FEBRUARY 2023 Edition of Desi Australia Digital Magazine

WHAT’S INSIDE

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24 ABC Show “Namaste Yoga” Selected For Maoriland Film Festival

26 Sagarika Venkat Youth Ambassador for Indian Women Empowerment

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30 Australia Day and Indian Republic Day by the Indian Senior Group-Hornsby (ISGH)

36 Two Indian Australian doctors take out the Miss India Australia and Mrs India Australia titles of 2022!

My Journey to becoming a Social Entrepreneur

The Saree Club Was Born “Shortcut” feature film premiere in Adelaide

Port Adelaide Diversity and Inclusion Film Festival

Grand Finale of Month-long Pramukh Swami Maharaj Centenary Celebrations

Lunar Year Celebrations by SHARE SMR Inc.

Local volunteers shine at Parramatta’s 2023 Citizen of the Year awards

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Celebration of 7th Anniversary of The Indian Support Centre

Commemorative coins minted by Nepal Rastra Bank on Sri Guru Nanak Sahib ji’s 550th Centenary

Fans go crazy over Akshay Kumar “Superstar” vs “Superfan” Film ‘Selfie’ at Trailer Launch!

PUBLISHER

Desi Media Group (Desi Australia Pty Ltd)

Editor-in-chief

Arti Banga

NSW Editor:

Harmohan Walia

Sales and Marketing:

Dimple Deez

Victoria Editor:

Daljeet Bakshi

Queensland Editor:

Priya Singh

ACT Editor:

Rajni Ghai Malhotra

Western Australia Editor:

Ankita Tandon

South Australia Editor:

Daljeet Bakshi

Designer Ravi Mathur

Address: Desi Australia Pty Ltd

PO Box 102, Casula, NSW 2170

Email : info@DesiAustralia.com

Mob: 0433121339

Hello Everyone,

We hope you have enjoyed your well-deserved break over the Christmas and New Year period and are excited for the year ahead.

As always we are committed to keeping you connected with the latest happenings in the South Asian community across Australia.

We hope you enjoy reading the coverage of local events, Bollywood, entertainment, arts & culture and more, as much as we enjoyed bringing it to you.

If you have any stories that you would like to share with the broader community then

please

Arti Banga Editor-in-Chief

“Keeping

Lunar Year Celebrations

King Dynasty Restaurant in Chatswood was at full capacity as 350 guests, sponsors, people from various multicultural background and notable Politicians celebrated SHARE SMR INC Inaugural Lunar New Year Gala Dinner 2023 held on 31 January 2023.

The guests were delighted with entertainment, traditional Lion Dancers, an Opera, and a 11-course banquet. Cr Barbara Ward Deputy Mayor of Ku Ring Gai who initiated and hosted this event on behalf of SHARE thanked the Board for their support and paid tribute to members pre-

sent- Mr Moss Akbarian, Roger Xie and CEO & Board member Adrian Prakash who supported this event in Ku Ring Gai. Adrian Prakash CEO of SHARE has grown the organisation which has grown exponentially with a reach in 55 locations to over 4,00 participants.

“I am so proud to be the President of this not-for-profit organisation that has grown exponentially under the leadership of Adrian Prakash and our committed staff and Leaders.It is marvellous to see so many of you here and the interest has been amazing, I thank you for your tremendous support. Ladies & Gentlemen, I am of

Indian heritage from Fiji and as a child I remember Chinese New Year celebrations and wondered what the RED LANTERNS was about and the activities around this week,” said Cr Ward.

Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is the most important festival in China and a major event in some other East Asian countries and indeed around the globe. Chinese New Year is the festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional Chinese calendar. Apart from the traditional and religious aspect it is also a time to feast and visit family members.

by SHARE SMR Inc.

SHARE SMR Inc (SHARE) is a nongovernment, not for profit organisation that has been providing low-cost physical activity in accessible community settings mainly for older adults and +55 years for over 35 years. A range of exercise classes are offered, and most have falls preventive strength and balance components in them. Programs are holistic health promotions for health and wellbeing to stay well, fit and enjoy life as we grow in years with a focus is on mental health, chronic illness, and isolation.

We build on existing expertise, experience, and have a reputation of providing “one-stop” well-being programs with positive health outcomes. One of our aims is to help minimise the impact of accrued lifestyle and illness by providing robust evidenced based well-being programs that is affordable and delivered in friendly settings which also allows us to provide emotional support to all that attend our classes. SHARE’s support programs help with managing your ability to do things, provides connectivity and enjoyment. Physical and psychological programs are very important to maintain positive outlook. SHARE’s programs provide a platform to relieve stress, promote emotional stability and peace of mind. These help to recover, regain strength, physical fitness, and confidence particularly after a prolonged illness or stress.

Exercise is very important we provide many Non-invasive physical exercise, Tai Chi, Line Dancing, Art As Therapy, Outing, seminars, support groups, mental health programs such as Walking Buddies, Bright Minds for Early onset of Dementia, Domestic Violence and pathways to seek further help.

Education programs include Nutrition provided by health professionals to learn and adopt healthy eating habits, balanced

diets, and sleep improvement.

Cr Ward spoke of the work of SHARE “Social isolation is a major issue today in our society and we need to do so much to look after our Nation builders who have given so much to this country that we freely enjoy. Friends as we enjoy this wonderful dinner can I ask you to buy a raffle or Live auction item we have amazing prizes to be won but a part of taking home a winning you will take with you

many Blessings from some of the most vulnerable people in our community. We are raising funds for Art As Therapy please give generously. Being a Volunteer President and seeing the positive impact we make in people’s lives gives me great pleasure and frankly this is what gets me out of bed every day. It is my passion and desire to see SHARE grow so it can serve as many people as possible to make their lives happier and healthier”.

Grand Finale of Month-long Swami Maharaj Centenary

His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj was given a grand devotional tribute in the closing ceremony of the Pramukh Swami Maharaj Centenary Celebrations in the divine presence of HisHoliness Mahant Swami Maharaj.

In the month-long festival, over 12.1 million people visited the exhibitions and attractions at Pramukh Swami Maharaj Nagar and were inspired to live better lives. The Nagar hosted a variety of exhibitions, attractions, seminars, films and shows, each imparting a unique lesson from the inspiring life of Pramukh Swami Maharaj. Millions watched the evening assemblies held every day for the past month live, whether at the Nagar or over webcast, and learned about Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s life and work from speeches given by senior swamis and dignitaries from around the world. Thousands gained inspiration from Pramukh Swami

Maharaj’s life through professional and academic conferences held at Pramukh Swami Maharaj Nagar.

A blood donation drive was also organized over the month-long festival, during which over 5.6 million cc of blood was donated. Hundreds of thousands of people were impressed and humbled by the ornate main gate, Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s 30-foot sculpted image, the replica of Delhi Akshardham Mandir, the enchanting

glow garden, the light and sound show, the Women’s Empowerment Pavilion and other exhibitions. After visiting the exhibitions, many were inspired to give up addictions and strive for family harmony. After watching the shows at the Bal Nagari, 250,000 children resolved to respect their parents, study sincerely, and become ideal citizens of the world. All who visited were in awe of the 45 departments and 80,000 volunteers inspired by Mahant

Month-long Pramukh Centenary Celebrations

Swami Maharaj who made Pramukh Swami Maharaj Nagar possible.

