September 2022 edition of Desi Australia Digital Magazine

Hello Everyone, The month of September saw 2 Mega stars visiting Sydney – Pankaj Udhas, the Gazal Mastero who mesmerized the Sydney siders with his melodi ous and heart touching compositions and the king of comedy Kapil Sharma who made people forget all their worries as he took them on the laughter

Theride.festival season has begun and there were festival celebrations of Onam and Ganesh Chatu rathi along with many lo cal and cultural celebra tions. We have gathered these stories for you and hope you enjoy reading it.

Arti Banga Editor-in-Chief

If you have any stories that you wish to share with the wider community then please contact us info@DesiAustralia.comon

Stay safe and stay

“DOSTI” - SENATOR HON. PENNY MANTRA FOR THE AUSTRALIA AIBC AUSTRALIA INDIA INTERNATIONAL

“Our relationship is built on many things, but fundamentally, it is built on shared interests. And it is why we think of our relationship as one of dosti - our friend ship. So together, there is just so much that our two nations can achieve, and your work is central to that. Our partnership extends well beyond the bilateral because we share a region and whichever region that is being reshaped. Our relationship is profoundly important. It is profoundly important that countries with shared interests work together” said Senator The

Hon. Penny Wong, Foreign Minister of Australia delivering the Australia India Address at the Australia India Interna tional Business Summit 2022 - organised by the Australia India Business Council on 24 August at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney.

Emphasising the special significance of the trade relationship and celebrating the

75th Indian Independence Day, the Aus tralia India Business Council Ltd (AIBC) organised a three-day AIBC Australia India International Business Summit held from 23-25 August 2022.

Welcoming the Chief Guest Senator, The Hon. Penny Wong and other eminent guests including Mr Tony Abbott former Prime Minister of Australia,

Mr Jim Varghese AM, National Chair of AIBC said “AIBC applauds the Australian Indian diaspora celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Indian Independ ence Day. There are no boundaries to the India Australia relationship. India is the right partner for Australia and Austral ian businesses must look to India as a market to supply rather than a market for consumption. The partnership between Australia and India will generate trade in many sectors. To effectively support the trade momentum generated by the Eco

WONG DEFINES NEW SUCCESS INDIA RELATIONSHIP AT THE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS SUMMIT

of Indian Industry, Business Council of Australia, Business NSW, Export Council of Australia, NSW Indigenous Chamber of Commerce, Australia India Travel & Tourism Council participated in the Sum mit deliberations , business showcase and B2B sessions held during the three days.

nomic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) between the two countries, AIBC has established a dedicated Australia In dia Business Enterprise (AIBE) to support and facilitate end to end B2B commercial transactions and Industry Chairs. AIBC will hold the Australia India International Business Summit as an annual business event”.

High Commissioner of India in Aus tralia, H.E. Manpreet Vohra said “India has emerged as the fastest economy in the world. As we celebrate the 75th An niversary of Indian Independence, India Australia relations have strengthened during the last decade and upgraded to CSP. This is an acknowledgement of our convergent views on geo strategic and geo economic issues particularly in the Indo Pacific region. ECTA is a watershed moment and opens large opportunities for businesses in both countries. It is time that Australian businesses appreciate

New India. Even during the pandemic the Foreign Direct Investment in India by many countries has grown tremen dously. It is time the business leaders to understand this potential India offers.

I congratulate Australia India Busi ness Council for the very well organised Australia India International Business Summit in this regard”.

A large contingent of business lead ers, from both Australia and India and dignitaries, Members of Parliament across the political spectrum, high ranking Gov ernment of India officials attended and participated in this first ever Australia India International Business Summit organised by AIBC. Many Government and partner organisations including Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, High Commission of India Canberra, Consulate General of India, Sydney, Investment NSW, Invest India, Austrade, Kerala Start-up Mission, Confederation

The business outcome focused sessions, scheduled over the three days of the Australia India International Business Summit (AIIBS 2022), showcased the “New India – new bilateral business to business opportunities across several key industry sectors”. These sessions were highly engaging with the participation of leaders from the Australian and the Indian Governments, Corporate leaders, AIBC member organisations, First Nations Businesses, AIBC business partners and Startups founders. Apart from the Educa tion & Future of Learning sector, several other sectors such as Defence, Aerospace, Cyber Security, Financial Services & Fin tech, Tourism & Hospitality sectors were showcased. The program also included a strong focus on advanced manufacturing, smart/sustainable infrastructure, sustain able renewable energy, circular economy, and waste to energy solutions with large participation by several businesses across Australia and India both in person and digitally. There were several Business outcomes including business launch, solution showcase and MOUs facilitated during the summit. The Annual address and an impactful panel discussion hosted by Jodi McKay, with esteemed business and Govt delegates highlighted the need to create ongoing business to business connects, India opportunities literacy initiatives and regular showcase of a business cases studies and success stories build continued momentum on this

bi-lateral engagement. The Gala event also showcased several business out comes themed “Cultural Extravaganza’’ highlighting opportunities of collabo ration in Art & culture, First Nation businesses and Textile - Design Industry collaboration at scale with India.

Irfan Malik - President - AIBC NSW State Chapter and Chair of the AIIBS 2022 Business Summit said “for the first time in the history of Australia In dia trade programs, the AIBC Business Summit had a strong focus on Australia - India Bi-lateral opportunities for the Indigenous and First Nations Busi nesses to leverage and accelerate en gagement with the Indian market. This summit is also expected to spark-off unprecedented levels of cross industry engagement bringing industry bodies,

university research centres, govern ment agencies, startup ecosystems and business groups looking to collaborate on market validation and scaling up opportunities”.

Sheba Nandkeolyar – Immediate Past National Chair of AIBC and co-organiser of the Business Summit said “AIIBS 2022 Business Summit has created a huge momentum and suc cesses to accelerate business to business outcomes and will be a key enabler for Australia India bi-lateral trade and engagement”.

Deepak Bagla – CEO and Managing Director of Invest India said “I con gratulate AIBC for organising such a wonderful business summit. Our journey has just begun. There are huge opportu

nities for Australian businesses in India. We can work together in many sectors such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, Airports and aviation services, Electric Vehicles, Renewable Energy, Hydrogen, logistics, biotech and Defence”.

AIBC also launched three new ini tiatives, AIBC Digital, AIBC Young Business Leaders Chapter and AIBC First Nation & Indigenous Chapter at this Business Summit.

