Basant Motors celebrated a decade of educational giving on Sunday with its 10th Annual Scholarship Ceremony, recognizing the achievements of Surrey’s brightest students and highlighting the company’s ongoing commitment to community development.

The event, held at the family-owned dealership on Fraser Highway in Surrey, brought together students, parents, educators, and community leaders. This year’s Basant Motors Community Pride Scholarship distributed $34,000 among deserving high-school graduates who demonstrated exceptional academic performance and community leadership.

Company founder and president Baldev Bath, who started Basant Motors in 1991 after two decades working in a local sawmill, said the scholarship program reflects the company’s belief in giving back. “Education is the foundation of progress,” Bath told attendees. “When we support students, we strengthen families, our city, and our country.”

Since the program’s launch in 2016, Basant Motors has awarded more than $285,000 in scholarships to over 120 students. Many of them have gone on to study at some of the world’s leading institutions, including Harvard University and the University of Oxford.

The ceremony featured several dignitaries, including Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke, Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills Jessie Sunner, former B.C. Labour Minister Harry Bains, and Senator Baltej Singh Dhillon, who joined Bath on stage to personally present the awards to the 2025 scholarship recipients. Each congratulated the students for their achievements and spoke about the importance of hard work and perseverance.

The Basant Motors scholarship initiative began during the company’s 25th anniversary in 2016, when six students shared $15,000 in awards. The program has expanded every year, with additional funding added annually to meet growing community demand.

Beyond the scholarship program, Basant Motors has long been recognized for its philanthropy throughout Metro Vancouver. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company organized a food delivery service for local families, donated vehicles through its “Cars for Compassion” campaign, and supported the “Dine for Diabetes” fundraiser benefiting the Canadian Diabetes Foundation.

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke said such efforts make Basant Motors a trusted community institution. “This program not only supports individual students — it lifts our whole city,” she said.

As the ceremony concluded, Bath thanked community partners and local officials for their ongoing support. “Our goal has always been simple,” he said. “Help our youth dream bigger, reach higher, and give back to the community that raised them.”