Grand Finale Programme

The Grand Finale Ceremony of Pramukh

Swami Maharaj’s Centenary Celebrations, titled, ‘We Will Not Forget You’ commenced at 5.00pm. As hundreds of thousands of devotees from around the world assembled, BAPS bands played to

welcome them. The assembly began with the singing of devotional hymns followed by the grand entrance of His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj on a decorated chariot. Youths danced on stage to welcome Mahant Swami Maharaj.

The first part of the assembly explained how people will not be able to forget Pramukh Swami Maharaj. Selected devotees shared their personal experiences with Pramukh Swami Maharaj and how they will never be able to forget him for what he has done for them and their family. Each reiterated the point that Pramukh Swami Maharaj is always with them.

Local volunteers shine at Parramatta’s 2023 Citizen of the Year awards

An environmental champion who turns waste into bags and awardwinning art has been named City of Parramatta’s 2023 Citizen of the Year, with local volunteers leading the charge at this year’s awards.

Julia ‘Julz’ Strykowski has been actively involved in the LGA for more than 10 years, founding Boomerang Bags Parramatta – which repurposes leftover fabrics into reusable bags – while running waste-to-art program PluckFastic. She also is the co-founder of Friends of Toongabbie Creek.

Julia was today honoured at a special Australia Day ceremony at Parramatta Park, alongside Bushcare volunteer Zyntaurus Donna-Aroon, who was awarded Young Citizen of the Year in honour of David Shakespeare OAM.

Jocelyn Dodd, who has been volunteering with City of Parramatta’s Community Care services for more than a decade, was named Senior Citizen of the Year, while the Parramatta State Emergency Service (SES) took out the Community Group Award following their tireless efforts across the LGA.

Each year, the City of Parramatta invites the local community to nominate an outstanding resident or organisation who have provided an outstanding contribution to the lives of our citizens or have provided a noteworthy contribution to the Parramatta community.

City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Donna Davis announced the 2023 recipients alongside Veteran and dual Invictus Games gold medallist Ben Farinazzo, this year’s Australia Day Ambassador.

“Parramatta is one of the greatest cities in

Australia, and that’s largely due to the generosity of so many people in our community who go above and beyond to help others,” Cr Davis said.

“I congratulate all nominees of our Citizen of the Year awards, in particular Julz, Jocelyn, Zyntaurus, and the Parramatta SES crew whose fantastic achievements and dedication to this City have been recognised today.”

Cr Davis also conferred citizenship to residents from 35 different countries at a special Australian Citizenship Ceremony.

“It’s always a great honour to welcome new citizens to our wonderfully diverse community, one I am proud to serve,” Cr Davis said.

The 2023 City of Parramatta Australia Day Citizen of the Year Award recipients are:

Parramatta’s awards

Young Citizen of the Year – Zyntaurus Donna-Aroon

Zyntaurus has been a member of the Baludarri Wetland Bushcare Group since 2011. He first joined the City of Parramatta Bushcare Volunteer Program as a Scout, and since 2020 has taken on the role as Convenor of the group. Zyntaurus has gone above and beyond removing weeds, planting native local plants, and removing rubbish to transform a defunct landfill site into a viable salt marsh. He inspires younger volunteers like himself to join environmental fields and Bushcare programs to ensure lands and waterways are protected for years to come. He is also involved with the Parramatta River Catchment Group; assisted with the successful running of the Refugee Alternatives Conference; and in 2022 won the Youth Award for Bushcare.

Citizen of the Year – Julia ‘Julz’ Strykowski

Environmentalist Julia ‘Julz’ Strykowski has been an active volunteer within the LGA for more than 10 years. She is a passionate environmental educator involved with many community groups that she has founded, leads, organises and campaigns for. She is the founder of the Boomerang Bags Parramatta group, empowering local communities to tackle plastic pollution at its source. Among her achievements, Julz is a co-founder of the Friends of Toongabbie Creek group, where locals can adopt and care for Toongabbie Creek. Julz also runs a waste-to-art program called PluckFastic, and her work has been featured at regional art shows and galleries in Sydney and won numerous awards and prizes.

Senior Citizen of the Year – Jocelyn Dodd

Jocelyn has been volunteering with the City of Parramatta Community Care services for almost 10 years. As a Community Connector with the Social Inclusion services, Jocelyn took on the role of supporting people with disability and teaching them life and digital skills. Jocelyn also volunteers her time with the Over 55’s Leisure and Learning service, making herself available for any enquiries

ensuring that new participants feel welcome, while also teaching computer skills at the Seniors Computer kiosk. She also supports the Social Lunch program with the Meals on Wheels service.

Community Group Award – Parramatta State Emergency Service (SES)

The Parramatta State Emergency Service (SES) is a group of volunteers selflessly serving the community. Day and night, weekdays and weekends, 365 days a year, the crew at Parramatta assist

in all emergency events within the Local Government Area. This passionate group volunteer outside of their work and family commitments to make the community a safe place to live and work. Sydney had some significant weather events in 2022, and the SES served the community tirelessly during this time saving lives and protecting property. The SES volunteers are everyday members of the community with jobs, families, hobbies, and interests, putting their own wants and needs second to those that they serve.

Celebration of 7th Anniversary of The Indian Support Centre

By: Harmohan Walia

The Indian Support Centre celebrated its 7th Anniversary at the Redgum Function Centre, Wentworthville on 8th December 2022.

The Chief Guest for the occasion was The Hon. Donna Davis, Lord Mayor of the Parramatta Council. Other guests included community leaders, Indian ethnic media, community members from the Indian subcontinent community.

Subba Rao Varigonda welcomed the

guests and this followed by the Lord Mayor and a message from the Hon. Mark Coure, Minister for Multiculturalism & Seniors was read out. ISC achievements included successfully running of its Family Support program, Job Seeker support, Seniors Computer Literacy program, DGR status and getting ISO 9001 Certification. A major program for 2023 was announced by

Digital Literacy certificates were awarded to seniors by the Lord Mayor, who have recently completed their programs at the ISC training centre. There were a number of dances including Bollywood dances marked the occasion. Ms Shobha Ingleshwar, the noted MC and singer from the community conducted the proceedings. Swagath Indian restaurant provided delicious food for the evening. More than 200 guests attended this function.

ISC - the ISC Dubbo Settlement Program for new migrants.

Commemorative coins Nepal Rastra Bank Nanak Sahib ji’s 550th

By: Harmohan Walia

AYOSA donated a coin of Nepali Rupees 1000 on Sri Guru Nanak Sahib ji to ASA

Ravinder Singh Sethi of Nepal, Amarjit Singh Dhot and Rahul of AYOSA donated a coin of Nepali Rupees 1000, the commemorative coin minted by Nepal Rastra Bank on Sri Guru Nanak Sahib ji’s 550th Centenary to the management of Glenwood Gurdwara in Sydney in the evening Diwan of 7 January 2023.

Three commemorative coins with the denomination of 100, 1000 and 2500 Nepali rupees were issued on Friday September 27, to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev ji.

The coins were jointly released by the

Governor of Nepal Central Bank, Dr Chiranjibi Nepal and the Indian ambassador in Kathmandu, Manjeev Singh Puri.

The symbol ‘Ek Oankar’ (God is one) is inscribed on one side of all three coins, with Nepali words meaning ‘550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak’ embossed on the edges.

Nepal is one of the very few countries to have issued legal tender with a direct Sikh connection.

Previously in the year 2004 as well, the Nepal Rastra Bank had released a coin worth NPR 250 to commemorate the 400th anniver-

coins minted by

on Sri Guru 550th Centenary

A book titled Sikh Heritage of Nepal has also been launched.Ambassador of India to Nepal, Manjeev Singh Puri says in the foreward, “Guru Nanak Dev ji travelled through Nepal as part of his Udasis*. Nanak Math in the Balaju area of Kathmandu has a peepal tree under which he is said to have meditated.”

“Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s travels in Nepal are said to also cover western Nepal, the Terai, Janakpur, areas around the Kosi River and even Tengbuche Monastery in the Everest region,” he adds.

sary of the Guru Granth Sahib.

That coin had featured a ‘Khanda’ as well as an image of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the holy Sikh scriptures.

The book gives a historical perspective of Sikhism in Nepal, traversing the connection through to modern times. Apart from Guru Nanak’s visit to Nepal around 500 years ago, the book also gives details of various Sikh shrines in the country, the connection with Maharani Jindan, and more.

The Saree Club Was Born

By: Poornima Menon

Conversations about sarees is a hot topic these days. There are a number of Facebook groups propagating the beauty of the saree and the beauty of a woman draped in a saree. Women, especially from the sub-continent, from all walks of life, and those living away from India in particular, love the idea of posting their photos draped in beautiful sarees and thus staying connected to their culture and their heritage. Videos of women doing rare feats in a saree, like somersaults, running, driving a truck, a bus or a tractor, dancing in various locales are all common sights on social media. There is a charm in the saree that draws ladies together and this connection is strong and lasting. A few years ago, a movement started where ladies in various parts of the world began catching up in sarees and social media gave them ample chances to

celebrate themselves in their sarees.

Saree, though a much-revered garment is also looked down upon by certain sections of the community, much like some women are. Some view the saree as an unglamorous garment, something draped by older women who were called ‘aunties’, and aunties are not considered fashionable. My first endeavour was to bring a change in that mindset, and I am glad to see that there has been a shift as ladies are choosing to drape sarees to various themed parties and functions. Another obstacle was the north- south divide. There

was one section of women who saw saree as a garment worn by women from the southern states of India. Pleasingly there has been a shift there too. It gives me immense joy when I hear that I have motivated many women to drape sarees and have helped bring this beautiful garment back into fashion in Sydney.

Through my saree stories I established an interest in sarees across a number of social media channels. Ladies began identifying me with the saree and vice versa. And I saw an opportunity to do something more than just catching up in sarees

once in a while and posting photos on Facebook. I saw a potential where this saree camaraderie, which had slowly shaped itself into a saree sisterhood could be used as a platform for women empowerment. And just like that the Saree Club was born. The initial months were about building a rapport and in order to enable that monthly catchups were planned. But as this practice began to warm up, Covid came knocking. But I was determined to keep these meetups going and like everything else we moved from in-person meetups to virtual catchups. I introduced themes and games to keep these engagements exciting. And as we got to know each other better, our level of comfort with each other improved and organically a warm, safe and nonjudgemental platform was created where the ladies not only shared their saree stories, but also exchanged ideas and engaged in meaningful conversations. It became a platform that brought a breath of fresh air to the otherwise mundane Covid affected lifestyle.

As the restrictions slowly eased, picnics were organised in open spaces maintaining social distancing. Covid, though was socially isolating, brought the ladies of the Saree club together. Ladies who were new migrants forged new friendships within the club. The club became a symbol of celebration of womanhood and everything that came with it. Through the regular interactions, ladies became confident, and it was very heart-warming to see some of

them who had never faced an audience before engaging in public speaking and other cultural activities. It was an enriching experience for all, the participants and the

audience alike. In the past 2 years (since the lifting of the restrictions), the Saree Club has organised events that celebrated friendships and relationships. There was

a Diwali celebration in 2020, Mother’s Day celebrations and International Women’s Day celebrations in 2021 and 2022. The participation and involvement of the ladies evolved and grew and seeing value in this sisterhood, they also invited their friends to join. The Mother’s Day 2022, saw sons and daughters joining their mothers in the celebrations. They enjoyed the day so much that they are now eagerly waiting for the 2023 celebrations. The 2022 International Women’s Day celebration created an awareness and started a dialogue. People sat and up and recognised the emergence of the Saree Club. 2022 also saw the first Saree Club publication. “Swadisht Yaadon Ka Safar”, a walk through the Indian culinary memory lane, that featured hearty and close to the heart recipes from the members. These were recipes that evoked memories and were extremely special. As a club we also supported the High Tea that was organised to raise funds for the Harman Foundation and the Pink Ribbon breakfast. We hosted Australia’s Biggest Morning tea and raised a whopping $10,000 to support the excellent work done by Cancer Council Australia.

The members of the club continue to stay in touch through the monthly catchups and stories. Our discussions include, and are not limited to personal and professional development, parenting tips, cooking ideas and kitchen tips and tricks, hobbies, etc. The various topics keep us engaged and encourage us to think outside the box. We learn from each other’s experiences, and everyone has something to offer. The ages

of our cohort ranges from a ripe 60 plus something to a young 30 plus something! Our members include company CEOs, heads of operations and education, senior HR professionals, doctors and therapists, IT professionals, enterprising and successful entrepreneurs, budding and experienced professionals and homemakers. We are a conglomerate of talented ladies with a common love for the saree. We are simple, stylish and sophisticated, yet grounded with abundant respect for each other.

2023 brings yet another new chapter in the evolution of the Saree Club. We have some grand plans. We started the year with our Facebook presence. Do ‘Like’ our page and stay connected with us. Also do check out our Instagram handle and YouTube channel. Through our website (which is currently under construction) we intend to connect people with various services. Watch our space on social media for all our upcoming programs. “Saree Club – More than a six-yard-long connection where empowered women, empower women”.

Pravasi Bharthiya Divas celebrations

By: Harmohan Walia

The 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention was held from 8 – 10 January 2023 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh with the theme “Diaspora: Reliable Partners for India’s Progress in Amrit Kaal”.

On this occasion, Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, CGI, Sydney celebrated the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on 9th January, 2023 at the Indian Consulate premises.

The guests were welcomed by MC, Ayushi Akshay Sexena following which Consul General Mr Manish Gupta gave the welcome address on the occasion of PBD celebrations.

Ms Kumud Merani moderated a panel discussion of the dignitaries and experts from diverse background.MC gave introductory remarks about significance of Vishwa Hindi Divas and invited participants for the recitation of Hindi poetry. Poetry was recited by Mrs. Nimeesha Gupta, Mr Anil Sharma and Ms Preeti Thandani.

Keynote address by Hon’ble Prime Minister of Republic of India, Shri Narendra Modi during inaugural session of 17th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas Convention 2023 at Indore (India) was screened.

Fans go crazy over Akshay Kumar “Superstar” vs “Superfan” Film ‘Selfie’ at Trailer Launch!

The much-awaited Akshay Kumar action-comedy “Selfiee” just dropped the official trailer on Sunday.

Releasing in cinemas on 24th February 2023, “Selfiee” is Directed by Raj Mehta, director of Good Newwz (2019) and JugJugg Jeeyo (2022), and will kickstart a fine 2023 featuring the fresh duo of Akshay Kumar and Emraan Hashmi. Packed with action sequences and emotional breakdowns, the trailer together received rave reviews and has amassed over 21 million views on YouTube.

“This film is dedicated to all the fans of the world,” said Akshay Kumar during the trailer launch. Akshay fans surprised him by attending the event in various attires reflecting famous character from his movies such as Raju from Hera Pheri, Bala from - Housefull 4, Ishar Singh from Kesari and more.

