Amin Visram
Mr. Amin S. Visram and his entire came to Canada in November of 1972 as they were expelled from Uganda by President and Military General Idi Amin. This oral history covers Mr. Visram’s childhood and upbringing in Uganda as well as his new life in Canada.
He reflects fondly on his childhood in Uganda recalling the ‘congenial lifestyle’. Mr. Visram was just thirteen years old when he was forced to leave his home. Upon establishing themselves in Mississauga, Mr. Visram went on to attend Sheridian College followed by a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from York University and finally a Juris Doctor from the New England School of Law. He practiced as a lawyer in the United States as one of the first assistant district attorneys of Indian origin in Massachusetts.
Currently, Mr. Visram serves as CEO of Vista Hospitality Group which he co-founded with his brother Ally Visram in 1992. Both brothers are also co-founders of REACH by the Visram Foundation, a charitable foundation in India that provides underprivileged girls with housing, education, food, and healthcare.
This oral history was conducted in Mr. Visram’s office in Kitchener, Ontario.