Diwali Special October 2021 edition of Desi Australia Magazine

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Wishing you and your family a

Happy Diwali Alex Hawke Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs Member for Mitchell

Scott Morrison Prime Minister

Julian Leeser Member for Berowra

Paul Fletcher Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts Member for Bradfield

Fiona Martin Member for Reid

Authorised by A.Hirst, Liberal Party of Australia, Cnr Blackall and Macquarie Sts, Barton ACT 2600.

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WHAT’S INSIDE

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LIGHT UP 08 TO OUR HOMES AND OUR LIVES

at its Best 38 Creativity Melbourne mum marks her maternity with the most iconic places during

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Surjo’ wins award 40 ‘Notun in IFFM A short film by Pulak Bose

Do our Mithai’s need to evolve?

lockdown era

Humanity’s Diversity 16 Celebrating Superheroes without Capes Five-Year Anniversary

is National 41 October Lupus Awareness Month

after lockdown: 24 Life Getting ready for face to face learningtips for students and parents

a Cuppa?

52 Fancy Spare change, changes lives

Australia’s 30 South Ethnic Media reception

Indian- born young 56 An Australian has won the young Community Achiever of the year 2021

Australian Multicultural 34 South Bill 2021 passes through Parliament

Guru Nanak’s journey 58 Retracing Don’t miss ALLEGORY, A Tapestry of Guru Nanak’s Travels

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with Rajni63 YouGo Let’s Be Mindful Series

SUPER partners with 36 ACTIVE MultiConnexions to tap into Australia diversity

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Hello Everyone, The ease in COVID restrictions seems to be the biggest Diwali present Australian Indians could wish for as it gives the opportunity to families to reunite for the festivities, of course, in a COVID safe way and following the public health orders. So let’s prep up to share the joy and brighten each other’s lives with love and happiness.

At Desi Australia we encouraged the young artists between the ages of 10-15 to show their creativity on how they celebrate Diwali in Australia and we could not be happier to share their artwork with all of you. In our Diwali Special edition while we share the festive moods, we have also focused on health as Oct is the Lupus, Breast Cancer and Mental Health Awareness month. Help is available so please come forward and ask for help if needed.

We continue to share the stories of Desi Communities across Australia and keeping you connected. We hope you

Arti Banga

Editor-in-Chief enjoy reading this edition.

Wishing everyone a Happy, Prosperous and Safe Diwali!

DesiAustralia.com “Keeping you connected”

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Arti Banga

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South Australia Editor:

NSW Editor:

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Daljeet Bakshi

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Disclaimer: All rights reserved. Do not re-use any content and photo from Desi Australia without the prior written permission from the editor. All the material published in Desi Australia, including articles, features, fillers, advertisements, and all other contents, are published in good faith, and the editor or the Desi Australia magazine cannot be held liable for any errors or omissions. All material is published on the understanding that it is copyright free, and Desi Australia accepts no liability for any subsequent copyright issues. We also cannot accept responsibility for and do not endorse views expressed by the contributors.

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Diwali, a festival that lights up our homes with the numerous diyas and lights up our lives with happiness, togetherness, and abundance.

TO LIGHT UP OUR HOMES AND OUR LIVES

By: Poornima Menon

W

hile Diwali has many religious connotations and many rituals, what everyone remembers this festival for is the light, the sound, and the chatter of our near and dear ones, visiting our homes and partaking the festivities with us. Trips home and holidays to visit relatives are planned around this time.

When living away from home, your close friends become members of your extended family and your neighbours become your friends. The preparations begin well in advance with the shopping, the planning of the sweets and the savoury items, the purchase of gifts, etc. The air fills up with a feeling abundance and expectancy and there is a spring in every step.

Covid has changed the way we look at life and everything that comes with it. We have re-configured our thoughts and our expectations; our relationships be it with our close family members, our extended family, or our friends, they have found new definitions and dimensions. The lifting of the restrictions just before the festive season has come as a great relief to all of us.

The extended lock down, like everything

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else has had its pros and cons and scale has tipped to different sides for different families. But whatever be the scenario, it would be safe to say that we all are happy to get that extra breath of fresh air (sans the masks) and the opportunity to catch up with friends in ‘real’ space.

Parul I spoke to a few of my friends and acquaintances about their thoughts about Diwali and everything it brings with it in

OCTOBER I 2021

2021. Parulben Mehta has five simple, yet life illuminating messages as we begin this season of Diwali. The first one is about a Brand-New Beginning. Diwali marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year. It rejuvenates us with a sense of freshness and renewed enthusiasm. The second is about Light over Darkness. We need to continuously remind ourselves that no matter how difficult things might seem, the forces of good will always be triumphant in the end. The third is about Spiritual Wealth. Diwali is also the day when people believe in the ability of God to bless them with wealth. She believes the greatest wealth one can possess is spiritual wealth, sincerity, and faith.

Fourth on the list is Dispelling Darkness and Ignorance. Parul says that this is also a time for us to clean our minds by dropping all negative baggage from the past.

We can choose to cleanse our hearts and fill them with love and compassion that will drive away the darkness of hatred and ignorance. And last but not the least, Appreciating Family. This is the time when the whole family gets together for the festival, when we work together, pray together, and appreciate each other.

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Yamini & Aisha For Yamini, this year with her family being at home for an extended period, all festivals are being celebrated with details of their relevance. She says, “I wanted to have some memories for my kids and so restarted the childhood tradition of gifting Faral (snacks) to all my neighbours. My daughter, Aisha makes the Diwali cards to give with the snacks”. Aisha loves Diwali because, “it is lot of fun and I love to do rangoli and love to make and have ladoos.

I also really enjoy the sparklers because it can make shiny designs and is like a torch.”

And furthermore, she loves having her friends over.

offer gratitude and respects to the wealth we are blessed with by arranging food grains, gold and jewellery and decorating it with more lights. On Narak Chaturdashi we put lights up around the whole house.

We start the day with ‘abhyang snan’ early in morning. During Lakshmi Poojan, we worship Goddess Lakshmi, and thank her for the wealth and prosperity and on Bhau Been we come together as a family to celebrate the special bond between brother and sister.” In Surekha’s household the main highlights are, cooking a variety of delicacies and sharing it with family and friends, decorating the house and surroundings with light to spread message of victory of light over darkness and spreading the message of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’.

Amruta Thite

Surekha Surekha Kothawade explains that for her family Diwali is the apex of all festivals, which is celebrated for five days. During these five days they celebrate Vasubaras, Dhanteras, Narak-Chaturdashi, Lakshami Poojan, Balipratipada and last day is Bhau Beej. Elaborating on the festivities and customs she says, “On Vasubaras we pay our respects to ‘gaumata’. On Dhanteras we

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Diwali brings happy memories to Amruta Thite. “Our kitchen would be busy with Aaji (grandmother) and Aai (mother) making all the traditional Faral. I used to help in cutting shankarpali and stuffing the karanji. My baba (father) looked after the firecrackers. I loved the sparkles but was very scared of the loud noisy ones. I would watch them from a distance. I would help Aai with the Rangoli and making lanterns that would be hung in our balcony.

She had a lot of patience with my poor craft skills. Diwali gifts were always two new dresses, one from my Aaji and one for bhaubeej. It made me feel like a queen. Diwali always reminds me of my Aaji’s cooking, my Aai’s humility and my Babas efforts in providing the best”.

OCTOBER I 2021

“Diwali for me is an indescribable feeling”, says Sonali Saxena, “a feeling of celebration, joy, elation.

As a young girl, I used to wait for the Navratri and knew that the celebration months had started. It was food, festival, and fun from there on. As I grew up and moved to another land, I maintained my excitement and still celebrate it with the same gusto.

Diwali for me is a culmination of a year on a high and banishment of any darkness that may have lingered on.

I am glad that I have passed on the excitement to my son. As an Aussie child, it is heartening to see that he is excited as me about the festival. For him Diwali is about understanding about his roots and doing the special rituals that makes him more connected with his parents’ origin. Of course, the food and celebration further light him up. He is looking forward to lighting the house up and visit friends after a hard year this year”.

Sonali Saxena

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Arti Agarwal Pooja Bharat In Pooja Bharat’s family Diwali is one of the favourite times of the year. The mindset of Diwali starts with being spiritual in our lives and worshipping Goddess Lakshmi (symbolism of wealth) and Lord Ganesha (symbolism of auspiciousness).

“When we left India, Bharat and I were determined to keep our festivals, rituals and traditions running and active in our boys.

My sons are crazy about Diwali, fireworks, new clothes, rangoli, decorations and sweets,” she remarks. Pooja’s 11-year-old says, “Every year I learn a new thing about Diwali, plus I want to keep celebrating Diwali even when I grow old. Also, I always see my mum very, very happy on Diwali.”

Pooja reiterates that they “Open the doors for Goddess Lakshmi; Pray to Ganesha for wisdom and prosperity; open our minds to good thoughts; so, this festival of light brightens our home and bears us all joy and contentment”.

Diwali had different significance at different stages of Anjalee Zaveri’s life. As a kid it was about helping mom and grandma with snacks, lots of sweets, crackers, and new clothes. But then came that stage in her life when she began dreading the festival because of the enormous hardship she was put through a month before the festival and after all the hard work there were no new cloths or celebrations. “But every tunnel has an end and here came the time when I started celebrating my favourite festival with my kids,” she smiles. Anjalee arrived

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Anjalee

in Sydney just before Diwali. The initial two years were engulfed with homesickness as she had no family or friends to celebrate with. Things changed in 2019 when the staunch Christian organisation she worked for celebrated Diwali with her in the office for the first time. “It changed my perception about everything. Since then, I started celebrating Diwali with friends who do not have their families with them in Australia and now, they all look forward to my invitation every year. So, for me Diwali is about a sense of belonging, a sense of connect”, Anjalee said.

In Arti Aggarwal’s family, for Diwali the finest clothes are worn, and the interior and

OCTOBER I 2021

exterior of the home are illuminated with diyas and rangoli, religious ceremonies are performed invoking Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and wealth. “Traditionally, Rangoli is an art of decoration drawn on the floor or the entrances of homes. It is thought to bring good luck, prosperity in the house and in the family, and to welcome guests”, Arti explained. “Diwali is special for us as we decorate our home with diyas, home decorations, and families get together. My daughters want people not to use fireworks as much because of pollution and want Diwali to be eco-friendly”, she elaborated.

Sneha with Sahana & Samhita To Sneha Rao, Diwali was a time to be with family, be present. “Coming from a middle-class family, with both parents working, mum in a bank, we rarely had a day where all four of us were together, but Diwali was different”, she says. “Dad

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would ahead of time, visit Old Delhi and buy crackers and we would with all gusto come together in the neighbourhood playing with firecrackers and lighting clay oil lamps,” she continues. Her most wonderful memory however was, “mum and dad celebrating me. I was born on Lakshmi Puja Day and every year on Diwali mum and dad would celebrate their Lakshmi coming into their life. Getting up at the crack of dawn for an oil bath, was totally worth it for this Lakshmi!” says Sneha proudly.