The story of ‘Selfiee’ revolves around a famous actor Vijay Kumar (played by Akshay Kumar) who needs to renew his

driver’s license and runs across a super-fan in the form of RTO Inspector Om Prakash, performed by Emraan Hashmi. He tries to help his idol obtain a driving license providing he undertakes all of the necessary tests, which leads to a rivalry between the superstar and his superfan attracting the media and public’s attention.

Presented by Dharma Productions, the

The film also stars Diana Penty and Nushrratt Bharuccha in primary roles.

‘Selfiee’ will be in theatres 24th February 2023.

film has been co-produced by Hiroo Yash Johar, Aruna Bhatia, Supriya Menon, Karan Johar, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Apoorva Mehta and Listin Stephen.

More and counting!!

By Poonam Naik

In 2023 the most populous country on the planet will be India. China’s population is peaking while India’s has continued to grow. And the UN predicts that on 14th April 2023 India’s population will overtake that of China’s. That is hugely significant in symbolic terms – but what is more important is the composition of the Indian population, specifically the size of its working age population. India has more people of working age than any other population group. When this happens, it can lead to what’s known as a demographic dividend because of the opportunity it offers for economic growth, particularly for developing countries.

India’s demographic bulge started much later than China’s in the 2010s and it’s forecast to continue to around 2050 with the biggest growth in the next decade. The big question is will India be able to capitalize on this opportunity?

A bigger working age population in theory should mean greater productivity but in India there are clear obstacles to its success. For a start, about 90% of jobs in India are informal which means most workers don’t have a regular salary. Informal sector workers are quite productive, but the problem is that these are in very insecure jobs. And when situations like COVID happened, many of these workers were out of work. Also, only 20% of women of working age are actually working.

Part of the problem is that while girls are being educated to a higher level, its often not high enough to work in offices.

For men with the same education, there are many jobs like truck drivers, mobile phone repairers, and postal delivery workers.

The challenge for the Indian government is to create the economic environment to encourage both domestic and foreign businesses to create jobs so that it can reap the rewards of being the most populous country on the planet.

India is projected to have population of 1.668 billion by 2050 overpassing China’s 1.33 billion. China has aban-

doned its one child policy while India never had any such policies.

The population boom in India has its effects here as well. Indians have formed the first largest group of migrants to arrive and call Australia home. And it is visible in your local festive markets and the Westfield. As a result, there are many different types of ethnic stores and businesses which have propped up. Social problems from home have started raising its ugly head here as well.

It also means we have an increasing number of Desi readers to bring great reads to.

Happy New Year 2023 to all our readers!

ABC Show “Namaste Yoga” Selected For Maoriland Film Festival

The ABC Me and iView short film “Namaste Yoga” created an astounding sense of resonance for many Indians and South Asians living in Australia when it was released in late 2022.

Now Aotearoa (NewZealand) is in for special treat as Warrior Tribe Films, the production company behind Namaste Yoga,announces the film has been selected for the Maoriland Film Festival (15-19 March 2023). The Maoriland Film Festival is now the largest Indigenous film festival in the Southern Hemisphere andshowcases Indigenous films from around the world.

The beautiful and heart-warming film, wonderfully executed incredible nuance and artistry of its authentic depiction of not just the Hindu diaspora but mastery of experiencing racism, cultural appropriation and traumas of assimilation, particularly for young children.

Namaste Yoga is about Shiv, a 10-year-old boy living in Australia who is ashamed of being Indian, and when he gets into a fight at school, the only way to avoid suspension is by doing mandatory lunchtime yoga classes. Cue Miss Blanche - home room teacher and self-proclaimed yoga “guru”.

Namaste Yoga is about the effect cultural appropriation can have on young Brown kids and their self-worth, when their Culture is appropriated, commoditised and sold back

to them. The themes,characters and messages are hitting home to create much needed conversations in families that have remained in the shadows for generations.

Ravi Chand (producer/writer/director) explains “It has been an incredible privilege to create something like this. I’ve received so many messages from people I’ve never met to say, they have watched it with their family and it’s the first time they have every felt seen on screen. Parents have told me teachers in schools have asked their kids to watch it, so they can discuss the themes in class. Many parents are also recalling conversations with their kids, using Namaste Yoga as an ice breaker and their kids recounting similar traumas which parents were never aware of”.

Chand’s work is receiving recognition from arguably the toughest critics, the IndianAustralian media.

Some of the reviews of Namaste Yoga include:

“It is difficult not to tear up through this masterpiece. Simply put, it touches your heart and you can’t avoid it” - Bharat Times.

“One of the most authentic portrayals

of Hindu life in a Western country” - Desi Australia.

“An incredible and beautiful film” - Hindu Council of Australia.

“This exquisite level of detail could not come from someone outside of the culture”Bharat Times.

“An honest discussion around the cultural appropriation and colonisation of yoga” –G’Day India.

Namaste Yoga is achieving wonderful things as children understand the beauty of their Culture that lives within themselves. Nurturing them not be ashamed of who they are and opening up conversations for parents that bring them closer to their children. The exciting part about all of this is that Chand has much more to come. If you haven’t seen it on Facebook, look up his pitch presentation for “Five Year Grandma”, which is now being developed into a docu-series.

Chand is also working with Elders and scholars around the world on several other TV series and a feature film. All anchored in a deep decolonised lens of his Culture and fascinating life. Work is currently being done to get Namaste Yoga seen around the world, which will undoubtedly be embraced internationally as it has in Australia. One thing is for sure. Namaste Yoga is a must watch and Ravi Chand’s work is one to definitely track.

You can stream Namaste Yoga on ABC iview: www.iview.abc.net.au/show/namasteyoga

Aotearoa (New Zealand), audience can watch Namaste Yoga at the Maoriland Film Festival in person or online at: www.maorilandfilm.co.nz

Youth Ambassador for Indian Women Empowerment

Sagarika, is a dynamic and driven young girl who has made her mark in both academics and the arts arena.

Sagarika Venkat

At just 13 years old, this Year 8 student has already proven that with hard work and dedication, one can excel in multiple arenas.

“Don’t have your hands on too many things as you can’t excel. cus on your strengths and work on them to achieve success.” says Sagarika.

Sagarika started learning Bhartanatyam from age of four from her mother and guru Smt. Manjula Vishwanathan who herself is a renowned dancer and teacher. By the age of eight she started devoting more time to learning and practising what she has learnt so far and at the age of nine she gave her first solo performance and the second one at the age of 11 which left the audience awe-stuck and there was one question on every lip “How could someone so young perform with such depth and maturity?”

Now Sagarika is preparing to present her Arangetram –this definitely is not her first solo debut, but a deeper journey in Bharathanatyam which she will explore on 5th March 2023 at Riv erside Theatre.

Sagarika will be the Youth Ambassador for IWE - Indian Women Empowerment on her arangetram day.She will dedicate the evening of her arangetram to raise awareness to Indian Women Empower ment. IWE’s vision seeks to inspire and empower all Indian Women in Business, various Professions, Housewives and others to address some of the challenges of our times such as domestic and family violence, unemployment, underemploy ment, or gain meaningful employment

My Journey to becoming a Social Entrepreneur

By: Rupa Parthasarathy

Ihad just shared with her that I had enrolled to do further studies and transition into a new career as Professional Counsellor. It was 2014, and my daughters were in primary school (8 and 12 years). I had a full-time job in a large financial institution, and it was a decade since we made Australia home. I was thirty-seven back then.

