GOPIO Gold Coast Hosts Diwali 2023
GOPIO Gold Coast hosted an outdoor Diwali Fair event on Sunday, November 19th, 2023. The celebration was a great success with over 1000 attendees, including many invited dignitaries. Broadwater Parklands was buzzing with a multitude of stalls, food trucks, and activities for the families to enjoy. Attendees browsed stalls displaying Indian jewellery, ethnic costumes, and home décor while children enjoyed free access to a balloon twister and henna tattoos. The crowd was entertained throughout the event with a mix of Bollywood beats, cultural stage performances, and our rocking DJ Ashu. The Gold Coast skyline was lit up in the true spirit of Diwali with a phenomenal eco-friendly laser show to conclude the evening festivities. The Gold Coast City Council supported the event.
communities to come together to celebrate the auspicious occasion of Diwali. We want to thank everyone who attended the event and wholeheartedly supported it to make it a huge success. A special thanks to the performers and stall holders working with the GOPIO GC Executive Committee to bring this memorable event together.
GOPIO GC takes this opportunity to thank all our wonderful sponsors: Platinum Sponsor Southern Cross University Gold Sponsor - Simonds Homes Silver Sponsors - Kannon Accounting, Senator Murray Watts, Wedding Party Trends The GOPIO GC Diwali Fair was a wonderful opportunity for people of Indian origin and multicultural
GOPIO GC Executive Committee
President: Mr Pradip Gorasia Vice President: Mr Mokhtiar Singh 2nd Vice President: Mr Preetham Krishna Secretary: Ms Madhuri Soni Treasurer: Ms Jessy Kaurah Joint Secretary: Mr Paddy Krishna Asst Treasurer: Ms Varsha Badhe Cultural Coordinator: Mr Shrey Baluja Youth Ambassador: Ms Janvi Makanjee
Can Indians cook fish and chips?
By Peter Lane Rai Indians live worldwide and are well known for their ability and resourcefulness to make a new life in a foreign country. My Indian father left India and lived in World War Two England, where he met my mum and where I was born. So, fish and chips are one of my favourite meals, and this would not surprise you as
I was brought up in England. I’ve already taken my Christmas holiday for this year, at a small coastal town five hours' drive from Brisbane. So, one night, I went to the local fish and chip shop to get dinner. To my great surprise, on the menu list was “Curry in a Hurry”, and the owner, Mohan, was an Indian from Gujarat State! Yet while I know Indians can cook curry, I was not too sure if they can cook fish and chips correctly! Mohan told me he loved Australia, but it had been tough settling in as he had emigrated to Australia alone in 2018, leaving behind his pregnant wife, Amrit. She would join Mohan after the baby was born, but COVID came along in 2019, preventing the family from reuniting in Australia.
34 — THE BRISBANE INDIAN TIMES, December, 2023
So, it was three lonely, difficult years for Mohan and Amrit before they and their son Ashish could be happily reunited.
Mohan told me that he had chosen to live in a quiet coastal Queensland town as “After living in a bustling, chaotic crowded Indian
city all my life, I wanted to enjoy fresh air and space in a coastal Queensland town. “ While Mohan may never be rich, the business is doing
well, and he and the family feel like they are part of the local community. To my question why he chose a fish chip shop business (not too well known in India other than in Goa) he replied “Well we eat a lot of deepfried foods in India, so it is not too much of a problem to deep-fry potatoes and fish” So, what did I think of Mohan’s fish and chips? They were great - as good as those I ate in England. So well done Mohan. Mohan and Amrit’s story is an excellent example of Indian determination to overcome the challenges of living outside of India and contribute meaningfully to Australian life. Next time I see Mohan, I will have some curry with my fish and chips!