Padmaja

Bhumi

ful light that will burn away the evil and dark failings of the Pandemic. This Diwali for me is to forget, forgive, love, indulge and bless. May the diyas illuminate your world, the rangoli colours fill all the greys and may Goddess Lakshmi shower blessings universally this year. Happy Diwali!”

Bhumi Bhatia’s family begins the Diwali season with decorating the home after a thorough clean-up. “My daughters love to do different styles of colourful rangoli designs. We offer prayers, light diyas and enjoy some fireworks. We make sweets at home and visit family and friends”, smiles Bhumi. She says they look forward to Diwali as it fills their life with good hope, love, peace, rejuvenated mind, and lots of happiness. Bhumi’s message to all is, “The threat of Corona Virus still exists. May the good vibes of Diwali put an end to the bad vibes of corona and leave us with happiness and smiles. A very Happy Diwali to all of you”.

Padmaja Sahani Sarkar has this to say about Diwali this year, “The key word ‘celebration’ it was and will always remain forever. However, in the last two years, it feels like the spiritual aspect of this festival is getting more significant to me. The burning of the lamps is more significant than ever as the focus is on the light of the lamps which symbolizes courage and faith amid the darkness of the Pandemic. This flame, a power-

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For me personally, Diwali is all about togetherness. I enjoy decorating my home with diyas and crackers were a part of the celebrations when my boys were younger. It is not an official festival of the state I come from, and I have no idea of the different religious ceremonies or traditions that go with the festival. But I have absolutely loved the idea of visiting friends who celebrate Diwali, taking sweets over and enjoying a meal together. My fondest memories are those with my ‘fauji’ family. It was the snowball, we would start by visiting one

Poornima Menon OCTOBER I 2021

family, collect them, move to the second and then finally all would end up in the Officer’s Mess to dance the night away. Diwali always brings that warm fuzzy feeling and wherever you are celebrating Diwali, it reminds you of home filling you with nostalgia. Wishing all the readers a Happy, Prosperous and Safe Diwali.

In Neha Kumari’s household shopping also starts a month before Diwali.

This includes buying a lot of gifts for the loved ones. She says, “the best part is when we start exchanging the gifts and sweets with our family and friends”. She and her family spend Dhanteras day shopping around for clothes, utensils or jewellery. “And when the big day arrives”, she continues, “we celebrate it by worshipping Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi. We light up the complete house with diyas , candles , fairy lights and burn a lot of firecrackers@.

The best thing about the day for her is all the different sweets and food she gets to share with her family. It is almost close to a chappan(56) bhog.

Neha Kumari www.DesiAustralia.com

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NSW Health Update

A CLOSE CONTACT IS SOMEONE WHO HAS COME INTO CONTACT WITH A PERSON WHO HAS COVID-19 AND IS AT RISK OF DEVELOPING COVID-19 What you need to do: 4 Close contact and fully vaccinated? Get tested immediately and self-isolate for 7 days. Get tested again on day 6 after exposure. If you get a negative day 6 result and have no symptoms, you can stop self-isolating the next day. For the following 7 days you must limit your movement (e.g. work from home and not attend hospitality venues or high-risk settings even if it is your place of work). Get tested on day 12. You do not need to self-isolate while waiting for the day 12 test result.

4 Close contact and unvaccinated? Get tested immediately and self-isolate for 14 days. Get tested again on day 12 after exposure. If you get a negative day 12 result and have no symptoms, you can stop self-isolating after day 14.

4 If you were told you are a close contact before Monday 11 October and you are fully vaccinated, you can stop selfisolating either at the end of the previously advised period or at 11.59pm on Monday 18 October, whichever comes first.

More info: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/ factsheets/Pages/advice-for-contacts.aspx

Celebrating Halloween this year?

Trick or treat in a COVID safe way Hang individually wrapped lollies and chocolates on your fence or gate, or pop them on a tray outside your house Organise a treasure hunt outside to avoid people coming to your house Get creative and build a “lolly chute” so you can stay 1.5 metres apart from trick-or-treaters.

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COVID-19 VACCINES ARE FREE AND AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE OVER 12 YEARS OF AGE

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he COVID-19 pandemic has brought many challenges to everyone in Australia. We have all had to make changes in our lives to keep ourselves, our family and community safe. Vaccination is a critical step to getting back to the things we love to do.

Everyone in Australia 12 years of age and over can have a free COVID-19 vaccine at participating pharmacies, doctors’ clinics, and government clinics.

Read on to find out where you can get information about the COVID-19 vaccine in your language, and how to book your COVID-19 vaccination, even if you do not have a Medicare card.

The vaccines and doses recommended for Australians may be different from what is happening in other countries. It is especially important that everyone living in Australia follow the health advice given by Australia’s health experts.

Accessing translated COVID-19 resources If you would like information about COVID-19 vaccines in your own language, visit the australia.gov.au website. All you need to do is click on “information in your language” and choose your language from the 63 languages available.

How to get the COVID-19 vaccine, even without a Medicare card COVID-19 vaccines are free for everyone in Australia, even if you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident. This includes people without a Medicare card, overseas visitors, international students, migrant workers and asylum seekers. Everyone in Australia aged 12 years and over can book their vaccination now.

• state or territory vaccination clinics, or • participating pharmacies.

Use the australia.gov.au link to find your nearest vaccination clinic and book your vaccination. If you need phone or on-site interpreting at your vaccine appointment, call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450.

Getting proof of your COVID-19 vaccination You can access your Immunisation History Statement: • online, by setting up your own myGov account and then accessing your Medicare account, or • through the Express Plus Medicare app.

If you do not have a Medicare card, or do not have access to a myGov account, you can access your Immunisation History Statement by: • asking your vaccination provider to print a copy for you, or • by calling the Australian Immunisation Register enquiries line on 1800 653 809 (8am – 5pm Monday to Friday AEST) and asking them to send your statement to you in the mail. It can take up to 14 days to arrive in the mail. For interpreting services please call 131 450.

For more information on how to get proof of your COVID-19 vaccinations, see the Services Australia app.

For other COVID-19 vaccine information, visit australia.gov.au website or call 1800 020 080.

For interpreting services, call 131 450.

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If you are an overseas visitor living in Australia, an international student or anyone without Australian citizenship or permanent residency, you may not be able to access Medicare benefits. But that does not stop you from getting vaccinated.

You do not need to be eligible or enrolled in Medicare to receive a free COVID-19 vaccination.

If you do not have a Medicare card, you can get your free vaccination at: • Commonwealth vaccination clinics Authorised by the Australian Government, Canberra.

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Festivities

Do our Mithai’s need to evolve?

By Shirley Jacob

T

he Indian calendar is choc-a-block with festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi, Eid, Raksha Bandhan, Dussehra, Diwali and so on. One common thread underlying this fabric of festivities is the adornment of mithai often laid out at these occasions. Whilst I don’t really miss the experience of being force-fed sweets during these festivities, every time I do eat these magical morsels of mithai, distant memories of my childhood are rekindled. These memories underpin my culture and identity and are precious to me as they are untouchable and truly personal. Akin to this, Indian cuisine is also deeply rooted to our heritage and has been consecrated through a fixation on ‘authenticity’ and cultural preservation. Whilst the Brits may have anglicized and laid claim to some of our curries and chutneys, Indian sweets have seemingly remained unadulterated for thousands of years. However, with the growing tide of fusion cuisine, Mithai has emerged as the latest subject of experimentation in fine-dining cuisines across the globe. Intrigued by these developments I began exploring the culinary heritage of Indian sweets to understand if the whole notion of ‘authentic cuisine’ is truly defensible, and whether our mithai needed to evolve.

Underpinning our affinity for Mithai is India’s deep-seated love of sugar, stemming from the days of yore. Sugarcane originated in India thousands of years ago before our predecessors discovered how to crystallize sugar during the Gupta dynasty, around 350 AD. Sugar was highly valued for thousands of years, first beDownload Our App

Shrikand vermicilli cups

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Festivities

ing offered to deities as Jaggery before being a highly coveted spice during the spice trade – even today India is one of the leading exporters and producers of sugar in the world. Evidently, India’s predilection to sugar has manifested over millennia and is strongly connected to our forefathers - but what about the evolution of Mithai?

Indian sweets are often characterized as complex and requiring layers and layers of ingredients, however it didn’t always start that way.

India’s oldest mithai, Malpua first mentioned in Rig Veda thousands of years ago is essentially a simple pancake doused in sugar syrup. The genesis of modern (and more complex) sweets was built not only on sugar but the cornerstone of milk. Milk was constantly innovated and experimented with for generations to produce the smorgasbord of Mithai we enjoy today such as Payasum and Gulab Jamun. However, the history of these favourites isn’t purely of Indian origin. Rather, they were heavily influenced from intercultural movement of tribes, and Persian and Mughal invaders. These invaders heavily influenced Mithais current state with their introduction of saffron, nuts, dried fruits, rose water – even modern favourites such as Jalebi derived from the Middle East, not India. So maybe our idea of ‘authenticity’ and means to preserve culture is not entirely defensible, given so many of our favourite Mithais were born from the evolution of cultural diffusion. Since India doesn’t have a Gutenberg bible of ‘authentic recipes’, there isn’t a canonical way to cook any recipe as each region has their own authentic ways of cooking a dish deeply embedded in their own rich history.

Saffron cardamom Pannacotta- Jacob Chacko

Today young pâtissiers are reinventing traditional mithais by infusing it with other nontraditional ingredients (e.g rhubarb), techniques and methods to create a new high, sugar nirvana.

‘Gourmet Mithai’s like Puran Poli Ice-cream, Kaju roll Tacos, Whisky & Champagne laddoos have become the new trend since it not only entices the taste buds but also uses ingredients innovatively by keeping the ever-evolving palates in mind. Pâtissiers are exploring new options that are healthy, organic, and palatable for evolving taste buds by experimenting with dairy-free alternatives, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. Whilst one could argue this is not ‘true mithai’, what’s more important is that this culinary evolution is enabling our cuisine to survive in novel and more digestible ways.

global cultural exchange which is intrinsically important for not only spreading our cultural influence but also creating new dishes representative of the culture and society which we embody. Perhaps what’s best for our cuisine is to embrace experimentation from other cultures and share our recipes to create the next evolution of sweets. We should focus on sharing our heritage and recipes with younger generations and other cultures to ensure our tradition is never lost.