Announcing another important mile stone in the bilateral relations at this Summit, Senator The Hon. Senator Penny Wong said “my colleague, the Education Minister, Jason Clare, and his counterpart have discussed how Australian universities can help India deliver its plan to see 50% extraordi nary objective 50% of young Indians enrolled in higher education by 2035. It is an extraordinary achievement. If they believe we can work together to do so’”.

The over 400 invited eminent guests were mesmerised with Senator Hon. Penny Wong’s inspiring speech and a powerful message “tonight we celebrate an extraordinary nation, an extraordinary nations past and present, for we look forward to an even brighter future. Jai Hind, Happy Independence Day!”

TCornerhecountry’s

HISTORY MADE WITH ALL WOMEN TEAM TO LEAD AUSTRALIA INDIA BUSINESS COUNCIL LTD

leading Australia India business chamber will be led by former NSW Leader of the Opposition, Jodi McKay and Ravneet Pawha, Vice President (Global Alliances) and CEO (South Asia) at Deakin University.

Ms McKay and Ms Pawha’s election as National Chair and National Vice Chair of the Australia India Business Council Ltd (AIBC) comes at a momentous time in the history of Australia-India rela tions, with the two countries agreeing on an interim free trade agreement and negotiations underway for an Australia India Comprehensive Economic Coop eration Agreement.

“India is the fastest growing major economy in the world, and Australia has been positioning itself to realise the mutual benefits of growing trade ties,” Ms McKay said.

“However, the relationship between Australia and India is not solely a gov ernment responsibility - business must be prepared to step up and it is AIBC’s role to support and facilitate opportuni

“Ravneetties.”

and I lead the AIBC at a crucial time in the bilateral relationship. We are excited about the opportunities for Australia and the role of AIBC as the voice for business and an advocate for strengthening economic, social and cultural ties.”

The AIBC was established in 1986 by the respective Prime Ministers of both countries of the time - Bob Hawke and Rajiv Gandhi.

“The history of AIBC and the India Australia story are underpinned by busi

ness to business and people to people links. AIBC must be the voice for business and trade, while harnessing the tremendous potential of the diaspora in this critical relationship.”

Ravneet Pawha said, “I’ve had the op portunity of being a voice in building robust government-to-government, busi ness-to-business and people-to-people linkages between India and Australia for almost three decades in various roles including as the President of the AIBC Victoria chapter for the past two years,”

“India is Australia’s seventh-largest trading partner and fifth-largest export market, and the signing of the historic India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement has given signifi cant momentum to the deepening of the bilateral relationship,”

“Both governments recognise there is significant potential in cooperation in areas of trade and business, AIBC is well-positioned to advance this engage ment by facilitating, nurturing, and promoting industry, business, start-ups

ecosystem through commercial and economic development between India and Australia.”

“I look forward to working with Jodi in strengthening AIBC’s role as a platform for leaders of businesses in both coun tries to transform and influence deci sions that promote mutual awareness and understanding that makes it easier for Australian businesses to operate in India and vice versa,” Ms Pawha added. Ms McKay and Ms Pahwa thanked the outgoing leadership team of Jim Var ghese and Sanushka Seomangal.

“Jim and Sanushka have placed AIBC in a strong position to champion the India Australia trade cause. “Ravneet and I hope to build on that work for the mutual benefit of our two great nations, said Ms McKay.

Jodi and Ravneet will be supported in the AIBC national leadership team by Irfan Malik, CEO and Managing Direc tor inQ Innovation Global and Ashok Mysore, Vice President Delivery and Operation at Infosys.

Jodi McKay Ravneet Pahwa

What parents should and shouldn’t talking to their child about

NAPLAN

is a nationwide test of literacy and numeracy that all students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9 are expected to take.

It doesn’t impact entrance to high school or university, but is a measure of how a child is performing at school.

Just like every year, some students will bring home results that are lower than what they hoped for. If this happens to

your child, you can play an important role in helping them overcome some of the disappointment and limit any impact on their wellbeing.

What should you say – and what shouldn’t you say – when discussing NAPLAN results with your child?

Do talk about the context

One thing parents can do for their stu

It’s that time of year again when parents and students anxiously await their results.NAPLAN

shouldn’t say when about NAPLAN results

demic and floods. NAPLAN participa tion rates were historically low this year, which says a lot about the challenging circumstances students have faced.

Do talk about life beyond NAPLAN

Without fail, NAPLAN attracts national attention every year. To a student, it is hard to believe that NAPLAN could be anything but a very big deal.

Unfortunately, research has shown students’ self esteem can be negatively im pacted by lower-than-expected test results.

Parents can help students understand NAPLAN is only one indication of their learning progress. They can encourage their child to focus on their strengths and other indicators of achievement. These may be achievements in subjects not tested by NAPLAN, or involvement in extra curricular activities.

more important now. The last few years have been extremely disruptive, and families have been impacted in very different ways.

It is impossible to know exactly how the effects of the pandemic influenced each student’s NAPLAN performance. Because of this, comparisons across students, class rooms or years can be misleading.

Don’t focus on what NAPLAN ‘means’ for the future

It is critical that students and parents understand that NAPLAN is only one narrow measure of learning.

NAPLAN only provides a small snap shot of how they performed on one day. NAPLAN will never be able to capture everything a student has learned or the progress they have made.

It is also true that NAPLAN doesn’t tell us much about what a student might do in the future. Most importantly, students should be reminded that NAPLAN does not define who they are, or what they are capable of achieving.

And don’t panic!

dent is help them understand the broader context of NAPLAN.

For one thing, the purpose of NAPLAN is for the government and public to get a broad understanding of how schools are performing.Thisprovides

important information about where to allocate more resources to support schools in need. While individual families also receive information about how their student performed, this was not the original purpose of the test.

Another key aspect is the impact of COVID cannot be overstated when it comes to interpreting this year’s NA PLAN results. Countries around the world are reporting that annual test scores are significantly down this year, and it shouldn’t be a surprise.

School disruptions might explain some of these drops, but we can’t forget the levels of fear, loss and trauma that many families have experienced due to the pan

Parents may also like to note that some experts say the test should be abandoned or changed, arguing it it is too narrowly focused and hampers creativity.

Do talk to your child’s teacher

Most importantly, if you have any questions about your student’s NAPLAN results, discuss these questions with your child’s

Teachersteacher.have the most valuable information about how your student is progressing through school.

Regardless of what NAPLAN results say, teachers are the ones who spend every day watching your student grow. They are constantly assessing learning, and they will be able to explain how your student is doing and how to interpret NAPLAN scores more holistically.