During my childhood, I never envisaged myself as an aspirational person. Though an above-average student with a natural

“How will you manage everything? The girls, work, the household with no family there to support you”, my Amma enquired with a pragmatic concern every mother has.

penchant for health sciences and helping people, I had a carefree attitude when making career/life choices. This carelessness led me to give up an opportunity to study medicine and choose marriage over higher studies when I was presented with the option to marry or further studies. The naïve twenty-one-year-old me didn’t know then that this single decision would come back to challenge my life course a decade and a half later and set me on a path I could never have imagined in my wildest dreams.

I have always considered Australia my heartland, a home away from home, a land of opportunities, where anything was possible. Our journey of making Australia home was reasonably uncomplicated, and within a few years, our status changed from skilled migrants to citizens. While my husband’s career journey had initial hiccups, as every migrant faces, his single career choice meant, eventually, he was successful in securing a role in the same profession. Though I was the first to secure employment, when we initially migrated, my lack of aspiration and limited work experience led to taking any roles my way. For every new migrant, job security becomes a primary focus, especially when there is no family support.

So, making those choices seemed like the only choice I had. I took roles more for the financial security it gave our family than being my career choice. During my second child’s maternity leave, I secretly harbored this desire to explore a career that would align my skillset and capabilities. Growing up, I was always a creative person, so wanting to explore my creative skill set became my first choice. Having an innate need to do things differently, I invested my time skilling myself to become a certified international henna artist. The first time I shared with my friends, I studied to understand the cultural nuance of applying henna and got myself certified; some mocked me. “Henna lagane ke liye, kya international certificate?”. Some praised me, “Woah! There is an international certificate, and I passed it?, Kudos”. I then learnt my first life lesson: no feedback is bad feedback. One must learn to take people’s comments with a pinch of salt. Though short-lived, becoming a freelance Henna artist was my first taste in becoming an entrepreneur. It allowed me to work with and meet many big corporates, organisations, and individuals as a cultural artist and ambassador.

Exploring this creative urge, I also took my certificate courses in designing and pottery and completed a diploma in interior design. I even managed to get a job as a kitchen designer for a multinational household goods showroom. However, managing two young kids, with varying shift times, working around my husband’s extended corporate hours and having no family support made me return to finding a part-time job during school hours. Though financial security returned, I felt I was back at square one, doing a job that did not make my heart sing. And thus, a resolve to find my career path began. I decided to explore my love for helping people, and a conversation with a career counsellor led me to choose Counselling as my new career path.

This time, I urged things will be different. I decided not to quit my corporate role but pursue studying part-time by taking evening classes to complete a graduate diploma in counselling. During this time, there were many practical challenges I had to face. Like managing the schedules of my growing children and my work /study commitments. Throughout this period, my husband, a few close friends, my mother, and my motherin-law became my moral support. At the beginning of the journey, while Amma was concerned for me, my Appa was very proud and supportive of my decision. Unfortunately, he could never witness me, graduate, as he passed away in the interim of my studies.

Completing the graduate diploma helped me realise that I had the discipline to complete whatever I committed to. Parallel to my education career, I also moved along with my professional roles and became a lead workplace trainer. Thus, I learnt another life lesson: when you stop blaming yourself for your past failures and focus on the here and now, great opportunities align for you.

However, I still needed to solve the last piece of the puzzle, combining my love for creativity and arts with my penchant for working with people. It was then that I discovered the postgraduate course Master of Art Therapy offered at Western Sydney. With renewed confidence and the backing of my family, I enrolled for the course at the age of forty. But this time, I decided to go full steam, study, and work full-time.

During this time, I noticed that within South Asian society, there is a sense of shame regarding mature-age students, especially against women. I encountered many mixed reactions when sharing within the social circles I was completing my post-graduation. There were many raised eyebrows, smirking lips, and comments like, ‘Baachoon ke padai pe dyan do, Khud khyun padaiye Kar rahe ho?”, but there were also a few who remarked, “Good on you for making yourself a priority”. And the life lesson I took away from this experience is that it is to achieve a goal, it is crucial to surround yourself with positive people and move away from the naysayers.

In 2018, at age forty-two, I completed my post-graduate studies, and in 2019 graduated with high distinction. The day I graduated was one of the happiest days of my life. Witnessing my husband and daughters cheering for me when I walked up to the podium to get my graduation certificate was a proud moment that will be etched in my memory forever. Following my graduation in 2020, I took another leap of faith and became the founder of Mindkshetra, a creative wellness studio. A unique space, Mindkshetra is like a gym for mental fitness. As a social enterprise, we offer creative solutions to nurture inner well-being. As a COVID baby, though, establishing the business has not been an easy ride, and I have had many challenges along the way; the life lessons I learnt along my journey so far gave me the strength and tenacity to keep going. And our hard work also garnered many accolades, like being featured as a Top 2021 Small Business Leader and a finalist for Western Sydney Awards in performing arts.

If someone had told me twenty years before I would end up here, I would have been the first to disregard it and chuckle at their vivid imagination. But twenty years on, these are some crucial insights I would share with my young self:

4You have a choice when perceiving ‘your age in number’. You can wear it as ‘your ankle trap’ and hold you back or as ‘your badge of honour’ and keep moving.

4You have a choice when it comes to writing your own story. You can blame your shortcomings as a ‘Fail’ and view it as the end of the chapter or redefine it as further attempts at learning and start writing a new chapter.

Community News |

Australia Day and Indian Republic the Indian Senior Group-Hornsby

Indian Senior Group-Hornsby (ISGH) celebrated Australia Day and Indian Republic Day on 15 January 2023 at Epping Library Hall. There were Musicians at the event, who entertained with popular patriotic songs and seniors enjoyed with their dancing steps. Vetern members, Sony Sodhi & Paul Mckenzie served delicious food with a smile.

Republic Day by Group-Hornsby (ISGH)

By: Harmohan Singh Walia

Amrit Kaal of the Indian Economy

The India of 2023 is different from the India of 1947 and the India of 2047 will be different from the India of 2023 in ways few can anticipate and project today. If one casts one’s mind back, how many would have guessed changes wrought in India in the last twenty-five years? The world is uncertain and the long-run even more so. While the future is always uncertain, the current state of the world has been permeated with an additional dose of uncertainty – Covid, geo-political tensions, collapse of the multilateral system and regionalism, retreat of advanced countries from globalization and the dreaded expression of “recession” in some of those countries. These are external shocks that have been thrust on India, as they have on many emerging market economies, and underline collapse of institutions that provide global public goods, Bretton Woods Institutions included. In passing, global governance has yet to accept rise of economies like India. Lord Keynes is often quoted, usually out of context. A cliched quote is, “In the long run we are all dead.” If one reads the complete text (The Tract on Monetary Reform, 1923), one will find

the intention wasn’t quite what out-ofcontext quotes convey.

There is much that is uncertain, in the present and in the long-run of the future. But there is much that is also certain. Within that band of certainty, it is impossible to dispute India’s inexorable economic rise. At one point, much was made of the Goldman Sachs report, on dreaming with BRICS and path to 2050, authored in 2003. (1) In that report, the average real rate of GDP growth for India was around 5.5%, the explosion in aggregate GDP and per capita GDP by 2050 explained by the nature of the exponential function. (2) That report didn’t have a figure for 2047, but did have one for 2045. In 2045, India’s aggregate GDP was projected to be 18.8 trillion US dollars and per capita GDP of just over 12,000 US dollars. (3) None of the reasons behind optimistic projections have been nullified by the present uncertainty – increase in savings/investment rates as a result of demographic transition and income growth, growth drivers in more efficient land, labour and capital markets and productivity enhancement. To use an economist’s expression, India is still

Recently, India celebrated 75 years of Independence. The idea of Amritkaal extends that forward to the next twenty-five years, to 2047, when India will celebrate 100 years of Independence.

within the production possibility frontier, not on it. To state it differently, aggregate growth for India is a summation of growth in States and States are within their respective frontiers, providing plenty of endogenous slack for growth. Had the external world been more benign, India might have grown at 9%. Typically, one tends to extrapolate the gloominess of the present to the future. It is by no means obvious that the external world will continue to be difficult for the next twenty-five years. But even if that were to be the case, India might not grow at 9%. What real growth rate seems reasonable?