Fundamentally, food is culture, and the exchange of ingredients and recipes reflects a

Reflecting on my experiences eating gourmet Mithai at restaurants, traditional

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Burfi CheesecakeJar- Kushi

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Chumchum& Sondesh- Punita Yadav Mithai at festivals or enjoying Mithais in the confines of my own home during lockdown, what is most evocative about this sweet is not purely its taste, texture, or evolution, but rather what it does for me and how it makes me feel. Harkening back to my younger days, I reminisce so fondly as the Mithai was always the perfect accompaniment to those happy moments, it made me feel warm and jubilant in the happiest moments – the proverbial cherry on top… and if you ask me that’s the ingredient, we all need to preserve. www.DesiAustralia.com

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Community News | Brisbane

Celebrating Humanity’s Diversity Superheroes without Capes Five-Year Anniversary

Dosa Hut, Hyderabad Flavours and Swades, traditionally owned family restaurants that have now become household names.

B

Joseph Kolapudi eing ordinary is usually not celebrated today but having a gala event in honour of those who have survived extraordinary odds and overcome was certainly the theme of a recent charity dinner known as Superheroes without Capes - the Gala of Ordinaries.

Hosted by Simply Human, a nonprofit organisation founded by Prerna Pahwa, the winner of the Australia Day Achievement Award a few years ago, also celebrated five years since founding her charity, and it was attended by hundreds of supporters and leaders from multicultural communities.

As part of the celebrations, the origin story behind the organisation was revealed, starting from simple beginnings of fundraising for cancer patients, to partnering with leading cancer research centers, to highlighting stories of cancer survivors.

For Prerna, the community that rallied behind her were the real “superheroes without capes” and remained the reason why her charity gala was meant to be. The event also marks the milestone support of many Indian businesses who were also present at the event, including Download Our App

Additionally, the evening of celebrations brought together many leading voices in the medical, political and social field, including recent 2021 Queensland Australian of the Year, Dr. Dinesh Palipana OAM, one of the highlight speakers of the night.

The gala evening also honoured the stories of cancer survivors and current ambassadors for the charity, including Ujwal Poudel, a leukemia survivor, who first inspired Prerna to launch her charity organisation.

Above all, the event’s focus shined on ordinary people within the community who were able to take up a cause greater than themselves, to become a superhero in their own right, through extraordinary means.

the years, has encouraged the community to get involved, through bone marrow drives to big fundraising efforts, and had raised the bar for survivors to thrive on their journey to recovery.

Beyond the celebrations, the dinner also helped raise awareness and much-needed funds to continue the fight against cancer, and to highlight the ongoing need for other champions for the cause, who could lead the charge for supporting survivors within the community.

For the rest of the Indian community, it was an open opportunity to play our part in supporting the ordinaries among us, who often are striving to survive, and are still able to contribute back through their abilities to be superheroes.

A special endorsement by the Mayoress of the City of Brisbane, and chair of the Mayor’s Charitable Fund, capped the night off, with a tribute to the work of the organisations that was, in her own words, “truly saving lives”.

Though five years young, the organisation continues to pave the way for other survivors to become ambassadors for their community, and for the wider society, as they empower others to become involved in the cause.

Prerna herself was able to acknowledge that the efforts of her 100% volunteer team, throughout

Being simply human is often something worth celebrating.

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HAPPY

May this festival of light glow your life with joy, happiness and prosperity.

Chris Minns MP NSW LABOR LEADER • MEMBER FOR KOGARAH

Office and Mail Parliament House, Macquarie Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 Phone (02) 9230 2310 Email leader.opposition@parliament.nsw.gov.au Authorised by Chris Minns MP. Funded using Parliamentary Entitlements. October 2021.

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Community News | Sydney

Turning Pink for a Noble Cause

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virtual Pink Ribbon Breakfast was organised in Sydney on October 10th to raise donations for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

This event has been organised for many years by breast cancer survivors Rekha Rajvanshi and Sue Advani.

Each year, the breakfast grows in size and importance, with many dignitaries, breast cancer survivors, and community people in attendance.

Two courageous women who are now undergoing therapy shared their experiences. SBS Hindi Radio Producer Anita Barar was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer earlier this year and is currently undergoing treatment. She claims that keeping positive and active has aided her recovery.

Dr. Palu Malaowalla, a general practitioner, gave some health advice before speaking with Jyoti Jadeja, 32, one of her patients. Jyoti revealed that she was pregnant with her second child when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

She had to choose between the unborn child in her womb or terminating the pregnancy for the other baby.

Memories from 2020

Saroni Roy, a model and actor, also discussed her battle with cancer and how she overcame it.

Everyone’s eyes welled up with tears as they told their heartbreaking stories.

The Pink Ribbon Breakfast was attended by Dr Geoff Lee- MP Parramatta, Jodi McKay - MP Strathfield, Julia Finn - MP Granville, Clrs Reena Jethi, Sameer Pandey, and Charishma Kaliyanda.

They all insisted on annual breast screening and check-ups. Nimeesha Gupta discussed the rise in breast cancer cases in India and better treatment options. Usha Salagame, a NSW Health programme manager, led an educational quiz about breast cancer.

Glimpses of last year’s fashion show, choreographed by Shikha Kaushik, were also shown. At the end, Meena Mohanty, another team member and breast cancer survivor, thanked everyone.

Through this event, $4,300.00 was donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

done by NBCF to prevent breast cancer. Next year will be our 10th anniversary, and we will be planning it in a big way.’ Rekha said.

‘This event is about raising breast cancer awareness as well as supporting research work

The Pink Ribbon Breakfast also supports women who have gone through it or are currently

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OCTOBER I 2021

receiving treatment. It creates a feeling of sisterhood.’ Sue Advani added.

This breakfast truly represented breast cancer survivors as it was organised by the BC Survivors for the women going through breast cancer. www.DesiAustralia.com

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Community News | Sydney

S

ydney’s very own and wellrespected production house KH Brothers Films (headed by Harjot Singh), who are known for creating thought provoking style short films, have always captured our hearts with their work. Coming as a complete surprise KH Brothers films have released a new song “Sawera -The Ray of Hope” which has gone viral on Facebook and is receiving a lot of love and attention.

The song is produced, created by KH Brothers Films in association with Euphony Films and Kehte Sunte Radio from Sydney and Chawla Creations from Melbourne.

SAWERA

THE RAY OF HOPE Tayi , Surinder kaur, Jaswinder Chawla, Rahul Soni and Channy Bains (DOP).

The irony of the situation is, due to the current restrictions and lockdowns

in Sydney/ Melbourne a good part of this song had to be filmed by individual artists and then collaborated into one beautiful video, exuberayting the true spirit of the song.

“Sawera -The Ray of Hope” is written

by Gagan Jassal and conceptualised by Harjot Singh. Alongside Gagan Jassal, the song features two of Australia’s reputable singers, Raman Hiroo and Pritpal Singh. This song is an embodiment of positive emotions and willingness to move forward, no matter what. In these overwhelming difficult times, it is vital that we look after not only our loved ones, friends, family, and foes, but also and of utmost importance is our mental health. The lyrics focus on what is pinnacle now, where we are currently struggling with our ever-changing external environment. Such as, “there is always light after dark” and this is the key message of the song and how we as a community, and society can move forward in unison and remember there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

The song has been recorded in Sash Studios and is orchestrated by Sydney’s well know music director Ali Sarshar.

Known for their collaborative style KH Brothers Films have teamed up with Australia’s much loved public figures, the likes of King B Chauhan (Sydney) and Sammy Gill (Melbourne). Some of the other popular faces and crew featuring in this video are Satinder Chawla, GD Singh, Harjot Singh, Gagan Jassal, Jas Arora, Raman Hiroo, Pritpal Singh, Taufeeq Sheikh, Opinderjit Singh, Munish Arora, Pankaj Upadhayay, Ali Sarshar,

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Life Stories

“Om Gam Ganapathaye !”

“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that ‘this’ thing must be attained”. These lines by Marie Curie keep me going through ‘My Journey’.

The journey started started with the struggle to live up to my father’s dream of me becoming a teacher, while I wanted to become a doctor. He believed that women’s role revolved around raising a family and teacher’s job would give me that balance in life. However, being the rebellious one I pursued admission in the science stream and got enrolled for BSc Chemistry. My family was against me pursuing MBBS Ayurveda as it required me to live away from home. BSc Chemistry was one of the many alterations I had to make in my educational journey. There were many hurdles - social, financial, and family values, but as my destiny and my strong will had it, I fought my way through to reach closer to my goals. So, when I was about to complete my DMLT the exams were postponed due to unforeseen reasons, and I diverted my focus on the hospital management course that had caught my attention. If I had not enrolled into this course, my family would have got me married. And I was not planning to get married before proving my metal.

While doing hospital management I got to know about the Diploma course in Naturopathy and was instantly drawn to it as it was the closest I could get to realising my dream of becoming a doctor. Through my hard work and will power, I completed all the three courses simultaneously. My sheer determination and my spiritual Guru whom I had met through books and audio discourses got me going through thick and thin. I found myself multitasking long before I became aware of the existence of the word. Helping my mum and elder sister with the household chores and my dad manage our family grocery shop, while still attending school was part of my daily routine. I also assisted my mum with postal banking collections.

My lifestyle constantly kept me on my toes and gave me the opportunity to meet new people and learn new things. And this in turn widened and deepened my hunger to learn and achieve more.

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My Journey

After finishing my degree and diploma in hospital management, I started my first ojob as a Lab assistant at Dr. Vasant Pawar Hospital in Nasik. My manager recognised my talent and people skills and promoted me to the post of hospital administrator. In the evenings, after work I ran my own naturopathy clinic. The day I received my first consignment of medicines was the day my family found a good match for me to get married. I was lucky to find an extremely enthusiastic and supportive husband and mother-in-law.

not being able to achieve their goals. Never limit yourself. Many of us limit ourselves to what we think we can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you and so have an open mind. Let life happen to you and you will sail through and even achieve far better success than you can imagine. Never let go of your thirst to learn more and work hard to achieve it. While doing all of this, connecting with my saree sisters and reviving my love for the saree has been the icing on the cake. Thank you Poornima Menon for introducing me to this amazing group.

Within a year, in 2006 we moved to Sydney, to begin a new journey, a fresh start.

I went for an interview for the post of blood collection officer. However, after reviewing my qualifications they offered me the job as scientific officer and I started work immediately. The year 2008 was yet another milestone when I was blessed with a baby girl. I resigned and became a full-time mum; I enjoyed every bit of it. Soon I was blessed with a baby boy and raising kids and facing the challenges of motherhood kept me busy. During this time wanting to do something meaningful, I enrolled myself to complete Certificate IV in Disability Services and along with it I also completed Certificate IV to become a Dental Assistant. I also went on to do a short course which qualified me as florist. I have always enjoyed driving and encouraged my friends to learn to drive. Soon a close family friend approached me and suggested I become a driving instructor.

