About Us
ABOUT US
Established in 2004, DARPAN Magazine is the premiere South Asian magazine – providing definitive coverage of the fastest growing ethnic market in Canada – South Asians. DARPAN primarily serves South Asians who originate from India, Pakistan, Nepal, and other parts of the globe, but have roots from the Indian sub-continent, such as Africa, Fiji, and England. DARPAN also appeals to the mainstream populace – Canadians of non-South Asian heritage, who have an interest in South Asia and want to know more about the lifestyle of South Asians. DARPAN fills a significant gap in the ethnic media market with high quality content and design, and extremely targeted distribution
DARPAN offers a targeted yet provocative approach that leads to creating a reflection and voice that resonates style and culture. Be local; think global approach creates a unique and powerful design that enables the use of creative photographers, an array of exceptional writers – all of which makes DARPAN reach thousands of South Asians bi-monthly.
DARPAN’s exclusive reflection inspires and challenges readers to see things differently. As a cultural catalyst, the magazine provokes and drives the South Asian dialogue. From entertainment to world affairs, business to style, design to society. DARPAN ensures there is a signature mix of culture and food, business and politics, fashion and design, parenting and travel. This mix results in readers becoming engaged in cultural boundaries that enable them to be informed or surprised, while encouraging laughter and being moved.
DARPAN Magazine has quickly become involved in its local communities, sponsoring and otherwise being involved in many events including featuring several on a bi-monthly basis in its “News in Pictures” section. DARPAN is front and centre at numerous cultural festivities that focus on numerous South Asian celebrations. DARPAN Magazine is a leading media partner at Vaisaikhi parades in Vancouver and Surrey that attract over a global South Asian audience and over 80,000 and 100,000 participants respectively.
Continuing to attract the spotlight, DARPAN Magazine makes it an annual goal to support numerous charitable organizations in their efforts to promote their causes and garner funding. DARPAN is a proud media partner of the World Partnership Walk, an initiative of the Aga Khan Foundation; World of Smiles; and the BC Children’s Hospital’s South Asian Night of Miracles. In addition, DARPAN focuses on helping to advance the interests of numerous artistic and athletic initiatives like various South Asian concerts and the Surrey International Field Hockey Tournament.
In 2010, DARPAN Magazine created a glamorous annual reader-voted Extraordinary Achievement Awards night to highlight the extraordinary achievements of ordinary South Asians. DARPAN Magazine asked readers to nominate agents of change striving for the betterment of South Asians in ten categories that included charitable work, volunteerism, and/or community involvement—individuals who are working hard to make this a better world for South Asians.
As part of the night’s numerous festivities, DARPAN Magazine made it a goal to raise money towards South Asian initiatives for the BC Cancer Foundation. The evening’s donations tallied in at $7, 000 and the funds were designated to the South Asian Breast Cancer Survivorship Experience Study. The study will explore experiences and concerns of South Asian breast cancer survivors after they are discharged from the care of oncologists at BC Cancer Agency Fraser Valley Centre. Findings will be used to improve the transition of care from the tertiary cancer care setting to the community.
The magazine is further entwined with its local regions by predominantly using a wide range of local South Asian writers and photographers as its contributors. DARPAN Magazine’s continued success and high readership has always been rooted in their long-established tradition of providing an attainable space for the reflection of South Asians.