The answer depends on the person making the projection and the assumptions. A nominal figure depends on assumptions made about inflation, which is why projections are often in real terms, in today’s dollars. A dollar figure also depends on assumptions made about the dollar/rupee exchange rate, which is why projections often assume the current exchange rate. (Goldman Sachs assumed rupee appreciation vis-à-vis the dollar.) A PPP (purchasing power parity) exercise is naturally different. With inflation and exchange rate changes out of the way, what trajectory of real growth sounds reasonable? The pessimistic forecaster will point to state of the external world and domestic inefficiencies and opt for 5.5%. The optimistic forecaster will point to empowerment through ease of living and provision of basic necessities, ease of doing business, supply-side reforms, and Union government’s capital expenditure and opt for 7.5%. That’s the rough range, with the recognition that as one grows, growth rates slow. As one moves up the development ladder, it becomes more difficult to grow as fast, with the caveat that different States are at different levels of development and there is plenty of slack. To return to the certainty of the long-run, one can plug in one’s own assumptions about real growth, say something like 6.5%, between the two extremes of 5.5% and 7.5%. In 2047, India’s per capita income will then be something like 10,000 US dollars. The total size of the economy will approach 20 trillion US dollars. These numbers are roughly in the same range as the Goldman Sachs one. In Goldman Sachs, the role of exchange rate appreciation was relatively more. In such

projections, the role of real growth is relatively more.

If reforms drive the Indian growth trajectory to higher than 6.5%, and that Citius, Altius and Fortius possibility cannot be ruled out, the corresponding numbers will be higher. Even with the relatively conservative numbers, this means India will be the third largest economy in the world, after United States and China and this will naturally be reflected in India’s global clout. If one does a PPP ranking, India will be the second largest, after China. The annual rate of population growth has slowed and is now less than 1%. Nevertheless, in 2047, India will be the most populous country in the world, with a population of something like 1.6 billion. Expressions like “developed country” are rarely used these days. The term no longer has a specific definition. The World Bank uses terms like middleincome. Today, India is classified as a lower middle-income economy. In 2047, India will move to the upper middleincome category. Once one approaches a per capita income of 13,000 US dollars, the status becomes high-income. That’s when India can be said to be “developed”. In 2047, India will fall short, but the face of poverty, as we know it, will be completely transformed.

Measurement of poverty is based on the notion of a poverty line and using a multi-dimensional poverty index, UNDP has recently documented the sharp drop in number of poor people in India. As economies develop, the notion of a poverty line is of course moved up, beyond a subsistence level of consumption. However, officially, the poverty line used is still the Tendulkar poverty line. Unfortunately, consumption expenditure data, used to measure poverty, do not exist beyond 2011-12. Therefore, different people have used different assumptions to measure poverty today. If one uses PLFS (periodic labour force survey) data and the Tendulkar poverty line, the poverty ratio (percentage of population below the poverty line) is around 17% now. By 2047, this ratio will decline to around 5%. SDG (sustainable development goal) reports, among others, have documented pockets of deprivation in selected geographical regions, targeted by the government through the aspirational

districts programme. India is heterogeneous and despite provision of basic necessities (physical and social infrastructure, financial inclusion, access to markets, technology, digital access) and the overall message of empowerment, there will be pockets of poverty, even in 2047. But the nature of that poverty will be very different. India will achieve universal literacy, or be pretty close to it. UNDP uses HDI (human development index), an aggregate measure, to gauge human development, moving beyond poverty ratios. Today, India is in the medium human development category, judged by HDI. In 2047, India will move to the high human development category.

There are five transitions going on and these will be even more marked in 2047. First, there is a rural to urban shift and urbanization is correlated with development. By 2047, almost 60% of India’s population will be urbanized. Delhi and Kolkata with populations of around 35 million, Mumbai with more than 40 million. The mind boggles and the government’s programmes are meant to ensure that urbanization is managed better. Second, there will be grater formalization of the economy. Yet again, formalization is correlated with growth and development. Individuals will have formal job contracts. MSMEs will graduate to become legally registered. Indian companies will become larger and more efficient, integrated into global supply chains. Third, the percentage of the population that earns a living from agriculture will decline. Agriculture’s share in GDP will decline to something like 5% and the percentage of population that earns a living from agriculture will not be more than 20%. Fourth, within agriculture, there will be a shift away towards commercialization and diversification and larger farms. Fifth, there will be greater citizen participation in governance with the “sabka prayas” theme. For years, there was a colonial chip on the shoulder. But the present India is a proud India, a resilient India, an aspiring India. Amritkaal is about that and the country is making great strides on economic front with greater confidence and entrepreneurship.

(Bibek Debroy is the Chairman, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, Government of India.)

Writer- Dr. Bibek Debroy

YouGo with Rajni-Let’s Be Mindful Series Sun Meditation - let your light shine

By: Rajni Ghai Malhotra

Life exists on Earth because of the Sun. The Sun gives light, warmth, life, sustenance and for these reasons, has been a central object of cultural traditions since prehistory.

The sun energizes and soothes at the same time and spending a few minutes in the sun can be incredibly beneficial not only for our body but also for our mental and emotional wellbeing. In Yoga, sunsalutations are performed as a means to align and energise oneself through the Sun. Through the practice of Sun meditation, you can tap into the energy of this all-giving, ever radiant source of light.

Sun meditation is a simple yet powerfully effective way to absorb the light and energy of the Sun. It takes only a few minutes and can be done at either sunrise or sunset, at your convenience.

Sun meditation

4Choose a time that works best for you – sunrise or sunset.

4Sit or stand comfortably facing the sun.

4Fold your hands in namaste so that your fingertips and palms are pressed together.

4Slowly, gently close your eyes and focus on all that the Sun symbolizespower, energy and boundless radiance.

4Visualize in your mind, sunlight falling on your body. Let this sunlight fill your heart and body with brilliant golden sunlight.

4Inhale deeply and feel brightness fill your heart.

4Exhale and let go of darkness.

4Inhale and feel the light and brightness

of the Sun spread through your heart into your body and mind.

4Exhale and release all thoughts negative.

4Inhale and feel your light shine outwards all around you, spreading brightness.

4Exhale and release all your fears, doubts and anxieties.

4Continue to inhale and exhale deeply for 4 minutes or longer (if you wish).

4Gently open your eyes, unfold your hands out of namaste.

4As you step back into your day, be mindful of your renewed energy and consciously allow yourself to radiate positivity in your thoughts and actions.

There YouGo! Like the Sun, you have let your light shine!

Yours mindfully, Rajni Follow

Rajni on Facebook @ YogaWithRajni

Two Indian Australian doctors take Australia and Mrs India Australia

Muskan Jangra, 24 years, Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS 2022), the Miss India Australia 2022 winner.

Schooled in the country town near Adelaide called Bordertown. Muskan was born in Chandigarh, India.

Arrived in Australia as a 11 years old with her skilled professional Indian parents. Muskan finds medicine a rewarding career and

at the same time is passionate about dance which helps her to bring out her creativity.