Today along with my job as a social educator in the disability sector, I run a successful enterprise as a driving instructor. Since 2019 I have taught over 150 students. “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others” said Mahatma Gandhi, and it struck a chord with me. I keep discovering myself every moment at work and that gives me strength and hope to do more for those who are less abled. The reason I share my story with you all is to give hope to those who feel defeated by OCTOBER I 2021

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21

Mag Corner

Ahimsa Peace Symposium 2021

vision of Ahimsa (non-violence), their articulation with UN Sustainable Development Goals and the global ‘Women, Peace and Security’ agenda.

by Saroni Roy

S

aroni Roy Foundation, SRf Creatists and Strathfield Rotary Club hosted a live virtual global community-cohesion event to commemorate Gandhi Jayanti and UN International Day of Non-Violence on the 2nd of October 2021. The first-of-its-kind, inaugural Ahimsa Peace Symposium 2021 (APS 2021) is a tribute to the global peace hero Mahatma Gandhi and presented a virtual panel of inspirational guest speakers from India and Australia, and a global community forum to discuss Mahatma Gandhi’s Download Our App

“Though Mahatma Gandhi is a great peace hero of history, the Gandhian values of Ahimsa — social action, justice and peace through non-violence — have universal relevance today, and inform this Peace Symposium, and perfectly align with Saroni Roy Foundation (SRf) & SRf Creatists’s core principles of ‘Diversity, Sustainability & Social Justice’ to create a more peaceful, more inclusive ‘One World’ to live and love. Which is essentially Rotary’s vision of fostering lasting peace in the world as well.” said, Saroni Roy, Founder & CEO, Saroni Roy Foundation, and also the Creator & Producer of the Ahimsa Peace Symposium.

Amidst the chaos and unprecedented OCTOBER I 2021

trying times we’re living in, APS 2021 is a call for action to multicultural communities, peacebuilders, artists, government leaders, advocacy, media and academia worldwide, for global partnerships, to create a shared blueprint to achieve a better, peaceful and more sustainable future for all. Violence against women and girls has risen globally since lockdowns, which has led to what we see as a ‘Shadow Pandemic’, and thus the focus on the global ‘Women Peace and Security’ agenda this year.

APS 2021 is also a celebration of the shared values between Australia and India bi-lateral friendship and is seen as a prelude to the India@75 initiative – when India completes 75 years of independence.

The event started with Rick Vosila, Member of the Rotary Club of Strathwww.DesiAustralia.com

22

Mag Corner

field, Assistant Governor, Sydney Central Clubs and Saroni Roy, Member of the Rotary Club of Strathfield & Director, SRf Creatists, welcoming the dignitaries and attendees, with Kartik Mohandas, Country Manager, Forum Films, as the MC. APS 2021 showcased a stellar line up of Guest Speakers and Keynote Speakers with HE Manpreet Vohra, High Commissioner of India to Australia doing the Opening Address, followed by distinguished guests such as: Jeremy Wright AM, District Governor Rotary District 9675, Hon Manish Gupta Consul General of India, Sydney, Hon Fiona Martin MP, Federal Member for Reid, Hon Jodi McKay MP State Member for Strathfield, Hon Julia Finn MP State Member for Granville, Shadow Minister for Sport, and Shadow Minister for Youth, A video message from Hon Julian Leeser MP Federal Member for Berowra. Chair, Parliamentary Friends of India as he was unable to join the live event. Clr Reena Jethi, The Hills Shire Council.

While keynote speaker, Dr Janice

Hall, District Governor Elect Rotary District 9675 & Ambassador – Empowering Women and Girls, presented an awe-inspiring talk about Ahimsa & its articulation in the Global Women Peace & Security (WPS) Agenda by Rotary, Patricia Garcia AO, Partnership Development Manager, Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP) demonstrated Ahimsa and its articulation in the UN SDGs and highlighted the IEP and Rotary International peacebuilding framework.

The APS 2021 was attended by multicultural communities from across the globe and were utterly motivated and actuated by the high-impact presentation about ‘Non-violent Defence – Choosing the Gandhian Way’ by Dr Suman Khanna Aggarwal, Former Professor, Delhi University, Founder & President, Shanti Sahyog – a Gandhian NGO and Shanti Sahyog Centre for Nonviolence, who had virtually joined the live event from India.

APS 2021 also featured a live virtual concert performed by actor & artist Saroni Roy. She presented a selection of Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite songs,

showcasing CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) artists from India and Australia. Adapting to the Covid-19 restrictions, Saroni remotely worked with musicians & artists based in India to curate this authentic and exquisite piece of art, ensconced in the Gandhian values of Ahimsa, courage, determination, solidarity, harmony and peace.

Performing a medley of songs in three different languages, namely Vaishnav Jan To (Gujrati), Raghupati Raghav (Hindi), and Ekla Cholo Re (Bengali) she underscored, “As an actor, singer, dancer and connoisseur of the arts, I truly believe that art is a platform that showcases and also weaves together diverse cultures.

It transcends all barriers, and doesn’t conform to the limitations of language, faith, geography, race or nationality. If we look at some of the diverse ethnicities that have come together today, many of us, have experienced loss, war and conflict in our homeland. Art & artists, are therefore an integral catalyst in uniting people, celebrating our rich cultural heritage, and perpetuating a culture of peace and harmony.”

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i l a w i D

Jodi McKay MEMBER FOR STRATHFIELD Office: Suite 2, 36 - 38 Victoria Street, Burwood NSW 2134 Phone: (02) 9747 1711 Email: Strathfield@parliament.nsw.gov.au Authorised by Jodi McKay MP. Funded using parliamentary entitlements. October 2021

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Community News | Canberra

LIFE AFTER LOCKDOWN : GETTING FACE LEARNING- TIPS FOR STUD From Karen Mahar, Assistant Principal Deputy Head Junior School

A

By: Rajni Ghai Malhotra

s many states of Australia and indeed many other parts of the world come out of lockdowns, schools are once again preparing to resume face-to-face learning.

Children have been learning remotely for weeks, months even longer than a year (in some parts of Australia, and the world). It is natural that children, parents and carers will have mixed feelings about returning to face-to-face learning. They could be experiencing a range of emotions from happiness and eagerness to apprehension and anxiety about returning to the old routine after having been at home for so long. That leads us to think – how can we help?

Tips for students Get Ready • Try on your school uniform and school shoes. You may have had a growth spurt and it may not fit!

• Get organised and pack your bag the day before school starts.

• Remember to pack your mask if it is your school’s requirement.

Be safe • Wear mask when advised.

• Wash your hands or use hand sanitiser during the day and before eating.

• Stay home if you are unwell.

Feelings • Its ok to have different feelings when coming back to school. You may feel worried, nervous, angry or happy or any feeling in between.

• Talking to friends and family can be helpful. You could even talk to your teacher or someone at school if you want to.

Karen Mahar, Assistant Principal Deputy Head junior school shares tips for students and parents/carers to navigate this transition as they prepare for returning to face to face learning. Her message is clear – be organised, be safe and most importantly, be patient and kind towards yourself and others.

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Community News | Canberra

NG READY FOR FACE TO DENTS AND PARENTS

stage of development.

• Organise play dates with school friends (while adhering to the restrictions of your state or territory) to help your children feel connected with the school community outside the classroom.

• Get back into a routine, including dinner, bath and bed times.

• Stay calm and allow time for your children to transition and settle back into school.

• Support kids to get plenty of rest, particularly in the first week or two after returning to school, as they will be adjusting to a much busier schedule than what they might have recently been used to.

• Make positive statements to your children about what they have been doing well, and how they are coping with the challenges and expectations placed on them.

Give it time It’s important to be aware that any transition takes time and every child will be different. Some will bounce back into old routines immediately while others might take longer to adjust. Be patient.

Be Kind • Be kind to your classmates. Invite them to play games with you.

• Be patient. It’s been a while since we have all been together. If you feel a bit annoyed or frustrated while playing or learning, try taking some deep breaths, walking away to another area or talking about it with your teacher.

Sleep • Make sure you go to bed on time! Sleep helps us concentrate, learn and enjoy the day at school. Put your devices in another room, so your sleep is undisturbed.

• You might notice you are more tired than usual. That’s ok, after a while you will get back into your normal school routine.

Suggestions for parents and cares Some children may feel anxious, scared, reluctant, excited or just overwhelmed. Their feelings may vary depending on their age and stage of development and family situation. How children feel about returning to school may vary between children in the same family and it may also vary day to day Download Our App

for a particular child. Its important for you as a parent or carer, to acknowledge the changes and talk with your children about returning to school.

Listen and support • Talk to your child about how they are feeling.

• Listen to them and reassure them that its normal to feel anxious scared, nervous, overwhelmed about going back to school. Its also normal to feel excited at the same time as feeling stressed or scared about the changes and lifting of restrictions.

• Talk to your children about the positives of the upcoming changes, including what they like to do at school that they haven’t been able to do at home during remote learning.

Create a plan Make a plan for the first day and first week of school. Planning can help reduce stress and anxiety by adding structure and routine to new, changed or uncertain situations.

• Allow time for play, relaxation and homework, as well as some tasks around the home which are suitable for your child’s age and OCTOBER I 2021

Get help if needed Know who to contact if you need help.

It could be the school teachers or even your GP. You could consider talking with friends, family and support groups.

Karen Mahar is Assistant Principal, Deputy Head of Junior School at Radford College Canberra. In more than a decade that she has been at Radford, Karen has helped shape young minds by inspiring excellence. She is passionate about wellbeing of students and strives to create an environment that promotes positive education. www.DesiAustralia.com

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Community News | Canberra

High Commission of India celebrates Gandhi Jayanti

2

By: Rajni Ghai Malhotra

Photo Credits HCI Canberra

October 2021 Canberra On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, the High Commission of India organised a prayer meeting by

paying floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in Glebe Park in adherence with COVI-19 restrictions prevailing in the ACT. Later in the day, the High Commission organised an online webinar talk by Dr. Shobhana Radhakrishna and Prof. Satendra Nandan on “Relevance of Gandhi in the modern times”.

The High Commissioner of India to Australia HE Mr Manpreet Vohra shared his thoughts on the topic while welcoming the speakers and viewers who were present virtually to mark this occasion.

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May the colour and lights of Diwali fill your home with happiness and joy.

Mayor Wendy Waller

www.liverpool.nsw.gov.au

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Diwali “ ” HAPPY

Wishing this Diwali brings you and your loved ones much joy, health and prosperity!

