From the Archives: Khui's Story

Muslims in Canada Archives. Khursheed ("Khui") Chinwala fonds. F2021-0002-S1-F6/Box1

Canadian society is undergoing important shifts in the ways it defines itself. Many are at a loss to find commonalities among what they see are many disparate groups of people. However, we have more in common than politics would suggest. The Muslims in Canada Archives (MiCA) is a great place to pursue this quest. Take, for instance, the story of Khursheed ("Khui") Chinwala, who donated a rich personal collection to the archive in 2021.

Born in Mumbai, India, and having gained international experience as an occupational therapist, Khui decided to bring her skills to Toronto, Canada. Her hard work at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, today known as Rehabilitation Institute of Toronto and a part of the University of Toronto’s Health Network, was distinguished by her determination and dedication to care. Her achievements earned her the position of manager of Occupational Therapy at the largest rehab institute in Canada from 1979-1994. Anyone browsing the collection will view the twists and turns in her life which are familiar to so many Canadians; from the transition and qualification exams she took, to the continued renewals of her college membership, the documents and dynamics that shaped her life.Muslims in Canada Archives. Khursheed ("Khui") Chinwala fonds. F2021-0002-S1-F7/Box1

MiCA has preserved Khui’s own meticulous documentation of these sensitive and formative periods in her life which can be seen as emblematic of the lives of new Canadians. Khui’s life story, which includes not only her professional achievements but her rich and multifaceted social life (including her extensive travels) provides valuable insight on Canadian Muslim lives for historians and community members alike. Yet, it is much more than a story of “becoming”, it is a story of “being”. She might have been your lecturer if you studied occupational therapy at the University of Toronto. She might have overseen your stay at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. She might have attended a community event with you, and she might yet attend one with you in the future given her continued active involvement in the community.Muslims in Canada Archives. Khursheed ("Khui") Chinwala fonds. F2021-0002-S1-F5/Box1

Her dedication is well-attested in the over thirty retirement cards she kept, also made available in her series at MiCA. In one three-page long letter of thanks, one of her colleagues vows to “remember with pride [the] privilege of working in [her] department” on the anniversary of January 22, a date nearing the start of Khui’s retirement when the two of them shared a special moment. In another heartfelt letter, a good friend of Khui’s who missed her retirement party decided to make up for this lacuna by writing an “Ode to Khui” – a page-long poem as a testament to her career. Most of the cards come from former patients, thanking her for the high level of treatment they received.

Does Khui’s story sound familiar? Next time someone tells you that Canadians don’t have much in common, advise that they take a small trip to view one of the many collections at the Muslims in Canada Archives. As a testament to her exemplary professionalism, here is an excerpt of the Ode written for her:

Khui came from a land far away,

To Toronto [she] came to stay.

With the seeds of hard work, dedication, and knowledge she did sow,

And as a result, she watched the O.T. department grow, grow, and grow!

Her Task of promoting the O.T. was often tough, […]

Patients were waiting with many a cone to stack […]

As the O.T. boss, you were the best

And after 30 years, it is time you take a well-deserved rest.

Happy Retirement!

This article was authored by Timothy Boudoumit using materials from the Khursheed ("Khui") Chinwala fonds. Timothy is a research assistant at the Institute of Islamic Studies supporting the MiCA project.