With its basic objective of improving the ‘quality’ of life of the people of Canada and India by building and strengthening intellectual and cultural linkages through academic research, dialogue and exchange, Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute started as a bi-national organisation promoting understanding between India and Canada. In order to carry forward this collaborative ethos and spirit more comprehensively and facilitating in a more inclusive manner the creation of bi-national linkages between academia, government, the business community and civil society of these two countries the Institute was made fully bi-national ‘administratively’ in 2005. In its inception in 1967 the Institute was administered by the President, who used to be a Canadian national. In 1969, in order to assist the President in administration the post of Resident Director was created, and the Resident Director was also to be a Canadian national. In 1996 the post of Resident Director gave way to the nomenclature Vice-President.
Since the Institute became bi-national in 2005, the Institute is being governed by a bi-national Executive Council, with six (6) Members-at-Large from Indian and Canadian Member Institutions as well as representatives from the Government of India and Government of Canada, headed by the President. The Presidents alternate between Canada and India. The Vice-President is the senior officer of the country, who looks after the Institute with the delegated duties from the President. The Institute also operates with guidance of the Finance and Audit Committee and the Indian Advisory Council as per the Government norms in India. The Indian Advisory Council is chaired by the Secretary, Ministry of Education and the Finance and audit Committee is chaired by the President or the Vice-President from India. Senior academics are nominated for the Indian Advisory Council by the MoE, GOI.