Don’t compare your child’s results

Please resist the urge to compare your student’s NAPLAN results to their peers’ or even their own previous scores.

I would say this every year, but it’s even

Regardless of how your student performs on NAPLAN this year, do not panic or get overly excited.

Remaining calm and encouraging your student to see NAPLAN as but one measure of achievement is crucial for supporting students’ wellbeing and future prospects.

Overreactions can have multiple consequences. They can lead to unneces sary pressure to perform better next time, which will likely have the opposite effect.

They can also lead to the incorrect belief that NAPLAN scores are true pre dictors of what students will be capable of doing in the future. It is not worth jeopardising a student’s sense of worth simply because of one test score.

This article was originally published on The Author:Conversation. Jessica Holloway

Senior Research DECRA Fellow, Insti tute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education, Australian Catholic University.

R U OK ?

By Poornima Vamsi

Youheard me right; on the occa sion of ‘R U OK’ day, I quickly wanted to check in with family and friends if they are doing ok or if there is something that I could help with and then realized that with all the recent hap penings, I am dealing with a lot of emotions, and I will admit that I am not ok.

While we might feel really uncomfortable in admitting this dear, as we are taught to feel and say we are ok, even if we aren’t, I want you to understand that it is very important to acknowledge and honour how you feel rather than being blatant about it.

As for me, I am working with myself through the tools, techniques and meth odologies I learnt on how to deal with my inner-child and the emotions arising out of it. Until I had the knowledge that we should actually not supress our emotions, there were many instances in life where I forcibly told myself that I was fine, even if I wasn’t. When I look back now, I see that one such

incident is actually the root cause for me being diagnosed with Thyroid, higher TSH levels and it clearly speaks for how STRESS actually contributes to your physical sickness apart from the mental/emotional turmoil. And on this occasion, I want to share with you the process I am using to release my emotions and urge you do so if you are going through any vulnerability in life –

1.Recognise: It is extremely important to recognise what is actually bothering you from inside. For me, when I sat through and thought, I did not get my answers. However, when I started to journal my thoughts on ‘Why am I feeling low’, I was given couple of reasons on which I further journaled to get to the root of the issue. Some questions that will help you identify your state of being –

Why am I feeling low?

What is presently running as my thought and is it associated with my current state of

being?Hasthere

been any recent incident/s that has triggered my mood?

2.Acknowledge: As you get to recognise your ‘state of being’ , acknowledge that

it is how you are feeling and appreciate for the place you are in. While it might sound unusual to appreciate, are you not glad that you were able to identify the reason for you feeling low rather than just wandering?

3.Reframe: This is ‘THE DIFFICULT’ step for most of us to do. As we recognise and acknowledge, it is now important for us to keep that particular instance/situa tion as stand-alone rather than believing that is who you are! Most of the times, a particular instance or situation might make us feel worthless and we impose it on ourselves unknowingly. This is not true! It is the instance that makes you feel vulnerable and does not have anything to do with WHO YOU ARE! So, reframe your thoughts about who you are, and this is again best done by journaling.

4.Embody: By now, if you were someone like me, you should start to feel a lot better because you have disassoci ated yourself from the moment/instance/ situation that made you feel not so good. Again, journal on how you are presently feeling after reframing and embody the newAndYOU.always remember, it is actually ok to say that ‘I AM NOT OK’

Note : As a woman, it is important that we feel ok to be able to support our family and loved ones; give yourself an opportunity to feel ok!

NSW GOVERNMENT BUILDS ON SUCCESS OF MULTICULTURAL CAMPAIGN TO HELP TO GAMBLERS

Thenext phase of a campaign to provide help for gamblers from a culturally diverse back ground has launched, building on a highly successful first phase.

“Gambling is an issue for people from all walks of life, however, research shows that people from a migrant background face different issues and significant barriers in seeking help.” says Natalie Wright, Director, Office of Responsible

TheGambling.Number

that Changed My Life launched in 2021 resulted in a 27% increase in calls from target language groups to GambleAware, a free support and counselling service for those affected by

Thegambling.campaign

drew on insights from a program of in-depth research and exten sive consultation with gambling counsel lors who work with multicultural clients.

“This is an exceptionally positive result

and a clear demonstration of the need for this campaign” says Ms Wright.

“But we know that changing behaviour takes time. This new phase will ensure we continue the conversation with the community and provide the positive reenforcement to encourage change”.

Phase two of The Number that Changed My Life will also speak to the gamblers’ loved ones.

“We also know gambling doesn’t just af fect gamblers; it impacts their loved ones as well. It’s important to let people know that if they are affected there’s support for them too” according to Ms

“WhenWright.

someone from a culturally diverse background has a problem with gam bling, they often don’t recognise that it’s an issue. Even when they do, shame and stigma can stop them from getting help. It’s often friends and family who initiate help seeking”.

Resources have been developed to sup port both the gambler and their family and friends. This dual approach has been designed to break down stigma and foster a supportive environment that encour ages help seeking.

Bespoke campaign creative has been developed for the Chinese, Arabic, Vietnamese, Korean and Indian commu nities. The campaign will air on all media channels including ethnic print, radio, TV, digital, online video and OOH (out of home), and will be supported by com munity engagement initiatives.

“There is no shame in recognising that you, or someone you love, may be gam bling excessively and need help. It shows strength. Free, confidential support is available in your language. The counsel lors aren’t there to judge, they’re there to help” concluded Ms Wright.

If you or someone you love is affected by gambling, call 1800 858 858 for free, confidential help.

Beyond Pink: Caring for care givers and people living with Cancer

Oneyear of supporting carers of cancer pa tients as well as cancer patients and survivors with information support and wellness

1activities.in7Australians

face the daunting prospects of being diagnosed with cancer before they reach 85. In fact, Cancer Council has estimated that by 2040 one in two Australians will be touched by Cancer – because the im pact of living with cancer affects not only the patients themselves, but also their family, friends and care givers.

These care givers, usually a family member or close friend – help cancer patients as they go through treat

ment by assisting with daily chores, coordinating services, and providing emotional and spiritual support. In the process, they selflessly put their own needs and feelings aside to focus on the person living with cancer. This can take its toll emotionally and physi cally over time.

Pink Sari Inc.’s Beyond Pink project provides this vital support to car ers and patients/survivors within the South Asian community. It is focused on providing primary and secondary carers with information, knowledge and skills necessary to better under stand and support the people they are

caring for.

