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Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Grant of Arms and Flag
November 15, 2019
Vol. VII, p. 219
Arms of Deepak PrasadBlazonAzure a cobra affronty entwining a trishula in bend sinister, in base a maple leaf Or; SymbolismThe blue colour alludes to the “thin blue line” of police forces as guardians of public safety and represents Mr. Prasad’s career in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Canada Border Services Agency, and other emergency service organizations. For Mr. Prasad, blue also evokes the ocean surrounding the Fiji Islands as well as the flag of Fiji, and thus refers to his Indo-Fijian heritage. The cobra and trident (trishula) are attributes of the Hindu god Shiva, and represent Mr. Prasad’s faith and its importance in his family history. The trident’s three tines represent Mr. Prasad’s three siblings, and the four coils of the cobra’s body around the trident, his nieces and nephews. The maple leaf refers to Mr. Prasad’s Canadian heritage. |
CrestBlazonA bison rampant its tail enflamed proper holding a gada and wearing on its dexter foreleg a rakhi Or, issuant from a coronet of Pacific dogwood flowers, mayflowers proper and Maltese crosses Argent; SymbolismThe bison is a symbol of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, of which Mr. Prasad is a Regular Member. The bison’s tail is on fire, alluding to an episode in the mythology of the Hindu god Hanuman, the Protector, who fought against evil. The mace (gada) is a traditional Hindu symbol of justice and represents Mr. Prasad’s dedication to the defence of the law and human rights. The rakhi is a bracelet traditionally given in Hindu society by sisters to their brothers for protection, and represents Mr. Prasad’s close ties with his own siblings. Being tied on the right wrist, it symbolizes the hand of God in charity. The Pacific dogwood and the mayflower are the provincial flowers of British Columbia and Nova Scotia respectively, and signify Mr. Prasad’s attachment to the two provinces where he has lived, British Columbia as his home province and Nova Scotia where he served the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. The Maltese cross is the emblem of the Order of St. John, of which Mr. Prasad is a member and an active volunteer. |
MottoBlazonEGENTES SERVIRE; SymbolismMeaning “To serve those in need,” this Latin phrase represents Mr. Prasad’s dedication to helping others as well as his career in various public safety organizations. |
Flag of Deepak PrasadBlazonA banner of the Arms; SymbolismThe symbolism of this emblem is found in other element(s) of this record. |
BackgroundCanada Gazette InformationThe announcement of the letters patent was made on March 28, 2020 in Volume 154, page 693 of the Canada Gazette.    |
Additional InformationCreator(s)Original concept of Teva Vidal, Miramichi Herald, assisted by the heralds of the Canadian Heraldic Authority. PainterIlona Jurkiewicz CalligrapherKathy Feig Recipient TypeIndividual |