This article was last updated on April 16, 2022
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With annual sales of 1,990 vehicles, Mississauga Hyundai has been recognized by Hyundai Auto Canada Corporation as the brand’s number one dealership in sales volume for 2013. The Erin Mills, Mississauga area auto dealership was officially recognized in a small ceremony on January 23rd with Hyundai Canada President and CEO Steve Kelleher also on hand to congratulate the winning team.
Mississauga Hyundai is a dealership owned by Nav Bhatia. In addition to owning a number of other Greater Toronto Area auto dealers, Bhatia is often best known as the turban donned Raptors Super Fan who’s attended over 500 Toronto Raptors games.
Further proving a commitment to supporting sports in Canada, Mississauga Hyundai also raised $22,063 for Hyundai Hockey Helpers in 2013, making the dealership the country’s top fundraising dealership for two consecutive years. The funds raised for the HHH program will be used to help deserving children in the Mississauga area play hockey this year.
Since turning the struggling dealership around and buying it outright in 1989, Nav Bhatia has been on a steady path of success, while dispelling stereotypes about Sikhs and making the North American mainstream aware of Indian cultural identity. He’s known to personally buy and donate 3,000 NBA game tickets to locals and their children during Vaisakhi and Diwali every year. He even hopes to sponsor a potentially medal winning Canadian Olympic basketball team sometime in the near future.
Bhatia is also credited with bringing Bollywood to Canada with a screening of the film ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’ in 1999. “It became the first Bollywood film to run at six mainstream theatres in the Toronto area. Till then no Cineplex would touch an Indian film, but I changed that,” says Bhatia who has brought dozens of Indian films to Canada since.
He’s also brought the likes of Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, A.R. Rahman and other prominent Bollywood stars to Canada for live public events.
“Through Bollywood films and live shows, I have succeeded in telling Canadians that we Indians have a robust culture of entertainment and solid identity. My Indian identity is very important to me” says Bhatia.
Nav Bhatia immigrated to Canada in 1984 and faced the challenges that most immigrants faced at the time. “Though I held a degree in mechanical engineering from California State University, I couldn’t find a job because of my turban. Finally, a [car dealer] gave me a break as a salesman. Within three months, I sold 127 cars and was promoted to manager”. It was not long after that he bought the dealership and has gone on to break every proverbial glass ceiling in his way.
An unwillingness to compromise his proud cultural identity and even pushing for continual acceptance for fellow South Asians in the North American mainstream makes Nav Bhatia a rare breed of wealthy businessman.
Photographs: Hyundai Canada, Toronto Raptors
Kanishka Sonnadara can be reached at kanishka[at]oyetimes.com or on Twitter @autoKsS
Super inspirational! That’s what its all about.