Indian-born Canadian resident, Firdaus Kharas was awarded one Canada’s highest honours, when the Governor-General of Canada, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, announced his appointment as an ‘Officer of the Order of Canada’ – an award considered to be the centre-piece of the Canadian honor system bestowed upon individuals for their extraordinary and sustained dedication to Canada, across various sectors.

A distinguished entrepreneur and thought leader, 68-year-old Kharas was felicitated with this honour on 29th December, 2023, in recognition of his contributions, “For advancing social change through human-centred media as a social entrepreneur, humanitarian and mass communications media producer,” in the words of the Governor-General.

Speaking on the momentous occasion, Kharas said, “I am deeply moved to receive this high honor, which is especially meaningful to me as an immigrant. Although a high achieving community, Parsis are a miniscule community numbering only 3,600 in Canada, so it is extremely satisfying to be noticed in this way”. The investiture ceremony, where appointees will receive their insignia, is scheduled for a later date.

Renowned for his impactful work, Kharas is the founder of Chocolate Moose Media, a social enterprise established in 1995 with the mission to create mass communications aimed at improving the human condition. His productions, addressing social and behavioural change, have reached over a billion people in 198 countries, including diverse languages throughout India. Firdaus Kharas boasts an impressive record of achievements, having received 125 awards, including the prestigious Peabody Award, and several honorary doctorates from universities.