In addition to Australian English, Muskan is fluent in Hindi. And can speak a bit of Punjabi as well. Muskan recently graduated as a doctor, from University of Adelaide, and aspire to specialise in acute care, sur-

gery or women’s health.

I participated in Raj Suri’s Miss India Australia 2022 because I believe it’s the perfect platform for young women like myself to showcase the cultural amalgamation of two beautiful countries that we call home –India and Australia. The platform allows

take out the Miss India Australia titles of 2022!

from Adelaide, South Australian, has been announced as winner.

strong, independent, young women to empower others and the future generations to come whilst expressing themselves through various forms of art. Unlike the traditional way of thinking, I want to emphasise that women can be both beautiful and intelligent

and not one way or the other, and further encourage them to be brave and courageous to step outside the boundaries to follow their dreams. The audition experience with Raj Suri was truly an invaluable experience as it allowed me to express my passion, desires,

and love for dancing to a mentor, who aims to present Indian Australian women in the most authentic way.

Muskan’s other interests include visual arts, Photography and travelling. Volunteer

with Penny Appeal Australia and local community services.

Muskan is being trained by Australian Indian personal branding mentor Raj Suri, to pursue her career further as a young diverse Indian Australian woman leader to carry her professional interests in medicine and women’health as well as performing arts.

The Mrs India Australia 2022 title was taken out by Rekha Bohra, 47 years old, doctor from Brisbane, Australia.

Rekha lives with her two sons & husband. Rekha was born in Jabalpur, India. Formerly lived and worked in UK before becoming a resident of Australia. Rekha has an MBBS, MRCGP & FRACGP (Member & Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners, UK). A GP, Gynaecologist , now pursuing a career as a Cosmetic Physician.

Rekha enjoys dancing and travelling and learning about new places, their history and culture.

This journey of Mrs India Australia 2022 has been an incredible experience…Miss India Australia is not just a beauty pageant, it’s a journey for the personal development to bring out the best version of you . Happy ending of 2022!! I couldn’t have asked for anymore this year. So grateful to Mr Raj Suri for his training and mentorship which helped me recognise my potential and reach to this stage. He made me realise my strengths and helped boost my confidence thousand folds. It’s a dream come true!

The 13 finalists were selected via in person workshops, auditions in Sydney and Melbourne and Australia wide online auditions. The interview process was on the basis of overall personality and talent performances with real casting experience and training and mentor session by Australian Indian talent mentor Raj Suri.

Both Miss and Mrs India Australia 2022 will officially represent Australia in the 31th Miss India Australia Worldwide 2023in Mumbai, India (subject to covid restrictions at the time). An opportunity to showcase Indian Australian Women in front of the Indian entertainment industry professionals and celebrities.

The Miss & Mrs India Australia 2021 Finalists and the winners from around

Australia are:

MISS INDIA AUSTRALIA 2022 WINNERS

4Muskan Jangra (Adelaide) – Miss India Australia 2022

4Puja Nagaria (Melbourne) – “Miss Social Impact” 2022

4Helly Parikh (Melbourne) – Miss Beautiful Face & Miss Fashionista” 2022

4Aarya Hattangdi (Sydney) – “Miss Professional” 2022

4Hely Patel (Melbourne) – “Best Student” 2022

4Nikita Raina (Melbourne) – “Miss Talented” 2022

4Harshada Bhandarkar (Adelaide) –“Overseas Student Ambassador” 2022

4Harshpreet Kaur (Sydney) – “Miss Upcoming Model” 2022

MRS INDIA AUSTRALIA 2022 WINNERS

4Rekha Bohra (Brisbane) – Mrs India Australia 2022

4Nimmy Susan Philip (Canberra) – “Mrs Professional” 2022

4Anishaa Chullickel (Cairns) –“Mrs Social Impact and Best Talent” 2022

4Santoshlaxmi Sama (Sydney) –“Mrs Cheerful” 2022

4Cheryl Machado (Sydney) –“Mrs Beautiful Face” 2022

Miss India Australia 2022 finalists showcased talent ranging from Monologues, Classical & Contemporary Dance and public speaking.

Meet the 2022 FINALISTS

All the 2022 finalists will get a group mentoring session. The Miss India Australia 2022 Winner is being trained and mentored by Sydney based image and personal development coach Raj Suri and will be exclusively represented via Raj Suri associate talent office globally with the media firm, Karigar Australia.

About Miss India Australia (est.2001)

MissIndia.com.au was established in 2001. The first Miss India Australia was announced in 2003. It is more than just a contest, it celebrates Australian diversity and cultivates Indian Australian role models. Australian Indian mentor Raj Suri conducts women empowerment workshops helping with self confidence and image, career coaching and cross culture integration for young women in Australia.

Founded by photographer/media/film producer Raj Suri, the Original Miss India Australia is the first ever-national talent search in Australia for women of Indian origin, affiliated to the Miss India Worldwide which will be celebrating its 31th year in 2022 represented by over 20 countries.

“Miss India Australia embraces the best of Australian and Indian culture presenting a unique opportunity for Australian women to engage with and celebrate rich heritage with contemporary Australian identity. Miss India Australia does not follow a minimum height or weight criteria in women. It truly celebrates the talented Indian Australian women – contributing to the modern Australian diversity – Raj Suri

Past Workshop as featured on SBS Movies.

The Miss India Australia by Raj Suri is now evolved into the platform of choice for the young culturally aware Australian women especially to make inroads into the Indian Films (Bollywood), Fashion industries and most importantly to cultivate role models to inspire diverse young women of Indian original in Australia and across the globe.

Over the years below are some of the known Miss India Australia WINNERS and Finalists in the Indian Australian Film and TV Modelling and as Indian Australian influencers:

4Vimala Raman – Miss India Australia 2004

4Sharon Johal– Miss India Australia

Photogenic 2004

4Pallavi Sharda – Miss India Australia 2010

4Zenia Starr – Miss India Australia 2013

4Nibedita Pal – Miss India Australia 2015

4Zenia Kumar – Miss India Australia

Photogenic 2013

4Mallika Raj – Miss India Australia runner up 2017

4Sakshi Singh– Miss India Australia 2018

4Shrutika Mane – Miss India Australia

2020

Many former Miss India Australia finalists and or subtitle winners who are pursuing successful careers in varied fields and professions in Australia and in India. They continue to inspire Indian Australian women from all walks of life.

“Shortcut” feature film premiere in Adelaide

Silverline Films organised an exclusive premiere of “Shotcut,” Pakistani Punjabi feature film in Adelaide. This red-carpet event, presented by Silverline Films, is a celebration of the hard work and dedication that has gone into bringing this film to life.

Produced by Faheem Samejo & Javed Ahmed Kakepoto , Written and Director by Abu Aleeha.

The exclusive premiere was held at Mercury Cinema, Adelaide and was well attended by the community members and members from the film production fraternity within Adelaide.

According to Faheem Samejo the ‘Shotcut’

movie is romantic comedy and the story revolves around the story of two friends who work in Theater.

Faheem Samejo extended his token of thanks for the support in Australia wide release by sponsors , The Khattak Group of Companies (KGC) Livability Care Australia, PACK & SEND Australia , Ausizz Group, Migration and Education Consultants , Voice Of Australians – Voice of Australians-VOA.

Amongst the audience who watched the premiere , they were of full praise for the content, production and awesome work by Adelaide based producer Faheem Samejo from Silverline films.

Pakistani film produced by Faheem Samejo , Releasing Australia wide in February 2023.