On 6th August, Pink Sari Inc cel ebrated the first anniversary of it’s Beyond Pink Project at a colourful event with many attendees dressed in traditional sarees in all shades of pink. The event was organised at the Par ravilla Function Centre, and attended by Mr. Sameer Pandey, the Deputy Lord Mayor for Parramatta, Ms. Sarah McGill, Deputy CEO Cancer Institute NSW, Ms. Sam Shen from NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service, other distinguished guests from media and community services, cancer survivors and carers.

The event opened with a melodious flute recital by Vikas Pawar. The event concluded with Hamsa Venkat’s brief introduction to dance therapy followed by a vibrant dance perfor mance by students of her Samskrithi School of dance. Both Councillor Sameer Pandey and Sarah McGill in their speeches acknowledged the im portant work that Pink Sari was doing in raising awareness about cancer screening and prevention and the suc cess of the Beyond Pink initiative.

Many who attended had a deep personal connection to the cause and acknowledged the importance of taking care of themselves, and how much they appreciated the many activities organised by Beyond Pink to promote wellness. These healing activities ranged from art therapy to dance therapy to creative writing

Audiencesessions.

was moved to tears by a carer who recounted how he sup

ported his wife through diagnosis, remission, and relapse. He spoke of the strength, courage and determina tion that his wife had shown through adversity and how he in turn was then able to encourage and support his wife through it all to achieve her ambition of completing her doctorate.

In the final analysis, this husband’s story vividly illustrated the vital im portance of Beyond Pink’s role– help ing to empower and support many carers in similar position so that they can look after their own health and wellbeing, and in so doing, enhance the care they provide to their loved ones living with cancer.

Pink Sari expressed their gratitude to Cancer Institute NSW for their sup port and guidance. Moving forward Pink Sari hopes to garner the support of the community and other organiza tions to scale explore.

With the support of Cancer Institute NSW’s one year funding, Pink Sari Inc. has come a long way to empower carers and those impacted by cancer, but there is a long way to go so Pink Sari is seeking the support of the community to walk with them on their journey ahead.

WaliaHarmohan:CreditPhoto

Artisan House Markets - a wonderful women entrepreneurs to showcase

Indian Mumpreneurs hosted their fifth annual ARTISAN’S HOUSE MARKET on the 11th of September at the Rebellion Room, Castle Hill Cultural Centre.

Indian Mumpreneur is a group of like-minded businesswomen from the Indian sub-continent. Currently managed by Shipra Bhatia-Tewani and Maha Rajagopal, this group has grown leaps and bounds in the last 6 years. Artisan’s House Market was conceptualised by a group of small business owners from within Indian Mumpre neurs to create a platform for its members to showcase and sell their products.

After two years of break due to COVID, this year, the team of organizers including Shipra Bhatia-Tewani, Maha Rajagopal, Mansi Khanna Bhatia, Meena Kumar Mehanty and Upala Sutankar got together to recreate the magic and help small home-based women businesses to revive

Thereagain.were

nearly 30 vendors who participated in what became a one stop shop for bespoke clothes, jewellery, home decor, skincare, Diwali decorations and much more.

The market was well attended by nearly 400

people who couldn’t get enough of the wide range of exclusive products on display. Products were bought, vendor contact details were taken and promises of continued patronage were made on the day.

The event had the feel of a fair with vari ous events happening throughout the day, the highlight being the kids’ talent show which gave an opportunity for young kids to showcase their talent after a COVID created hiatus. The kids participated with such gusto that the atmosphere felt very warm, welcoming, and relaxed. Not to

be left behind, the grown-ups also participated with the Mum & Bubs fashion show. And the folk dance by Shona Thapliyal was mesmerising to say the least.

The opening ceremony was performed by lighting of the lamp by Clr Reena Jethi – Councillor – The Hills Shire, Clr Sameer Pandey – Deputy Lord Mayor – City of Par ramatta, Melissa Monterio – CEO CMRC (Community Migrant Resource Centre), and Nim Gholkar – Author and Success Coach. The dignitaries encouraged the small busi

wonderful platform for showcase and sell

nesses with their inspiring speeches.

The closing ceremony was attended by Clr Sreeni Pillamarri – Councillor – the Hornsby Shire who took time to meet each

stallholder individually and motivated them to give their best.

Kudos to Both Shipra and Maha who executed such a flawless event. Their selfless contribution and devotion toward the cause of empowering women was acknowledged by everyone who came to the event. Even before the day ended,

the patrons, as well as the stallholders were ask ing the organisers about when the next market will be held.

Both Shipra and Maha, have certainly set some very high standards for themselves. We are eagerly waiting to see what their next endeavour will be...

Celebration of Language and Literature: Hindi Diwas 2022

By: Vaibhavi Joshi

Australiais a thriving, multieth nic nation that has welcomed immigrants from all over the world, resulting in a wide variety of cultures, languages, religious practises, lifestyles, and cuisine. Every immigrant who comes to Australia brings their distinct cul tural beliefs and, more crucially, their native tongues.

As a result of the first generation of migrants continuing to speak their native tongues, it has been found that the second generation picks up those languages with a bit less ease. However, as the third-generation approaches, our mother tongue begins to steadily disappear. Many languages are

increasingly in danger of extinction because English has taken over as the primary lan guage of education and communication. A language vanishes every two weeks, carrying with it a complete cultural and intellectual legacy. Whenever a language disappears, a piece of the world’s intricate tapestry of cultural diversity disappears. It becomes our responsibility to preserve and pass our

languages to our younger generation.

In India, there are several regional languag es spoken, but Hindi is the most common. The day that Hindi was made the official language of the Union of India is known as Hindi Diwas. The Constituent Assembly of India declared Hindi, written in Devanagari script, to be the official language of the Union

of India on September 14, 1949. Hindi lovers celebrate Hindi Diwas all around the world, and a variety of events are planned for kids and young people.

For more than ten years, the Indian Literary and Art Society of Australia (ILASA Inc.) Re kha Rajvanshi has hosted Hindi Diwas events. ILASA, in collaboration with Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan, Little India Harris Park Business Association Inc. and Sydney Connexions organised Hindi Diwas 2022 on Sunday, Sep tember 4th. The spouse of the Consul General of India in Sydney - Nimeesha Gupta, the Lord Mayor of Parramatta - Donna Davis, the

Deputy Mayor - Sameer Pandey, and the Clrs. - Suman Saha, Kushpinder Kaur, and Sreeni Pillamarri were among the dignitaries present. The day’s keynote speaker, well-known media personality Charls Thomson, gave a thought provoking speech on why we need to preserve our languages and stay connected to our roots and cultural heritage.

