40 years later: Remembering Air India Flight 182
Fri. Jun. 27, 2025
40 years later: Calls for recognition of Air India tragedy
Dr. Angela Failler joins families of the Air India bombing victims and others on the 40th anniversary of the tragedy to call for its inclusion in school curriculum and for representation in historical repositories, such as museums. The attention on this tragedy seeks to rectify a glaring gap in Canadians' knowledge of the largest mass murder in Canadian history.
“There’s never been a public exhibit on the Air India bombings in a museum or a gallery space in the Canadian context,” said Angela Failler, Canada Research Chair in Culture and Public Memory. “I’ve done several post-secondary degrees in Canadian universities. I did not come across the Air India bombings until very late in my PhD studies.”
Watch the CTV News video, featuring a clip of Dr. Angela Failler speaking about the tragedy
Dr. Angela Failler speaking on CTV News about the Air India tragedy
Remembering Air India Flight 182: A 40th Anniversary Conference
June 23, 2025 marks the 40th anniversary of the Air India bombings. A commemorative conference at McMaster University was held on May 24 and 25, 2025 in memory of the victims of the Flight 182 tragedy, and to recognize the ongoing grief and activism of their families.
Dr. Angela Failler, Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies and Canada Research Chair in Culture and Public Memory at the University of Winnipeg, participated in a panel of family members and scholars to discuss remembrance of loss through memoirs and memorials, reflecting on visions for cross-cultural solidarity and justice. In this panel, Dr. Failler’s focus was on the cultural afterlife of Air India.
Dr. Failler also co-presented with Dr. Nisha Thampi on the early stages of a new curatorial project, envisioned as a national scale exhibit on the Air India bombings, to serve as an important site for learning, witnessing, and healing.
To learn more about Dr. Failler’s work on the Air India bombings, please see the CRiCS webpage about the project and the publisher’s listing of Dr. Failler’s co-edited book, Remembering Air India: The Art of Public Mourning (University of Alberta).
Dr. Nisha Thampi and Dr. Angela Failler presenting at the Remembering Air India conference, May 2025