Baldev Mutta hadn’t even completed his Social Service Worker program at Humber College when he was offered a position as a community development officer. It was the beginning of a long career in social services, marked by accomplishments and community impact. 

Mutta is now the CEO of Punjabi Community Health Services, which he founded upon graduation in 1990, before completing Humber’s Advanced Crisis Intervention and Counselling program in 2002. The organization serves often marginalized and oppressed families and individuals and has affiliates across Canada. 

On November 18, Mutta was named a 2021 Premier’s Award Recipient in the Community Services category during a live-streamed ceremony. 

The Premier’s Awards recognize the contributions of Ontario college graduates in the province and throughout the world. Every year, recipients are chosen in one of seven categories: Apprenticeship, Business, Community Services, Creative Arts and Design, Health Sciences, Recent Graduate and Technology. 

“It is an honour and means a lot to me as it prepares me to double my efforts to serve the community,” said Mutta after the win. 

“This award also shows how well I was prepared to ‘take on the world’ after my graduation from Humber College.” 

Mutta has received many other honours for his activism, community building and service, including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. He continues to build on the success of Punjabi Community Health Services with programs ranging from settlement assistance to addictions and mental health treatment. 

Mutta is the fifth straight Humber College alumni to receive a Premier’s Award. Other recent winners include Ambulance and Emergency Care grad Peter F. Dundas (2019), Funeral Service Education grad Allan Cole (2018), Industrial Design grad Andrew Bowerbank (2017) and Marketing grad Ron Suter (2016).