On this occasion, the Lord Mayor Donna Davis, with other dignitaries presented the ILASA Lifetime Achievement Awards to two notable members of the community: Dave Passi, President of Indian Seniors Hornsby, and well-known theatrical, TV, and cinema star Saba Zaidi Abdi. The book “How to Bring Smile on Someone’s Face” by Suresh Makkar was also released.

“We chose to bring Hindi Diwas to the Par ramatta region since it is the centre for Indian immigrants and Hindi speakers, allowing Hindi enthusiasts to take part. I’m happy to see those prominent members of the Indian community, including Sanjay Deshwal, Pan kaj Tangri and his group, and Gambhir Watts, have teamed up. We also had the support of other local community members and volun teers. My humble request to all parents is to educate our children our languages.” - Rekha Rajvanshi

Nimeesharemarked.Gupta,who spoke on behalf of the Consul General, enthralled everyone with her very insightful speech and her poetry was enjoyed by all. The second segment of the show featured a competition for Hindi mono logues, short stories, and skits. Sonu Sarda served as the MC for the theatre session, and Hindi Samaj’s Gunjan Tripathi served as the

MC for the poetry segment.

Several great performances occurred. The winners were Akanksha Srivastava (First), Shweta Sharma Rai (First) Vaibhavi Joshi, Ingita Thakkar, and Manisha Belani. Saba Zaidi Abdi, Dr. Gaytri Singh, and Taufeeq Ahmed Sheikh served as the judges.Eight gifted poets, including Nimeesha ji and Clr. Kushpinder Kaur, performed poetry. Hearing so many excellent and moving poems read by some of the most senior poets in attendance was great. Both portions were well-liked by theShashiaudience.Lal

Events and many other com munity leaders supported the event. Media support was given by SBS Hindi, Desi Australia, Hindi Gaurav, Public Telegraph, The Indian Down Under, Radio Kahte Sunte, Radio Darpan, Euphony Films, Sid Photog raphy and Fabs Media. AHIA, IABBV Hindi School, Kogra Hindi School, Hindi Samaj, Mahasangh, Sydney Connexions, Indian Seniors Hornsby. No event is possible without volunteers, kudos to them for supporting the event.Following the ceremony, Sunil Vyas, president of the UIA, said, “Congratulations! The speakers’ and participants’ presentations, which came in a variety of formats, were of incredible quality. Events like these are highly motivating.”Iapplaud

Rekha Rajvanshi for promot ing Hindi literature and language in Australia and hope that more combined efforts would inspire the locals to main tain ties to their roots.

WaliaHarmohan:CreditPhoto

SAREEING CITY2SURF

By: Poornima Menon

Indianhistory is a testament to ladies in sarees achieving various feats, from working in the fields to riding horses and practicing ‘Kalaripayittu’ (the tra ditional martial art of Kerala). More recently there have been ladies in sarees driving buses

and tractors, and also performing acrobatics. This only goes to show the versatility of the saree. But all these feats have mostly hap pened on the home ground of the saree, India. Outside India, ladies generally drape sarees for special occasions like festivals, weddings, kitty parties, etc. And Australia has been no different till 14th August happened! On 14th August 2022 the ladies of the Saree Club in Sydney turned a page when they participated in the City2Surf draped in sarees.

Over the years City2Surf has transformed from a humble local road race in Sydney to the world’s largest fun run attracting over 85,000 participants from across the globe.

People run/walk in different categories. And while there is a group of serious runners who compete for medals, there are other catego ries where people run/ walk at their own pace. And for the first time in the 50 years of City2Surf, a group of 11 ladies walked the 14 kilometres wearing sarees. The ladies of the Saree Club added a new chapter to the history book of this iconic event. It was a delectable and irresistible combination of the Sun, Surf, Sand and Sarees.

The Saree Club team comprised of Anjali Shah, Ashwini Salvi, Dipika Gan dhi, Jesal Taneja, Kalrav Desai, Lakshmi Jadav, Poornima Menon, Punita Yadav, Rupa Parthasarathy, Sarita Tiwari and Winky Gill. This year being the first year, the saree sisters joined the Orange group. When I first floated the idea, the ladies were very excited, and the adventurous ones jumped on board without a second thought. The jitters, the butterflies and the apprehensions came in after. These were some of the questions criss-crossing through the minds of some of them,

“Will be able to walk 14 kilometres and keep pace with the rest of the group?”

“Will I be able to walk 14 kilometres in a saree and keep pace with the rest of the group?”“Will my saree stay in place? What if I trip over the saree?”

“What if I am not able to complete the 14 kilometres and let my team down?”

But the combined energy of the sisterhood put all these qualms to rest. We were in it together and would be looking out for each other. Since we all had different fitness levels, we decided to have a planned approach to the walk. We set ourselves out in two catego ries, each with a category leader. We stayed as close together as possible to ensure we don’t lose each other among the thousands of participants on the road. We cheered each other up and amongst the exuberant cheers we received from the other participants and by-standers, we ladies not only walked/jogged easily in the sarees, but also successfully completed the 14 kilometres, creating waves and ripples along the way. We conquered the ‘Heartbreak Hill’ quite effortlessly. It was very heart-warming to see the response we received from other members of the Indian di aspora, some of them participants and others volunteers at the water stops. People came up to us for photos, we joined the dancers along the way and also danced to the rhythms of the numerous musicians who were there to entertain the participants and add more zest to this fun event.

It is very easy to let life hap pen. To wake up and go about your daily chores. To stay in that comfort zone. It takes courage, time, effort and determination to do some thing different and venture outside that comfort zone. With each decision of yours that culminates into an action, you create moments, and these moments transform

themselves into memories ……. moments and memories that make your life interest ing and unique. Doing something different and challenging creates sparks in your neural network that helps release endorphins, the feelgood hormone, that reduces stress and improves your sense of well-being. Draping a saree to attend a wedding, an event, a concert, a party, etc is very different from draping a

saree and walking 14 kilometres!! We had such a great time that the City2Surf will now be an annual event on the Saree Club calendar. We hope to see more participants next year. We are also looking to improve our fitness levels and register in the Yellow group. And with every year we will better our performance. I am looking forward to the day when some of my saree sisters will be able to jog/ run the 14 kilometres. Let’s raise a glass to the strength, camaraderie and spirit of the Saree Sisterhood. Cheers !

