Dr. Zaheer Lakhani spent his formative years in Uganda, where he completed his primary and secondary education. In 1970 he went to the University of Leeds, England, to study Medicine, but was unable to return to Uganda after the expulsion of the entire East Indian community. Since moving to Edmonton in 1977, he has served in a voluntary capacity with many local and national organizations. He has been, at various times, Pres. of the Edmonton Multicultural Society, Pres. of the Edmonton Academy of Medicine, and for three years served as Chairman of the Edmonton Police Commission.
In addition to serving in various capacities with the Ismaili Muslim Community locally,
he has also been a member on the Board of Agakhan Foundation-Canada. As a member of the University of Alberta Senate for 6 years, he served on the Honorary Degrees Committee, and went on to Chair the Senate's Task Force on the "University of Alberta's International Dimensions". As a Rotarian with the Mayfield Club, he remains involved in supporting medical projects in East Africa. The program of facilitating visits by paediatricians to the Mbarara University in South West Uganda, was initiated by Dr. Lakhani in his capacity as a Rotarian in 1997, and to date 25 visits by Canadian paediatricians have been supported by the Mayfield Club, with anticipated expansion as a result of involvement by CIDA.
In 2001, he was awarded the Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians of the United Kingdom for his medical and community work. He is a Clinical Professor in Medicine at the University of Alberta, and he currently practices as a heart specialist at the Royal Alexandra hospital. In January 2005 Dr. Lakhani was appointed Chairman of the Cross-cultural Roundtable on Security, an initiative of the Federal Government established after the events of 9/11.In this capacity he travels frequently to Ottawa and works closely with the Deputy Prime Minister's Office. In September 2005 he was recognized by the Alberta Medical Association as one of Alberta's "100 doctors of the Century".