Hon Steven Marshall MP

Member for Dunstan | Premier of South Australia Unit 2, 90-94 The Parade, Norwood SA 5067 dunstan@parliament.sa.gov.au StevenMarshallMP

(08) 8363 9111 steven_marshallmp

Authorised by S Marshall, Unit 2, 90-94 The Parade, Norwood SA 5067.

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Community News | Adelaide

South Australia’s Ethnic Media reception

By: Daljeet Bakshi

E

thnic Media reception was held in Adelaide Parliament by the South Australia Labor Leader, Peter Malinauskas, the Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Zoe Bettison and the Assist-

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ant Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Joe Szakacs to acknowledge and appreciate the efforts of ethnic media in keeping the ethnic communities connected and informed. The South Australian Labor Leader, Peter Malinauskas, said “Multiculturalism isn’t part of South Australian society. It is our society.

Ethnic media have an important role in our society to preserve the language and culture in South Australia. If we are to form Government at the next election, we want to make sure the efforts of ethnic media are well supported.

Our largest migrant community

OCTOBER I 2021

continues to deepen the fabric of SA life. Through language, food, faith and a reputation of hard work our Italian community impacts both the city and the regions. With a strong volunteering culture the community gives back in many ways, said The Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Zoe Bettison.

In language media plays a pivotal role in telling the stories of our multicultural communities. Stories of festas. Stories of family. Stories of faith. It is these stories, in language, that keep culture alive, said Joe Szakacs, The Assistant Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs.

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May this Diwali add new colours to your life and bring light into your life.

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Community News | Adelaide

The Festivals of Adelaide

By: Daljeet Bakshi

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Community News | Adelaide

South Australian Multicultural Bill 2021 passes through Parliament

O

By Daljeet Bakshi

n 14 October 2021, the landmark South Australian Multicultural Bill 2021 passed both Houses of Parliament and will soon become law.

This historically significant occurrence fulfils the Government’s aim of providing new legislation that reflects the needs of our multicultural state today and sets a foundation for modern policy directions.

Developed following the 2019 review of the South Australian Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs Commission Act 1980, the state’s sole piece of multicultural legislation, the South Australian Multicultural Bill will replace the SAMEAC Act. The Bill reflects the feedback received during the review consultation, which strongly supported the need for us to expand our thinking on multiculturalism. To this end, the concept of interculturalism has been incorporated into the legislation as being inclusive, contemporary, and encouraging greater collaboration and the exchange of information and ideas between all sectors of our diverse community.

The centrepiece of the new legislation is the South Australian Multicultural Charter, which will be developed following the passage of the legislation. The Charter will be a set of principles defining what multiculturalism and intercul-

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turalism mean to all South Australians.

The development of the Charter will be led by the South Australian Multicultural Commission, which is charged with the responsibility of leading community consultations as a vital part of this process.

Background Multicultural Affairs has undertaken a review of the South Australian Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs Commission Act 1980, which is our state’s key piece of multicultural legislation.

Since the time of that legislation, South Australia’s population and multicultural landscape has changed significantly.

OCTOBER I 2021

The review of the Act has provided an opportunity to set a foundation for the development of new multicultural policy that reflects the state’s cultural, linguistic and religious diversity, recognises the valuable contribution of our diverse communities, and supports the development of culturally responsive government services.

The legislative review aimed to explore options for expanding the scope and purpose of the legislation to enshrine multicultural policy directions review the functions and powers of the Commission and ensure its title reflects this review the appointment process of Commission members contemporise the language used in the Act.

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Mag Corner

ACTIVE SUPER partners with MultiConnexions to tap into Australia diversity

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ctive Super is partnering with MultiConnexions Group, a multicultural marketing and advertising agency, to broaden its appeal and increase engagement with Australians from different backgrounds.

Active Super, a leader in responsible investment, is keen to reflect the diversity of the Australian population in its marketing strategy, recognising that a one-sizefits-all marketing and communications strategy is not the best way to communicate with the Australian population given its strong multicultural composition.

The partnership is the latest plank in Active Super’s strategy to attract new members and drive future growth following its rebranding from Local Government Super in May 2021.

Chantal Walker, Active Super’s Chief Digital and Marketing Officer, said there was tremendous potential to reach Australians who otherwise would not be engaged with their superannuation.

“I am very passionate about microsegmentation. By adding ethnicity as an overlay to any segmentation be it life stage, age or values based, we create a wonderfully rich, multi-layered understanding of members and their financial needs. We then use this data to engage potential members for acquisition as well as for the retention of existing members as we gain a deeper understanding of what makes them tick beyond just their age.

“I have had the pleasure of working with Sheba and her team in the past to create very successful local area marketing campaigns by targeting various multicultural audiences, and I wanted to bring this experience and opportunity to the world of superannuation.”

Sheba Nandkeolyar, Founder and CEO of MultiConnexions Group, said: “MultiConnexions is proud to help Active Super expand its offering and services to reach Australia’s multicultural audiences.

Like Active Super, we share the sentiment that from a diversity, equity, and inclusion perspective, it is important for such communities in Australia to be heard by brands.

“In this climate where growth is key to a successful business, multicultural Australians are often overlooked by traditional English-speaking marketing and advertising. We look forward to working with Active Super to connect with these communities to ensure that their voices are heard and needs recognised.”

“We value diversity, equity and inclusion and seek to embed these principles in all aspects of our business,” Ms Walker said.

“Research shows that 25 percent of the Australian population speaks a language other than English, and 50 percent of the population is born overseas and has at least one parent born overseas.

“Regrettably, many marketers ignore these segments, but through our partnership with MultiConnexions, Active Super is taking action to address this gap in the market.

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Community News | Melbourne

Creativity at its Best

Melbourne mum marks her maternity with the most iconic places during lockdown era

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s the world is still feeling the impact of lockdown, a lot of milestones are being missed especially with Australian citizen’s families living overseas.

Weddings are missed by families, babyshowers and even birth of grandchildren.At the same time, lot of businesses have suffered due to no celebrations during the lockdowns and even post. Be it Photography,Food,Fashion, Make up, Retail industry- the blow is across the talent sphere.It has had its share of not only financial but Mental health impacts.

We spotted Melbourne based celebrity interviewer, filmmaker & entrepreneurial Aussie mum @dheepa_awtani who was on a mission to #supportlocal and still

celebrate her maternity with @babydeannaw in the gloomy Melbourne lockdown phase in the most fashionable way.She planned it all during the thin window when Melbourne was lockdown free and the photos are just astounding.

Founder of @babydelaw, Dheepa quoted “Impact of the pandemic has been ramified & seems perennial globally,so me & my husband Dixit Awtani decided to strengthen the fact that Melbourne is still the best city to live in the world,supported local talents for this photoshoot,bring a smile back to all aspiring parents & cover the places Melbourne has been iconically known for daily exploration & tourist point of view.We need to #VisitMelbourne in a new refreshing

way.” From adorning a red bridal gown at the Parliament, to a tribute to Harry Potter shows at the Princess Theatre & for many live concerts, movies and performances missed, to the heartbeat of Melbourne commute & travels – Flinders street station & Vic Trams to the cozy yet artistic dates passing through the prominent Hosier lane,they captured it all.

Each concept had its own mood board and the photos were made picture perfect by local businesses like @lucylaurita_designerblog, @imodaemporium,@ jeanettemaree @shakila_salon, @alind_tiwari @sudhakarthikphotography @abfotoworks @mishkaphotography & more.

Mum of now 2 daughters- Deleena & DSC_6032.jpg

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https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1DzcxDE8WIaPBseBlujZiV... cc8ff105-4bca-49cb-8746-8be18b9d23dc.jpg

Photographer: Alind Tiwari

1 of 1

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Photographer: Alind Tiwari OCTOBER I 2021

18/10/2021, 8:55 pm 1 of 1

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Community News | Melbourne

Deanna, host & Mental Health Ambassador Dheepa, said that while it was an extremely tough time during lockdown for many people as it lacks social connect & engagement, she could relate the time as if being the members of a farm where animals enjoy everyday of their life in a secure yet capsuled environment.Hence, they also did a photo shoot at the famous Doveton Myuna Farm with its animal family- majestic horses, enigmatic snakes, native blue tongue lizards & more.

“Sociologically, despite of having visas & double vaccinations done, due to covid restrictions my parents could not come over from United States of America to be in our fragile parenthood journey, grandkids have missed their presence, we couldn’t celebrate our renewal of 10th anniversary vows & my elder daughter’s Deleena’s birthday 2nd year in a row because of continued lockdown.Myuna farm photoshoot was a tribute to all the birthday celebrations kids have missed especially with grandparents due to pandemic” Now that parents of Australian citizens https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1SwYyj9KkHryzmehBkyvV...

Deepa31.jpg

and residents are regarded as Immediate family by the Department of Home Affairs Australia, Dheepa is beyond ecstatic for this positive change starting 1st November and is certain the feeling is mutual amongst the Expat diaspora in Australia who are waiting to be united with their families.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1myslGaaBuX1fiB2sEeCXdU...

Love.Lost.Locked.Life- An absolutely creative way of capturing Melbourne & maternity time.

Hopefully time comes when the world is soon lockdown free.

Photographer: Sudha Karthik & Anandh Bala(AB) photography

pher: Alind Tiwari Download Our App 118/10/2021, of 1 8:59 pm

Dheepa Awtani is Founder @babydelaw @babydeannaw , Executive Director @ yffglobal Young Fighters Foundation Fund, Young Female Achiever of the Year at The Indian Sun Community Awards, winning IFFM film maker,Analyst & premiere banking professional, entrepreneur, Media & Entertainment- Victoria AIBC, multicultural Ambassador for AFL, MHFA and ex-cricket Australia , Social Media connoisseur & Digital Media producer of BYSQ Itz Showtime, | @bysqitzshowtime | @dheepa_awtani| media@bysq.com.au

OCTOBER I 2021

www.DesiAustralia.com 18/10/2021, 8:57 pm

39

Communti News | Melbourne

‘Notun Surjo’ wins award in IFFM A short film by Pulak Bose

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By: Daljeet Bakshi

ilm Director and Founder of Imagonic Motion Media based in Melbourne , Pulak Bose directed short film

“Notun Surjo”. This Australian made short film has won the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne this year out of 3000 entries.

Pulak Bose is the founder of Imagonic Motion Media, a media production house based in Melbourne. He is a director, cinematographer, editor, photographer and a music composer. He leads a team who work passionately on short films and music video

projects. His films have won in multiple international film festivals. His original music compositions have been played on SBS Radio and have been showcased during the Indian Independence Day celebrations at the Indian Consulate General of Melbourne.

The film Notun Surjo was entirely shot in Melbourne, replicating an Indian household.