Ayurveda

Principle of Application of herbs

By Dr Naveen Shukla

Basic Concept of Health and Therapeu tics

Ayurveda is the millennia old Traditional System of Medicine (TSM) from India. TSMs lack scientific vigour and systematic methods are the common public perception. But, contrary to this perception, Ayurveda is a systematic, structured, rationalized knowledge system about health and life which operates on robust principle based theoretical underpinnings. These principles are outcomes of long standing keen and methodical observations of a supremely talented and unbiased sect.

Health is said to be functional, dynamic and a harmonious balance among the components of the living being. This state of balance is individual, specific, and is manifested in proper and adequate tissue systems, peaceful state of mind in har mony with its surroundings rendering the individual to defeat the possibility of any pathological challenges.

(Charaka Samhita Sutra Sthana: 21/18-19)

An imbalance to health can be caused by two ways i.e. structural and/or functional (D increase or (i) decrease in any of the components of the living being. Therapeu tics is nothing but disrupting the pathogenic process. Ayurveda states that an increaseoriented pathogenesis can be managed by administering substances or mean that will effectuate a decrease in those components and similarty a decrease-oriented pathogen esis can be managed by substances that can effectuate an increase in those components within the body.

Against backdrop of this basic under standing, application of herbs in Ayur veda is guided by certain principles. This

principle-based application differentiates Ayurveda from other systems of herbal medicine.

1. Pancha Mahabhuta Theory

(Principle of five basic particles establish ing similarity between living being and the medicine)Ayurveda

states that all substances of this universe including the components of the living being and the medicines are made up of live basic particles, namely Prithvi, Jal, Agni, Vayu and Akash. Though these terms are roughly translated as Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether, but these translated terms scarcely reflect the concepts beneath these terms, Succinctly, Prithvi, Jal, Agni, Vayu and Akash represent inter alia mass,

cohesive force, energy, movement and space. This principle establishes similarity between the living being and the medicinal substances at the molecular level allowing possible engagement among them when brought together. (Charaka Samhita Sutra Sthana : 26/10)

Each Mahabhuta is attributed a certain set of properties and actions. The pre dominance of a mahabhuta in a substance leads to manifestation of some/all proper ties attributed to the mahabhuta. There are 10 such pairs of properties called as Guna, each pair comprising of 2 opposing properties, like Heavy-Light, Hot-Cold etc. Thus, assessment of mahabhautik status of an herb is critical in its selection vis-a-vis a clinical issue. (Charaka Samhita Sutra

herbs in Ayurveda

Sambita Sutra Sthana : 01/44)

3. Dosha (Regulators) - Dhatu (Building Units) - Mala (Waste Products)

These are biological manifestations of Mahabhutas, Doshas are most important as they can produce changes in the other two. Thus, every aspect of Ayurvedic therapeutics is expressed in terms of Dosha i.e. whether it pacifies certain gosha or otherwise. Assessment of dosha is done first for a clinical issue and herbs are selected to manags the issue accordingly.

Dosa - Ohatu-Mala are expressed function ally by the 20 properties mentioned above, with a particular dosha having few particular properties like Ruksha(dry), Chala (move ment) are the properties of Vata. (Sushruta Samhita Sutra Sthana : 14/)

4. Rasa (Taste - signifying state of the substance at the inflal stage)Vipaka (State of substance after Diges tion & Metabolism) - Guna (properties) - | Virya (Potency types) - Prabhava (Effect specific to the substance)

5. Prakriti (Constitution)

Each individual is endowed with a Prakrit that makes him/her possess certain strengths and also some susceptibili ties. One must be aware of all aspects of the herbs. For example: Madhura rasa substances will affect a Kapha increase in a Kapha Prakriti person. Thus, prakriti must be considered while selecting a herb for an individual.

6. Kala (Time)

The living being is influenced by solar and lunar energy cycles of the nature. Thus, some herbs are not suitable in some seasons. For example, Kapha is naturally vitiated in Vasanta (spring) season, thus one has to factor out this while prescrib ing a machura substance in this season. (Charaka Samhita Sutra Sthana: 1/62)

7. Adhisthana (Aftinity of a herb)

Some herbs have specific affinity to specific target organ/ systems. These herbs will not produce effect in other organs or systems although the properties might suggest the same. (Charaka Samhita Sutra Sthana: 26/13)

Sthana: 26/11)

2. Samanya Vishesha(PrincipleTheoryofsimilar-dissimilar guiding the possible outcome when two substances are engaged together)

When two substances are engaged, similar factors increase and dissimilar fac tors decrease. Therefore, when an herb is administered it will potentially increase the similar factors within the living being and decrease the dissimilar factors. This funda mentally guides the principle of therapeutics in Ayurveda. One must assess the status of components) in a clinical issue and select a herb with similar attributes if components are undergoing decrease or vice versa. (Charaka

These five concepts are tools of herb as sessment and selection in Ayurveda. Each of these concepts signifies mahabhautik states of the substance at different stages of interaction with the living being. There are 6 Rasa, 3 Vipaka, 20 Guna and 2 Virya described in Ayurveda. Prabhava being specific effect of a particular substance is unique to that particular substance and thus no classification could be done. (Charaka Samhite Sutra Sthana: 26” Chapter)

For example - Madhura (sweet) rasa herb, signifies predominance of Prithvi and Jala mahabhuta, which are also predominant mahabhutas of Kapha dosha, Mamsa (muscle) dhatu, etc. Thus, this substance will increase Kapha and Mamsa chalu. It will also decrease the dissimilar doshia i.e. Vata dosha. Therefore, in cases of Kapha and chatu reduction and Vata aggravation Madhura substances are selected.

There are other factors which need to be considered for selecting a herb.

These are the main principles guiding the selection of herbs in Ayurveda. There are other principles applicable to herb selection in Ayurveda too. This principle- based, rational ized and structured selection process of herbal medicine in Ayurveda, is truly holistic in na ture. It also emphasizes the fact that though it might look simple, the use of herbs for health through Ayurveda requires expert assessment and prescription by a Vaidya.

Nature Care Ayurveda provides Akshi tarpana / Netra Tarpana treatment for your eyes in the upcoming summer.

The panel consist of Dr Naveen Shukla, the Founder and Director of Nature Care Ayurveda and President of Australasian As sociation of ayurveda.

Dr Nikhila Venugopal is the Ayurveda consultant and Marma specialist of Nature Care Ayurveda.

