of the Order of Canada (2012) - Canada's highest civilian honours to recognize a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to community and service to the nation
- Honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D.), Ted Rogers School of Management, Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada
- Global Indian Award 2011, Global Indian Origin
- Winner, Top 25 Canadian Immigrants 2010
- South Asian Philanthropist of the Year 2011, Mid-Week
- 30 most Influential Indo Canadians, Rediff India Abroad magazine's Power List (published September 2009)
- Desi News Grant's Community Achievers Awards (2008)
- Technology Achievement Award (2004), Indo Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC)
- CEO award (1998), BCE Inc.
- President's Club (1999), Bell Canada
Appointments
- Member, Board of Directors, National Capital Commission
- Member of the Order of Canada (2012)
- Member, Board of Directors, Indspire
- Board of Governors, Sheridan Institute of Technology & Advance Learning, Oakville, Ontario, Canada
- Board Member, First Nations Financial Management Board (FNFMB), Government of Canada
- Board Member, Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Entrepreneur-In-Residence, School of Business, Centennial College, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
- Member of the Board of Governors, Sheridan College of Technology & Advanced Learning
- Entrepreneur in Residence, School of Business, Centennial College
- Advisory Council Member, School of Social Services, Ryerson University
- Chair (former), Canada India Foundation
- Board Member (Former), Ontario Investment & Trade Advisory Council (OITAC), Government of Ontario
- Chair (Former), India HIV/AIDS Campaign, UNICEF Canada
- National Convener (former), Canada India Foundation (July 2009- June 2011)
- Board Member (former), PharmEng International Inc. (TSX: PII)
- Board member (former), Brainhunter Inc. (TSX: BH)
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