The film centered around human trafficking, modern slavery and political issue concerning religion in India. Pulak thought nothing could be more relevant than depicting the emotions between a mother and a son while he is amidst the crisis of surviving in a foreign land. The challenge for this film was replicating an Indian middle-class house set up in Melbourne but the Imagonic Motion Media team pulled together a beautiful set depicting some major aspects of a Bangla household used throughout the movie as props. Prior to IFFM, Notun Surjo’ (The New Sun) has also been the winner in 3 film festivals (TIFF, REELS, AntiClock short film competition) and was highly appreciated by esteemed panel of judges including Onir, Rajeev Masand, Shriram Raghavan.

Comments from the jury included “The film was a poignant one, without any ambiguity.

Clean storytelling. Minimalist yet effective”.

Speaking to us , Pulak and Chondryma Chakrobortti stated that this win has given boost to their vision of production of more short films in Australia .

We wish them all the best and once again congratulations to Imagonic Media team .

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40

Health

October is National Lupus Awareness Month Early diagnosis provides quality of life and can save lives

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upus Awareness Month -aims to increase understanding amongst the general public – not just medical professionals of what this disease can do and why it’s so key to know the facts.

During October we raise awareness about the physical, emotional, and financial impact of lupus.

With greater awareness comes better support, resources, and advocacy for people fighting the disease As the Chair of the Lupus Australia I want to Make Lupus Visible by showing the many faces of lupus and the impact of this debilitating disease. We are proud to play a central role in the advancement of patient care by providing much needed support and pathways. We continue to work tirelessly to improve access to clinical trial and bringing patient voices to the decision makers in relation to new drugs and support.

Said Barbara Ward.

What is Lupus? - Lupus may sound like an exotic, rare disease, but it’s not one to be overlooked. Like many other life-threatening autoimmune diseases, it is important to know the early warning signs of Lupus so that any sufferers may begin battling it early on, even though it’s a very tough disease to identify.

“We are working more closely with GP’s for better diagnosis, more support to people with lupus so they can better manage the many challenges of lupus on mental health and its impact on physical function. Lupus

can often be seen on the skin of the face; a bright red rash which runs from the bridge of the nose, under the eyes and across the cheeks. Because of its, this is often known as the ‘butterfly rash’. This butterfly rash is one of the most commonly associated symptoms of the disease – in fact, it is likely to be where it got its name from, with a part of its scientific name lupus erythematosus – ‘erythroid’ being derived from the ancient Greek word for ‘red’.

sufferers have little or no support and they are not eligible for NDIS, and we are working hard to put this on the health agenda so lupus patient’s voices are heard” said Barbara.

Lupus can be diagnosed by use of various types of blood testing. However, the Lupus Foundation of America estimates that a massive 5 million people across the world are living with lupus, and a large number of these people don’t even know it.

Lupus is an incurable disease, but there do exist treatments which can make living with it more manageable and improve the prognosis of the patient significantly. It cannot be transmitted from person to person, but it does seem to appear more frequently in people who have a history of it in their families.

Lupus is a tricky disease to catch because it is often mistaken for other afflictions, which means it can go undetected for years without even the person affected knowing. Amongst other symptoms, sufferers may exhibit a fever, tiredness, an increase in mouth ulcers and may even develop arthritis.

A common symptom of a lupus sufferer

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World Lupus Federation Board is a global body and I am delighted that I am on that Board, we know it’s only by working together that we will elevate lupus as an international health priority so it gets the attention and resources it deserves, said Barbara Ward. Global survey led by the Lupus Foundation of America and World Lupus Federation to raise global awareness of lupus found that nearly 7 in 10 respondents with lupus reported that the debilitating disease hampers their mobility and nearly 9 in 10 respondents shared that pain from lupus interferes with their normal activities both inside and outside of their homes.

People with lupus often suffer from joint pain, extreme fatigue, and organ damage.

Lupus can affect one’s mental health as well.

The disease has a tendency to flare from time to time, making daily life unpredictable.

Simply put, the physical, mental, and social impacts of the disease can greatly affect quality of life.

Thank you for all you do every day to support people with lupus the spotlight must remain beyond the World Lupus day and month so that all people with lupus have access to the resources, support and new drugs they need to have a quality of life. www.DesiAustralia.com

41

Advertisement

It has been a tough year for many.

May the auspicious Festival of Lights provide an opportunity to start the year anew.

I hope that this Diwali brings illumination to your life for the period ahead.

I wish everyone a bright future filled with happiness and prosperity for all.

Nathan Labor candidate for Mayor of Liverpool City Council

nathan@nathanhagarty.com.au /nhagarty /nathanhagarty

Authorised by Sharon Rawlins, ALP, 8 Anton Pl, Bonnyrigg NSW 2177

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Advertisement

‘Every moment is made glorious by the light of love.’

Rumi We wish that the radiant light of Diwali brings peace and love to the World.

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43

Diwali Artwork

Desi Australia ran an Arts Competition to encourage young artists between the ages of 10-15 to depict in their creativity as to how they celebrate Diwali in Australia.

We are amazed to see the creativity and are overwhelmed with the response we received.

Each artwork tells a story and we could not be happier to share the art work of our budding artists.

Anya Malhotra 12 years old from Canberra is the Winner of the competition and her artwork has been chosen as the cover page of Oct Diwali Special Edition of Desi Australia Magazine

Young Artists of Au

Aalya Mainali Gupta, 10 years, Sydney

Ajitesh Balaji, 11 years old , Sydney

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Diwali Artwork

ustralia

Anya Malhotra, 12 years, Canberra

Madeline Saab, 11 years, Sydney

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Diwali Artwork

Avin Sonar, 13 years, Sydney

Garvika Garh, 13 years old, Sydney

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46

Diwali Artwork

Harshita Srinivasan, 14 years

Gia Jain, 12 years, Sydney

Josh Verma,10 years, Melbourne

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47

Diwali Artwork

Ridima Gupta, 10 years, Melbourne

Vihaan,Gadhavi, 13 years, Melbourne

Shreyashi Kashyap , 11 years, Sydney

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48

Diwali Artwork

Rytham Singla, 11 years, Sydney

Sanjula Khatter, 15 years, Sydney Download Our App

Raykant Gumber OCTOBER I 2021

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Diwali Artwork

Purv Upadhyay, 11years old, Melbourne

Sunaina Gulati, 11 years, Sydney

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50

Diwali Artwork

Jenil Patel, 10 years, Sydney

Joyce Verma, 10 years, Melbourne

Sonvi Bansal, 10 years, Melbourne Krisha Shukla, Melbourne Download Our App

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51

Community News | Sydney

FANCY A CUPPA? Spare change, changes lives.

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ancy a Cuppa Coffee Van is Harman Foundation’s newest initiative which launched on the 23rd September with the community at the Alpha Park, Blacktown and was inaugurated by Federal Member of Parliament, Honourable Michelle Rowland.

Fancy a Cuppa has been made a possibility through existing donors community support; this coffee van provides the Harman Foundation with a pathway to creating more powerful change within communities, a means to continue offering valuable and responsive support as well as addressing structural issues. The proceeds from Fancy a Cuppa Coffee Van will be used to spread awareness about our prevention & support domestic and family violence campaigns, our 24/7 helpline (1800 116 675) , and fund Harman Foundation to continue providing critical crisis, intermediate and long-term support.

To support Harman Foundation’s mission, please find out more about donation options on their website. If you would like to volunteer or support in other ways, please get in touch and strengthen their vision.

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Contact: 1800 116 675 www.harmanfoundation.com.au contactus@ harmanfoundation.org.au facebook.com/HarmanFoundation About Harman Foundation Harman Foundation is a highly culturally responsive and respective service that provides assistance to members of the OCTOBER I 2021

community who are subject to emotional trauma, anxiety, stress and suffering. The charitable activities of the Harman Foundation include providing a safe space to discuss complex trauma (such as Domestic and Family Violence), a space for healing, a safe space for open communication and a safe place to seek help, relief and aid through the HER HOUSE. The charitable foundation has been supported by the community for several years. www.DesiAustralia.com

52

Community News | Sydney

SAFAL FEST 21

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his Year SAFAL 2021 is being organized on Saturday 27th November 21 at the Brush Farm House 19 Lawson Street Eastwood NSW 2122.

Time : 10 am to 6pm Free Entry (Subject to Covid Conditions) Ample Road Side Parking.

The Safal Fest 21 Organising team is headed by Kedarnath (Kevin)Pagaddinnimath Festival Chairperson & Secretary/CoFounder ASAF inc/ Ash Gholkar : Festival Director & President /Co-Founder ASAF inc/Safal Balaji Mani : Treasurer ASAF/ inc/Safal Our Directors: Dyu Dcunha, Jeyakumar Ramasamy, Kavitha Jeyakumar, Kithsiri Karunaratne, Nagendra Adhikari, Rekha Rajvanshi, Sabrin Farooqui, Shahid Malik, Saliya Tennekoon.

Due to Covid Restrictions and Lockdowns the Festival will be concentrating only the Art Exhibition, Literary Panel Discussion, Poetry Slam, and the Talent Quest (Which includes Solo Singing and Solo Dance Competition, with Children 12 years and above allowed to Participate this year) Expression of Interest is being called for Participation in Art Exhibition, Poetry Slam , Solo Singing and Dance Competition. Links to Expression of Interest Form is available on the Safal Page website which is on the Flyer.

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53

Health

How to cope with postlockdown anxiety Just a reminder for today and every day. Mental health matters. Look after YOU.

By: Sumeet Chawla

A

s much as everyone wants to get back to some sort of normal, our lives have gone through dramatic change the past several months. Be prepared that the end of lockdown might be as hard for us, as it was in the beginning of lockdown. It may take time to find our way back and readjust to the new differences. It’s okay to feel anxious about life after lockdown. As challenging as the pandemic has been, the uncertainty of what post-lockdown life will bring, can trigger anxiety. Returning to things that were normal before lockdown, may now bring about feelings of uncertainty. Those who were unhappy in their offices or in certain family, social group contexts may now feel a sense of uneasiness about having to return to these settings. All this time, many of us got used to living a certain way. Many of us have developed new routines that we have gotten comfortable with.

Lockdown might have provided a safe place for some, away from social pressures, therefore when things change, there is a lot to process. Even if we welcome the change, it does not make it any less difficult. You are not alone and your feelings are valid.

Think about what it is that you can control. Prioritise self-care and managing your stress. Remind yourself that you are in control of your own lockdown easing, in terms of which places you are going to go, who you want to be around with etc..

Take it slow, know your limits and share your thoughts with your loved ones. Say Download Our App

Image credit: www.learning-mind.com no or cancel plans- you are allowed to change your mind. Currently there may be less commitments on our calendar, but over the coming weeks this may fill up with school commitments and social functions.