Daljeet Bakshi

2023 AUSTRALIAN OF THE NATIONAL & STATE AWARDS

South Australians in focus as winners of National and State level awards

The Prime Minister, The Hon Anthony Albanese MP, announced the 2023 Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Australia’s Local Hero in a ceremony at the National Arboretum in Canberra. The award recipients were

presented with a glass trophy, a traditional Indigenous coolamon and clap sticks.

Two South Australians in the limelight this year in Australia Awards, winning National Awards for Australian of the Year Award. 2023 Australian of the Year – Taryn Brumfitt of Adelaide , South Australia, an documentary director leads the Body Image Movement, an Adelaide-based organisation that teaches people to love and appreciate their bodies.

Her 2016 documentary Embrace tackled the serious issue of women’s body loathing and Taryn’s path to body acceptance. It was seen

by millions of people in 190 countries and is available on Netflix. Taryn has written four best-selling books. She released a documentary, Embrace Kids, in September 2022 that aims to teach kids aged nine to 14 to move, nourish, respect and appreciate what their bodies can do.

The 45-year-old has collaborated with body image expert Dr Zali Yager to create an Embrace Kids companion parenting book. They have also created the Embrace Hub – a free, research-based resource for teachers, parents, children and communities on fostering body positivity. Taryn’s work has reached more than 200 million people. She is an internation-

Daljeet Bakshi

THE YEAR AWARDS

awards .

ally recognised keynote speaker whose work is recognised by UN Women.

Socceroo Awer Mabil is co-founder of the not-for-profit organisation Barefoot to Boots, which aims for better health, education, policies and gender equality for refugees. His own unique way of celebrating a goal is a message to those struggling with their mental health: you are not alone and you can speak up.

Awer grew up in a Kenyan refugee camp after his family fled civil war in Sudan, before coming to Australia at 10. Only a year after reaching his dream to play for the Socceroos, his sister died in a car accident in 2019. It is his experience of hard times, the memory of his sister and the knowledge that young people see him as a role model that drives him to perform. It’s what he does that 27-year-old Awer wants to be known for, not his background. Awer was unable to attend the awards presentation in Canberra due to team commitments in Europe. His mother Agot Dau Atem and uncle Michael Matiop Dau Atem

accepted the award on his behalf.

The inspiring and outstanding South Australian individuals recognised for their selfless contributions. They were awarded in the Australia Day Awards 2023 at Government House.

Australia Day Council of South Australia Chief Executive Officer, Jan Chorley said the Australia Day Awards recognise the commitment of South Australians whose work often goes unnoticed. These individuals are selfless, resilient, and generous, and enable their communities to be strengthened as a result of their tireless efforts. “These are the unsung heroes that remind us how good we can be when we’re at our best, and I congratulate all Award recipients for their extraordinary contributions to our state”.

The 2023 Australia Day Award recipients are:

South Australia’s Citizen of the Year: Stella Braund

South Australia’s Young Citizen of the Year: Hannah Allen-Jordan

South Australia’s Young Citizen of the Year Commendation: Alex Bruhn

South Australia’s Community Event of the Year: My Tree Project

South Australia’s Community Event of the Year Commendation: Renmark Rowing Club

South Australia’s Award for Active Citizenship: Evette Wolf

South Australia’s Award for Active Citizenship Commendation: Pat Munden

South Australia’s Award for Active Citizenship Commendation: Pieter Dawson

The Award for Leadership in Languages and Cultures (Category 1) Dual Recipent: Thomas Pearson

The Award for Leadership in Languages and Cultures (Category 1) Dual Recipient: Coen Pearson

The Award for Leadership in Languages and Cultures Commendation (Category 1): William D’Angelo

The Award for Leadership in Languages and Cultures (Category 2): Tahlia Riessen

The Award for Leadership in Languages and Cultures Commendation (Category 2): Mussa Nawroazi

Inspiring South Australian Women’s Award: Sarah Paddick

Inspiring South Australian Women’s Award – ‘Emerging Leader’: Zainab Kazemi

Inspiring South Australian Women’s Award – Commendation: Madelyn Duckmanton

(courtesy : ADCSA)

2023 Young Australian of the Year – Awer Mabil of Adelaide, South Australia is Australian Socceroo and co-founder of Barefoot to Boots.

Port Adelaide Diversity and Inclusion Film Festival

Inclusion Film Festival (PADIFF), , the underrepresented and minority in communities.

SHORT FILMS

42023 – Trouble in Paradise (in production) – Director

42023 – Trouble in the Hood (in production) – Director

Yogi Devgan , created a brand new film festival in 2022, called Port Adelaide Diversity and Inclusion Film Festival, which has been awarded as Community Event of The Year 2023 in PAE Area. A brand-new film festival in Semaphore, which recognises and showcases films and screenplays that represent cultural diversity, and to help others that get looked over by the bigger events. The Australian population is a mix of different cultures, ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQIA+, and people with disabilities. The ‘Port Adelaide Diversity and Inclusion Film Festival’, encourages people from these backgrounds to come together under one roof to celebrate and be a part of a new society and culture.

Born in India’s Punjab region, Mr Devgan dreamed of working in the film industry but didn’t have the means to pursue it. He really wanted to follow his heart . He left India for London in 2003 before moving to Adelaide with his Australian wife in 2014. He left his career in real estate to study bachelor of Film and Television at the University of South Australia. He loves writing, directing and producing. He loves painting as well and have created many works which he donated for the cause of fundraising for few charities . Devgan’s work focuses on short films with a social message. Yogi is the founder and head organiser of The Port Adelaide Diversity &

42023 – Undone (in production) –Producer, Director, Writer

42022 – Crosscut (post-production) –Producer, Director, Writer

42023 – Red Wine (post-production) –Executive Producer, Director, Writer

42022 – Seichou – Producer, Director, Writer

42022 – Restore – Producer, Director, Writer

42022 – Deceptive Forest – Producer

42022 – Buddy – Executive Producer, Director, Writer

Founded by Yogi Devgan , awarded as Community Event of The Year 2023 in PAE Area

Daljeet Bakshi

42021 – The Truth – Co-Producer, Additional DOP

42020 – Playground – Producer, Director, Writer, (original story and screenplay)

42020 – Magical Slide – Producer, Director, Writer, (original story and screenplay)

42020 – UFO 2020 – Producer, Director, Writer, (original story and screenplay)

42019 – The Gift – Producer, Director, Writer, (original story and screenplay)

42019 – A Bully – Producer, Director, Writer, (original story and screenplay)

His work to date has been appreciated by both academics and industry professionals. His recent short film “Seichou” (Director) has been selected by many film festivals around the world, while his latest short “Restore” (Producer/Director) is based on mixed generation acceptance in the new world. Always pushing to follow his passion, Yogi is currently working on the production of another short film “Crosscut”. Yogi is also a regular member of the crew for “Our Time” – a longrunning Channel 44 talk show – working in various roles.

According to Yogi Devgan , the increased support for culturally, and linguistically diverse filmmakers would boost audience numbers and lead to greater international interest in Australian films.

42022 – My First Goal – Documentary on Kusini Yengi – Executive Producer, Director, Writer

42021 – Perceive – Executive Producer, Director, Writer

42021 – Another Guy on a Bike – Documen-

tary on Paralympic Gold Medallist Darren Hicks – Executive Producer, Director, Writer

42021 – Good Fortune – Co-Producer, Director, Co-Editor

42021 – Freedom isn’t Free – Co-Producer,

Director, Co-Editor