For the love of hockey … and each other
Popular sports broadcaster Harnarayan Singh received an Honorary Doctor of Laws June 1
— Mount Royal University | Posted: May 27, 2022
Harnarayan Singh has maintained close ties with his alma mater, sharing his pride in being a Mount Royal alumnus at many public engagements across Canada.
A nationally recognized media personality, sports announcer, journalist, author and musician, Harnarayan Singh’s story is one of honesty, integrity and a whole lot of heart. In the face of bias, skepticism and discrimination, Singh’s innate talent and professional excellence has led him to achieving the dreams manifested during his small-town Alberta childhood.
Singh now provides commentary for Rogers Sportsnet and Hockey Night in Canada, but he first became an identifiable face in the NHL landscape as co-founder and host of Hockey Night in Canada’s Punjabi edition, beginning in 2008. He would end up covering more than 700 games, with a snippet of his vibrant play-by-play going viral in 2016. A boisterous cry of “Bonino, Bonino, Bonino, Bonino, Bonino, Boninooooooooo!” after a goal by Pittsburgh Penguins player Nick Bonino during the Stanley Cup playoffs has since become an iconic and much-loved moment in Canadian hockey history.
Growing up in Brooks, Alberta, Singh says he was absolutely obsessed with hockey and that his childhood would likely have been a lot different without it.
“I really experienced the universal power of sport, where hockey brought us together. My classmates and I, we wouldn't have had that rapport because I was so different from everybody,” Singh says. “I was a subject of curiosity at a young age, subject of bullying later on in middle school, and then subject of racism in high school. But because I was such a big hockey fan, it helped me create this bridge with others who I wouldn't have been friends with.
“I would say everybody forgot about our differences because of this commonality of the love of hockey.”
Broadcast beginnings at Mount Royal
A Mount Royal Broadcasting Diploma alumnus, Singh is the first South Asian, Sikh or Punjabi person to receive an Honorary Doctor of Laws at MRU. Overcoming preconceptions and breaking down barriers his entire career, in 2021 Singh became the first person of South Asian descent to call an NHL play-by-play in English. Last year was also Singh’s playoff debut.
Making his way into the mainstream means a lot to Singh personally, he says, and is also representative of the changing face of Canada.
“I just want to be able to provide hope and inspiration to others out there that this door is now open and everybody should be and are welcome now to be a part of mainstream media.”
Singh has maintained close ties with his alma mater, sharing his pride in being a Mount Royal alumnus at many public engagements across Canada. He returned to campus to co-host the launch of the Bachelor of Communication —Broadcast Media Studies in 2016 and volunteers to speak with students whenever time allows. Among his most vivid memories of Mount Royal is hosting his own hockey radio show and he says his education allowed him to step directly into the broadcasting world.
“Learning the ropes of the industry was very hands-on, everything from how to hold a microphone for an interview, to how to figure out how to ask questions, to being a member of the media. Just all of those very nitty-gritty details. The moment I got my first job opportunity, I was ready to go.”
Singh received the TSN B.E.S.T internship and bursary in his final year and then worked as a reporter for CBC Calgary. He was noticed by fellow MRU honorary degree recipient and broadcaster Kelly Hrudey, who recommended him as a possible new announcer. In 2008, Singh called his first game in Punjabi, initially flying himself out to Toronto weekly at his own expense.
Each game is an adrenaline high, Singh says, which requires him to be sharp to stay on top of the game given the speed, athleticism and excitement of the NHL. It can be difficult to wind down afterwards, he says.
“People at home may not know that while we're talking and describing the play we're also being fed tons of information. Our producers are telling us how much time is left to the commercial or they're counting us down, or our stats person is telling us something that we could add in. You're really taking in all sorts of information, so the brain usage during a game is just so high and intense.”
Often recognized for the high calibre of his work combined with a kind and approachable manner, Singh has received the Canadian Ethnic Media Association award for excellence in television; the Meritorious Service Medal by the Governor General of Canada for his contributions to Canadian society; the Brian Williams Media Award from the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame (presented annually to a sports media representative who has distinguished themselves in their life's work and career); and the Peace Patron Award by the Mosaic Institute, bestowed upon a person who has contributed to peace and intercultural understanding and has championed the goal of dismantling prejudice in their community.
Singh hosted the London Olympics for Omni Television and recently hosted the Samsung Hockey Show for CBC Sports during the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games.
Part of the Canadian fabric
A best-selling author, Singh’s 2020 memoir One Game at a Time brims with humanity and humour, and explores the true meaning of what it is to be Canadian. But he very nearly didn’t write the book, as he simply didn’t think anyone would buy it.
“When you’re told for so long that something is impossible, it becomes a barrier,” he says. “When I was younger, there wasn't very much diversity on TV and radio, in media, at all. Diversity in sports was just an afterthought. There hadn't been a precedent set. So, when you carry that seed of doubt, it actually sticks with you for a while.”
Also thinking he wasn’t at the point in his career where he could say he had accomplished all he wanted, Singh initially considered a children’s book.
“But they convinced me, because the publishers were on the same page for me as to inspire others and be able to show other youth who are diverse, anybody in Canada, that this is the country where dreams can come true. And it doesn't matter who you are,” he says.
Always giving back to his community, Singh is involved with HEROS Hockey, a charity focusing on working with at-risk youth through sport and mentorship. Speaking of the concept of Sevā in Sikhism, Singh believes in selfless service without the expectation of anything in return.
“It's a type of perspective that shapes your views and decisions on life,” he says.
The value of education was instilled in Singh by his parents. His mother went on a hunger strike to convince her grandfather to let her go to school, eventually becoming a principal. His father was the one of the first from his village to attend university and went on to earn seven post-secondary credentials, including a PhD. Singh’s achievement of an Honorary Doctorate of Laws is an honour, he says, and one of which his family is very proud.
Recognizing the resilience of the graduating class of 2022, which went through two years of an unpredictable pandemic, Singh says, “There's an unpredictability to life, but I would say to keep at it and whatever your hopes are, don't let anybody try to get in the way of those or don't let anybody discourage you. Through all those challenges and obstacles, try not to let them bog you down, not let them discourage you. Try to find the positives in every situation and keep going.”
Marc Chikinda, former dean of the Faculty of Communication Studies at Mount Royal and an instructor of Singh’s while he was a student, provided a letter in support of Singh’s nomination. He said, “Harnarayan is an exemplar of the inspirational Latin maxim, Luctor et Emergo; struggle and emerge. He struggled with racial intolerance, ignorance and insensitivity. Yet, he emerged.”