Prioritise which events you will go to and if you are feeling anxious, do only that which makes you feel comfortable. Still take steps to keep yourself safe, whether that be continuing to social distance, wearing a mask, not wanting to meet indoors etc..

Consider what your personal boundaries are. Continue to focus on a healthy diet, regular exercise and staying hydrated.

Create manageable to do lists, get a good night’s sleep and connect with loved ones. Try not to compare yourselves to what others are doing, as we will all face these times differently.

For children returning to school after OCTOBER I 2021

lockdown: Discuss with your child any worries they may have about the virus and returning to school. Acknowledge this is a difficult time and problem solve together.

Focus on the positives such as seeing their friends again, returning to face-to-face learning with their teacher etc..

If you are feeling very anxious or not coping, please contact your GP and seek psychological support. It always helps to talk to a professional, for support and strategies on managing your symptoms better and improving your wellbeing.

I hope these tips help you as much as it helps me. I wish you all the best over the coming weeks as life returns to a new normal.

Sumeet Psychologist | MGeront, MAPS www.DesiAustralia.com

54

Health

How Hema shed 20kgs in 87 Days with Hormonal Reset!

A mother of 2 teenage boys, Hema Raaj shares her mesmerizing journey of releasing weight through hormonal reset and how she moved from being Highly Diabetic to Non-Diabetic in as short as 87 days.

By: Poornima Vamsi

I

t has been great pleasure for one of Poornima’s (www.poornimavamsi. com/optin-2) clients to join her 87 days program, follow through 3 pillars to transform her HEALTH to achieve her DREAM VERSION. In her own words, she describes how she came out as a confident and motivated person improving her self image and more importantly standing as an example for her family who followed through her path and are leading a healthy and contented life.

Hema Raaj is an entrepreneur and a mother of two teenage boys and standing at a ‘3 digit weight’ has always been a major concern for Hema and a year earlier she noticed she had serious diabetic issues leading to severe fatigue. This was an alarm when Hema decided to seek help, mainly for releasing weight; she was not very hopeful for bringing down her sugar levels.

Diabetes is something that we all think is not reversible but through the 87 Days Program that Poornima caters to, made it possible for Hema to bring down her sugar levels, which is nothing less than a miracle.

Hema has struggled with weight issues for 13 years, she had tried everything but always bounced back no matter what she did and then she decided to talk to Poornima to help her release and more importantly retain it.

The unique thing which Hema mentioned while working with Poornima is; she used ‘Energetic Meditative Practices’ as the Download Our App

main ingredient, as Poornima strongly believes if you can get your mind around it you can achieve your Dream Health with ease and flow. Poornima strongly believes that the first and foremost thing in achieving dream health is by satisfying your subconscious mind and that will happen when you DON’T deprive yourself of your favourite and traditional foods.

The 3 pillars that Hema used in the combination of eating her traditional food, improving her metabolism through home based exercise, and using ‘Energetic Meditative Practices’ to achieve her dream health allowed her to see the results she was so desiring for several years in a OCTOBER I 2021

short span of time. She believes it works like medication but without medication.

The program is very simple to follow and hence an individual will see consistent and tangible results every week. It did not only help Hema release 20 kgs of weight in 87 days, but it also helped her bring down her fasting sugar levels to 90 from 180 and her 3 months average of HbA1c came from 10.6 to 5.3 - from highly diabetic to non-diabetic Hema affirms to all those people who think that diabetes cannot be reversed without medications to see her as an example and suggests they ought to enroll themselves in FREE Training and get in touch with Poornima at www.poornimavamsi.com/optin-2 www.DesiAustralia.com

55

Talent

An Indian- born young Au has won the young Comm Achiever of the year 2021 LGBTIQ+ community, as well as using his platform to advocate inclusion and equality for Indigenous Australians.

By Poonam Naik

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His work is informed by his share of difficult struggles earlier in life and he seeks to become a strong voice for those who experience hardship and do not themselves do not have a voice. Not

only working closely with young people directly to promote community awareness, Martin actively works at different levels of government and with others to influence politicians and administrators to develop better policies and create more effective strategies that make a difference for those young people most in need: “I want to live in a world where being

lvis Martin, a young Indianborn Australian social justice advocate, is one of the influential youth voices today. In recognition, Martin has been given the prestigious ‘Young Community Achiever of the Year 2021’ by the India Australia Business & Community Awards (IABCA) to add to his other accomplishments such as Victorian Premier Leadership Award in 2018 and several others.

Martin is the Principal Ambassador of the National Youth Commission Australia, a Director of VMIAC, and a Council Member of the Mental Health Commission among others. He has been responsible for co-establishing several important not-for-profit councils, such as the Co-health Youth Action Council and has represented Australia at international government and bilateral summits, such as the One Young World Summit that brought together youth leaders to work on a international urban policy agenda. In his own words, Martin says: “My mission is simple; I want to help those in need” and this is what he is keen to dedicate his life to. This encompasses promoting compassion, equality and human rights, and advocacy around issues such as mental health, homelessness, domestic violence, suicide prevention and the Download Our App

OCTOBER I 2021

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56

Talent

Australian munity 1 vulnerable is not seen as being incapable nor a life sentence”.

Martin was once an international student himself, so he understands the challenges that many international students face but believes positively that Australia does provide opportunity and support for international students, not only in their careers but in terms of their social iden-

tity and awareness as well. “No country is perfect”, Martin says, “but Australia is probably the most successful multicultural country in the world today. I am proud to say that I am now an Australian citizen”.

As an award winner, Elvis Martin will be meeting the Prime Minister of Australia and the Governor-General as well as the Premier of Victoria. He has shown a deep commitment for the issues he supports and has achieved a series of extraordinary accomplishments for someone in their mid-twenties.

Elvis Martin have been recently appointed to Anti-RACISM Taskforce of government.

He is\ the only Indian background person on this taskforce and very proud to serve the people and make changes to reduce racism and any form of discrimination.

Elvis Martin have also been Named 30 under 30 winner for Out for Australia.

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57

Mag Corner

Retracing Guru Nan Don’t miss ALLEGORY, A Tapestry of Guru Nanak’s Travels

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By Sheila Dhillon

ver 550 years ago, Guru Nanak travelled across the distant lands of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Tibet, Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka for over two decades on an altruistic pursuit to spread the message of the oneness of creation.

To relate with people of diverse cultures and belief systems, he engaged in philosophical and social dialogue, and through the medium of words and music, he gracefully imparted experiential and spiritual insights, fearlessly challenged the binary constructs of society, and relentlessly opposed gender, religious, racial and class inequalities.

In the 21st century, geopolitical restrictions and cultural mandates impose immense challenges to trace Guru Nanak’s extensive travels as approximately 70 per cent of the places he travelled to fall in geographies where filming is difficult.

However, in January 2019, a team led by Singaporean couple, Amardeep Singh and his wife, Vininder Kaur, embarked on a journey to retrace Guru Nanak’s footsteps.

This herculean task, extending far beyond personal ambition, is aimed with a passion to preserve Guru Nanak’s teachings that perceives no borders or human divisions.

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Allegory theme artwork by Datti Kaur. It depicts Guru Nanak’s life journey through people, culture, nature and multifaith sites. The artwork, while centred on Guru Nanak’s life, does not personify him.

Aided with the analytical study of the oldest ‘Janamsakhis’ (biographies of Guru Nanak)and supported by the allegoric messages in Guru Nanak’s verses, the team spent over three years filming all the geographies and multi-faith sites visited by Guru Nanak to present his life events in the form of a 24-episode docuseries.

Undeterred by adversities, they travelled

OCTOBER I 2021

from the deserts of Mecca in Saudi Arabia to Mount Kailash in Tibet, explored remote regions of perilous Afghanistan, experienced the scorching heat in Iraq, scaled the arid Baluchi mountains in Pakistan, sailed across the waters of the Indian Ocean to disembark in Sri Lanka, blended with the Persian culture in Iran, crossed the delta region in Bangladesh and mapped all four directions in India.

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58

Mag Corner

nak’s journey

“In a world that is so fragile and volatile, there has never been a better time to understand why Guru Nanak’s travelled for 22 years to share his experiential wisdom and propagate the oneness of humankind,” said Amardeep Singh.

Weekly episodes of this docuseries are available for download at no cost on the website TheGuruNanak.com. In the next phase, this docuseries, produced by ‘Lost Heritage Productions’ and ‘SikhLens Productions’, will be translated into Punjabi and Hindi.

Amardeep Singh (Director, Host) at the Cold Desert in Baltistan (12,000 feet) in Pakistan.

Imam Reza Ahrine in Iran.

Sikh Youth Australia and the Young Sikh Professionals Network are proud to support the launch of ‘ALLEGORY, A Tapestry of Guru Nanak’s Travels’, which chronicles the vast expanse of sites that were visited by Guru Nanak during his lifetime.

Commenting on the docuseries, Dr. Mohammad H. Qayoumi, President Emeritus, San Jose State University said, “As a practicing Muslim, I have found this docuseries filled with symbolic spiritual messages of Guru Nanak which will be enjoyable for everyone who has a curious mind. I highly recommend them to all viewers.”

For Amardeep and Vininder, every moment in Guru Nanak’s footsteps was philosophically liberating. It encouraged them to challenge their own conditioning, unlearn, relearn and assimilate the beauty of unity in diversity.

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Amardeep Singh (Director, Host) and Vininder Kaur (Co-Director) with Khalida Begum, a Muslim lady in village Khost (Afghanistan), along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

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59

Mag Corner

Amardeep Singh (Director, Host) with Dr. Raghunath, the last Nanakpanthi resident of Kandahar (Afghanistan).

Along the banks of a river in Baltistan (Pakistan)

Colours of Turbans: Amardeep Singh (Director) with villagers in Afghanistan.

Co-Director (Vininder) and Cinematographer (Salman Alam) in a moment of joy after completing Tibet filming.

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60

Mag Corner

Amardeep Singh (Director) in Tibet.

Filming Guru Nanak’s narrative in Sri Lanka.

During a lunch break with the Sikh community in Afghanistan.

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61

Technology

Introducing Windows 11

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By: Sarang Vengurlekar

indows 11 has been released and it is the very latest Operating System for all desktops and laptops. It brings with it more features and stunning graphics. It brings balance to your desktop as it has easy to use tools that can help optimise your screen space and provide better productivity.

Combine Microsoft Windows 11 with Microsoft 365 subscription and you have the works. There are new ways to connect as Microsoft Teams is built in and you can reach anyone for free as long as they too have a Microsoft Teams account.

The new way to work is to work seamlessly and Windows 11 provides just that. All your Microsoft Office packages including Powerpoint, Outlook and Teams can be open in multiformat layout. You will also love Windows 11 if you are a gamer as it provides excellent graphics and reality display.