For more information or to see a doctor for specific health concern visit our www.naturecareayurveda.com.auwebsiteorcalluson0295726990

GIVE MEDITATION A CHANCE

By: Sheetal Puri

Doyour mind keeps you up at night, it pulls you into the past to make you regret things you did or didn’t do, it creates worries about the future and it forces you to dwell on so many things, your financial problems, whether your kids will turn out to be valued members or not in the society.

The list of such kinds of possibilities are endless!

The worst part is that you don’t realise that you are doing self talk, but you are. Self talk is also known as INNER VOICE. Now it depends that your self talk is posi tive or negative. This Inner Voice combines conscious thoughts with inbuilt beliefs and biases to create an internal monologue throughout the day. This ends up with Brain Chattering and left us with confused state of mind. Thus these brain chattering leads to emotions and impulsiveness, which further leads to actions and reactions. This process unfolds consequences after consequences and the chain begins. But we are not aware of it and we fail to give any conscious intervention.Thengradually we become moody, de pressed, anxious,start doubting our abilities, question ourselves and we say or do things which we regret later.

We get lost in these worldly responsibili ties and do not try to guide ourselves. We start leading our life just following the mind wherever it leads. The functioning of life becomes on the AUTO MODE. We forget to enjoy our life and at the same time it makes us feel burdened. Further more, it leads to stress and tension in our life regarding fam ily, work, etc; all of these things become the struggle of our life.

On the another note, these burdens and

struggles dominate to various mental and physical problems. My question out there is that when we start realising the stress and tension why don’t we try to move a step ahead and become MINDFUL to seek help rather than scuffling inside. My journey with Meditation started 9 years back. At that time, I was going through some challenges in my life which were sometimes stressful. I needed all the help I get from myself. So I opened up with one of my friend who is a Meditation Guide. She helped me to start my JOURNEY TO MEDITATION. And as I was in that practice I felt miracle happening in my life. I became more mindful with my thoughts and feelings and I started enjoying and it became my habit. I got so much con nected that I joined various workshops and certified courses. Now I Meditate everyday and I like to believe I am a bit more skilled and

Asexperienced.Iamnowon

my Wellness Journey I would love to help people out there who needs my hand to start their journey to well ness. It is not some kind of exercise which you try to become Perfect it’s a way of being yourself to be consistent in your life. Like everybody, I also have ups and downs in my life. But looking at the bigger picture I have come to realise I do not have to let my mind navigate the ship. Certainly I do not have to

follow it wherever it leads.

Maybe that’s the secret to life ???

I do not know this; but it certainly makes life a better place to be in and make you feel grounded in the present moment and give positive attitude.

Why don’t you GIVE MEDITATION A CHANCE?????

To practice meditation you don’t need to wear any robes or do chanting. And it’s not mandatory that you have to sit in specific pose. It’s all about to infuse MINDFUL NESS in your mind and pay attention to your body and soul.

Let’s board and experience the JOUR NEY TO MEDITATION with your guide GUIDEDSheetal MEDITATION PROGRAM

ONLINE SESSION INCLUDES:

4JOURNEY TO MEDITATION

4INTROSPECTION OF INNER-SELF

4BREATHING TECHNIQUES

4MEDITATIVE BODYSCANNING

4MANNER OF GRATITUDE

Enrol yourself in the meditation program and feel the lightness, clean your mind and be well.

contact

Meditation is when you connect with your higher self and your soul intentionally by entering a “witness” state of mind.

The Symphony of Ghazals by Pankaj Udhas

Australia, Fiji and New Zealand. They were treated to a musical feast during his threehour concert with a break in the middle.

By: Rekha Rajvanshi

Maestro, singer, compos er, and musician Pankaj Udhas is considered one of India’s most prominent, revered, and recognisable artists. He has recorded over 60 albums during his lifetime. He is known to bring the traditional ghazal music to the masses. With a singing career spanning over 40 years, Pankaj Udhas continues to be a

Ghazal

musical icon to millions of fans around the globe.Towitness this glorious moment, ghazal lovers and followers flew from all over

Pankaj Udhas opened the show with a song that was recorded for his debut movie. He continued to sing some of his most well-known melodies and amazing ghazals while sharing tales from his musical career. He also paid tribute to Lata ji as his spiritual Guru.Inaddition to ghazals, Pankaj Udhas also performed nazms and semi-classical geets for the audience. The appeal of Udhas’ singing is that he constantly gives the ghazal a fresh flavour, keeping it interest ing for listeners even after they have heard it a hundred times. The soulful version of

It was a privilege to witness Pankaj Udhas Live in Concert at the prestigious Sydney Opera House on 4 September 2022. Padma Shri Pankaj Udhas celebrated 40 years of his musical journey in this mega concert.

Aur aahista keejie baatein, Jiye though jiye kaise and Ai gham-e-zindagi kuch though de mashwara, Chandi Jaisi rang hai tera, kajre ki dhar, Aaj phir tum pe pyar aaya hai, Hui mahangi sharab ki todi todi piya karo, and La pila de saakhiya were on his playlist.

While singing Dukh sukh tha Ek Sabka Pankaj Udhas got very emotional. He later explained that he got overwhelmed because his daughters were sitting in front of him. Pankaj Udhas also shared an incident of how one of his fans Arun Khurana in Jaland har used to play repeatedly his song ‘Na Kajre ki Dhar’, when neighbours requested him to stop, he responded ‘I will keep on playing this till Pankaj Udhas ji gets here and stops this record player himself. A small event was organised, and Pankaj ji was invited, who pressed the stop button to stop that song. Pankaj Udhas shared numerous such anecdotes with the audience.

I also recall how every Indian expatriate’s heart was touched when Pankaj Udhas sung Chitti aayi hai for the movie Naam in 1986. And experiencing it live and in concert from the artist himself made us all feel nostalgic.

The creative flexibility Pankaj Udhas grants to his group of musicians, is another area where Udhas excels. So, in addition to his ghazal show also featured some remark able solo recitals on the violin, flute, tabla and synthesiser. Main Itna Zor Se Nachi Ki

Ghungroo Toot Gaye provided an opportu nity for the instrumentalists to show case their

Afterskills.each

geet, ghazal, or nazm, the audience, mainly ghazal fans, applauded the singer to demonstrate their appreciation for him. Panka Udhas’s album of Mirza Ghalib’s ghazals was also launched by the Consulate General of India Sydney, Mr Manish Gupta and a CD was given to all the attendees. The event’s master of ceremony was Kartik Mohandas.