There is so much more to discover with Windows 11 that is impossible to list on one page. So the next step is to start using Windows 11.

How do I get Windows 11?

Any new Desktop PC and laptop that you purchase from now on will have Windows 11 preloaded. The good news is that if you are a Windows 10 user then you are also eligible for a free upgrade.

It is simple: Go to Check for Windows updates (mssettings:windowsupdate) or select “Start” then go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update

the url list below: https://www.microsoft. com/en-au/windows/windows-11#pchealthcheck Enjoy your journey with the latest and the greatest operating system from Microsoft. If you like this article then be sure to give us your feedback by sending an email to sarang@vengurlekar.com

Ensure you have checked compatibility of your PC to run Windows 11 by going to Download Our App

OCTOBER I 2021

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62

Yoga

YouGo with Rajni - Let’s Be Mindful Series Pandemic Yoga : Life after lockdown - Looking after your Mental Health

By: Rajni Ghai Malhotra

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ost of know I like to keep my writing relevant and connected to current happenings. October is Mental Health month and as we come out of lockdown once again, what better time than now to reflect on our mental wellbeing and how we can pace ourselves into a suitable rhythm as we adjust to life after lockdown.

Listen to how you feel Are you happy the lockdown has ended? Are you delighted to be able to go out again and indulge in a cuppa with friends? Or are you carrying feelings of apprehension, having been in isolation for so long you feel anxious about social mingling?

Pace yourself You may be experiencing mixed feelings about stepping back into life after lockdown. Let your feelings guide your pace. It is ok to avoid situations or settings if you feel uncomfortable. It is completely OK to take your own time to resume social gatherings and interactions in a manner that helps you and your family feel safe.

Manage your expectations The restrictions in your area may be lifting/already lifted. Life is expected to return to normal, but what is the normal and how soon will we return to that normal completely? As schools, workplaces, shops, restaurants, and gyms begin resuming operations guided by the local covid-19 restrictions, remind yourself that not all places will open or operate the way or in the hours that you might be used to. Similarly, festive occasions may still not be celebrated in their usual style. Be mindful that this is a transition phase and things may take longer to return to normal and also that the normal may be different to what you are used to.

Look after your mental health by practicing the Download Our App

following Mindfulness techniques Check in with yourself through meditation Make time to meditate daily or as regularly as you can. Meditation is not about sitting with no thoughts. It is about spending time alone and quietly by yourself, with yourself, meeting and acknowledging your thoughts and making an effort to accept things the way they are. A few minutes spent with yourself without judgement or urgency are few precious minutes you invest towards keeping yourself mentally and emotionally fit. Use the time spent in quiet to check in with yourself and sense your pace.

Mindful breathing: Deep conscious breaths as many times a day is the surest way to calm the nerves and regain balance especially in this time of uncertainty or anxiety. If you can, engage in a few minutes of pranayama – guided breathwork at the start of your day.

Mindful action Every action that you perform, make an effort to be present and in the moment.

Whether you are driving, cooking, walking, do so with awareness and complete attention to the action. Conscious action helps you to focus on the task at hand, calms your breath, relieves stress and makes it easier to disconnect from disturbing thoughts.

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Create your calm Make use of creative hobbies, artwork, music, dancing, walks in nature, reading, anything that will help you to spend a few peaceful minutes being comfortable with yourself alone. Use the time well by also engaging in mindful breathing and managing your pace.

Change your inner dialogue You may not be ready to resume the old normal way of living just yet. Know that it is perfectly ok to have your own feelings about it. At the same time, talk to yourself kindly and send yourself positive affirmations that all is well and will continue to be well.

Gratitude There is no surer way to fighting anxiety or any negative feelings towards the changes that we have had to get used to. A minute spent in gratitude and a silent thanks to the universe for things that are still in your control, for the safety and wellbeing of your loved ones, for this moment and this breath you just took, will help you more than you know.

There YouGo! Some mindfulness tips to check in with yourself and maintain your mental wellbeing as you navigate the transition into life after lockdown.

Yours mindfully, Rajni Follow Rajni on Facebook @YogaWithRajni www.DesiAustralia.com

63

Receipe

Moti Choor Cheesecake

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ven though deities are invoked differently in most households, the true essence of Diwali remains the same: victory of light over darkness.

So this year as we celebrate the true meaning of ‘Deepavali’ (where ‘deepa’ means ‘light’ and ‘vali’ means ‘row’; thus a row of lights) let us rid oneself of the darkness and negativity that dwells within.

We pray that the lights illuminating from Diya’s not only brighten your homes but also your hearts.

Wishing you and your family a very Shubh Deepavali!

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Presenting Ganeshji’s favourite Moti choor Laddoo with a watdoumeal Twist It’s one of the most simple receipe.

You can buy both from a shop near you and assemble it with your own personal favourite flavours. Like ours being rose water and kevara.

We used the no bake cheesecake recipe with 4 simple steps. (Use your own favourite) or PM us on fb or insta for a full recipe

3) Spray rose water and kevara 4) Add rose petals and your favorite dry fruits 5) decorate with fresh edible flowers The story to this receipe is , this diwali I’ve invited few of my non-Indian friends and wanted to create a fusion of desert which has best of both the world’s.

It’s easy to make and has the best festive vibes.

We bought the ladoos from our local favourite shop.

Steps:.

1) get your cheesecake ready 2) Use boondi or ladoo crumbled on top of the ladoo OCTOBER I 2021

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Conducting a Creative Pulse Check to Help Communities; Organisation collaborating to help families during COVID Going on a Roller Coaster ride on a loop is an image that comes to my mind when I think of going through COVID in 2021.

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hile some roller coaster rides can be exhilarating, when done on a loop is sure to leave you feeling exhausted. While the thrills of working from home and waking up late did seem exciting at the start of the lockdown, needless hours staring at a screen, devoid of human social interactions, indeed left many of even the well-adjusted adults feeling flat. As an adult, I can only imagine the toll it has taken on the mental health of the young population.

Since its onset, COVID-19 has emerged as a significant health threat. A pandemic not only affecting our physical health but also creating an endemic of mental health issues. The recent lockdowns in Melbourne and Sydney caused an increased surge in calls of distressed children to the Kids Helpline (Sydney Morning Herald, 2021). Parents of young kids suddenly were forced to take the roles of surrogate teachers, a highly specialised part that requires extensive training, skills and experience. All while juggling their careers and working from home. While the proximity of sharing a household did have its advantages, turning a home into a school cum office created a bubble within the home bubble, where staying connected was becoming a challenge.

It is to burst this bubble and invest some conscious time and help bring parents to reconnect with their younger ones; Sydney Community Group collaborated with Mindkshetra and organised a Creative Pulse Check session during October School Holidays. Sydney Community Group has been working at the grassroots level on community initiatives for the betterment and upliftment of the community. A not-for-profit organisation Download Our App

spearheaded by Indu Harikrishna, an all women-led volunteer organisation that works on needs-based project initiatives responding to community climate. “I want to help mums and kids destress and spend some conscious time, breaking down the barriers and provide some practical strategies to help them”, said Indu, when she de-briefed about the project requirements.

She wanted to ensure, along with being informative and practical, it included the element of fun.

Since conception, Mindkshetra has been working on many such initiatives, providing research-based creative arts psychoeducational strategies to help families nurture their mental health. As this was a pilot project, we only aimed at a small sample size of a maximum of 5 mums and kid’s pairs (age group Year 3 – Year 5 students). We advertised and recruited mums and young people through Facebook and community networks and enrolled three mums and four kids. As per Indu’s request, each activity was designed to facilitate a creative yet honest conversation and get insights into the young person’s world.

The first activity was a creative check-in using a Blog Tree. A blog tree is a communication tool that provides a visual prompt to identify how one feels. It was interesting to observe the young kids consciously contemplate their position on the tree and verbalise how they feel during the lockdown. One of the Mums, R, provided feedback that her daughter A’s share pleasantly surprised her. She revealed later, when I caught up with her, that she constantly worried about how her daughter was coping with the loss of social connection as a parent. “I was feeling guilty that completing chores and getting things sorted meant there is hardly any OCTOBER I 2021

time to check in with A. It had been even a long time; we tuned in. Doing this activity reassured me that she is coping better than I assumed she is”.

The second strategy we discussed was an activity that encouraged the participants to reflect on their control and outside. The participants were encouraged to make a handprint of their palm and invited to jot down things within their power, within the boundary of their handprint, and place things they couldn’t control outside their palm print. The youngest participant of all, 8-year-old M, jokingly admitted that not hassling her sister was well within her control, up until her sister provoked her.

This activity proved to be an important reminder to the mums that allocating time for self-care for themselves is well within their control and controlling their temperament.

For the final activity, I chose to teach the kids how to construct a chatterbox with a purpose. The kids were invited to self-identify eight different activities they would like to do to calm themselves. At the same time, I instructed the mums to help the kids build and decorate the chatterbox together. Though I conducted the activity online, I could sense the palpable buzz and chatter within the participant’s environment. As each kid enthusiastically worked along with mum to build the chatterbox. Once the kids completed constructed the chatterbox, I invited them to test the chatter box out with their mums. “I never thought such a simple activity could be so much fun”, shared D, a mum who watched her little girl engage with creative play.

The primary intention of conducting this pilot session was to help families take a pulse check of their kids and www.DesiAustralia.com

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impart practical knowledge to help cope with the stress of Covid Lockdown. The feedback received during the session and in the two-week follow-up interview revealed that the session effectively achieved this objective.

Just like little drops of water make a mighty ocean, Indu (SCG) & I (Mindkshetra), through our collaboration, hoped that organising this pilot session would help start a positive ripple. We aimed to spread the message of hope within the community and provide some practical psychoeducational strategies to families with primary school children barring the COVID lockdown brunt. Hearing the feedback from participants in the two-week follow-up interview that they were still using the chatterbox made in the session assured us that our collective effort paid off, and we indeed started a ripple.

Email: info@sydneycommunitygroup. com.au Phone: 1300 983 222

Sydney Community Group is a Women’s Initiative of 60+ women and a registered Incorporated Not for Profit Community Organisations supporting the community across various suburbs in Sydney.

Mindkshetra is a creative arts mental health studio, that nurtures life stories using creativity. The Practice works on the philosophy that nurturing mental wellness is as important as building physical fit-

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ness. Mindkshetra offers cultural art based creative art and art therapy workshops as a proactive strategy to boost resilience.

Contact: www.mindkshetra.com.au Email: rupa@mindkshetra.com.au Note: The participant names and identifies have been de-identified.

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WISHING YOU A VERY

May this auspicious occasion light up your life with HAPPINESS, JOY & PEACE.

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