And the credit for this sold-out musical feast should go to Sydney-based Aakash and Akshay Lodhia, who organized this concert in their father’s memory, who was a great admirer of Pankaj ji’s ghazals and organ

ized his first concert in Fiji in 1984. It was a rare occasion for the audience to listen to Pankaj ji’s timeless symphony of ghazals and the concert will always be remembered by music fans.

ABC BULLION RISES TO DIWALI CHALLENGE WITH LAUNCH OF LIMITED-EDITION GOLD AND SILVER COINS

ABCBullion, Australasia’s largest independent pre cious metals and bullion dealer, has launched two new, limited-edition products – gold and silver coins embossed with Lak shmi, the Hindu Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity in celebration of Diwali at an exclusive event attended by prominent Indian community and business leaders on 30 August 2022. ABC Bullion’s Di wali coins are part of the annual mint age and the exquisitely crafted 5g gold coin and 1oz silver coins are expected to sell out in anticipation of the festival of lights, which is celebrated by one of the largest and fast est growing diaspo ras in

stands their customers’ special needs, especially aligned to festive periods such as Diwali. Aus tralian Indians have made significant contributions to the Australian economy and enriched our multicultural society. To celebrate Indian people, culture, weaccomplishments,andwantedtocreate

something specifi cally for this flour ishing community which we hope will be well received. Diwali celebrations are the perfect

opportunity to tap into the very auspi cious tradition of buying gold and silver amongEachIndians.”coinisbacked by its purity certificate and comes in a luxurious presentation box. These limitededition Diwali coins will be available for purchase on a special Diwali link on the ABC Bullion website which will go live from 20th September 2022 onwards. Stay tuned for up dates via social media.

Australian Indian CEO, Sheba Nandkeolyar from MultiConnex ions Group, said: “I am absolutely blown away by the beauty of these intricately designed Diwali limitededition silver and gold coins. What a gift to the Australian Indian commu nity, who will be celebrating Diwali next month. ABC Bullion is certainly an organisation which connects with the hearts of their audience and un derstands their special needs.”

Prominent Indian community and business leaders at the VIP launch praised ABC Bullion’s initiative of crafting these beautiful gold and silver coins for Diwali and expressed their eagerness to purchase as soon as they were available.

ONAM ASHAMSAGAL

By: Poornima Menon

Come September and this small state in the southern part of India spruces itself up for fun and festivities. It is Onam, the harvest festival of Kerala. It is different from other festivals as it transcends barriers of caste, creed and religion, and is celebrated by all Keralites – all Hindus, Muslims and Christians. It is a celebration of goodness, a celebration of giving and a celebration of plenty. This year Thiruvonam fell on 8th September.

Onam is a part of the cultural heritage and repertoire of every Malayalee. It is a harmonious blend of myth and reality. Myth has it that when Kerala was ruled by the legendry king Mahabali, prosper ity, equality, righteousness and plenty reigned. Gods fearing his growing power and popularity, requested Lord Vishnu to help them. Vishnu, in the guise of a Brah min lad, (vamana avatar) visited the king and asked him for three paces of land in alms. The king agreed in spite of seeing divine interference. Growing in size, the little lad assumed the size of a giant. It is said that with his first two steps he covered the entire land and when he had no space for his third step, the humble king bowed down and offered himself. He was then pushed into the netherworld. It is believed that Mahabali visits his sub jects once every year, a boon granted by the Almighty. Onam commemorates the memory of this Asura king, his glorious reign and his return to visit his people.

across the globe together. Many visit Kerala during this time to celebrate the festival with their family and close rela tives. In Kerala, the festivities last for ten days. The front courtyards are cleaned and then cleansed with cow dung. Floral designs (Pookalam) in various sizes and designs adorn the entrances of every home. The ladies get together for “Thiru vathira”, the popular traditional folk dance of Kerala. “Vallamkali” or the boat race in the waters of Pampa at Aranmulla is an attractive feature of this festival where men row the snake boats and teams race each other to the beat of drums and cymbals. Every nook and corner echo the sounds of the festivities. Small pandals are put up for various cultural programs. At certain venues, age old dance forms like “Thayyam” and “Kathakali” are per formed by professionals. The stage is set to showcase the rich cultural heritage of Kerala. The Onam “sadhya” or feast is a culinary highlight for which preparations begin the previous day.

Sydney is no stranger to these fes

tivities. There are many associations in different areas across Sydney that celebrate Onam on different days. It is the perfect time to meet and catch up with your Malayalee compatriots and to dress in the traditional kasavu saree or mundum veshti. It is also great to see kids and youngsters dressed in the traditional attire. The aim at every celebration is to recreate a mini-Kerala. There is nostalgia and a deep feeling of camaraderie. It is endearing to watch young Keralites born in Australia dancing to tunes of and sing ing popular Malayalam songs. I hope the spirit and tenets of Onam will continue to guide our lives as we look forward to the next celebration in 2023. Let us continue to open our hearts to the goodness and positivity around us without expecting anything in return. May we, in spite of all our differences, continue to live in harmony and have mutual respect for all members of our society and our country at large. Let us cherish and celebrate the simple things in life. Let the spirit of Onam continue to brighten our lives.

Onam Ashamsagal !

Onam brings the Malayalees from

Adelaide Pakistanis Sports Food & Sports

By: Daljeet Bakshi

Adelaide

Centre.APMG

Pakistanis Multicultur al Group organised Adelaide Pakistanis sports and food gala at St Clair Recreation

team Labeeb Ahmed (President), Lubna Hammad (Vice President), Hammad Zafar, Asif Jalil and team of volunteers did remarkable work presenting and organis ing the event. This event was attended by 1000 people and from all ages participated in different games which included Ladies and girl’s badminton, Girls Netball, Table tennis, Indoor Cricket, Indoor Soccer, boy’s netball and Basketball along with 8 different Pakistani food stalls with 16 deli cious food items.

Other than Pakistani community, dif ferent community leaders from different communities and dignitaries also attended the

Teamevent.APMG

said “we always believe in strengthening community by promot ing sports and small businesses to flourish under one roof and we are so pleased to see the calibre of our players, improvements and new talent coming up. It’s our biggest event of the year as well as one of a big gest event of Pakistani community as well. Our other motive is to strengthen our bond with other communities as well and in this regards we did India Pakistan Sports Day as well recently in March”.

Team APMG also said, “The love we are getting from our community is remarkable, where people flourishing their love for sports and food, enthusiastic participation and cherishing their teams and players that shows our involvement and commitment towards rich Australian culture”.

Sports and Food Gala connecting

Arts and Cultural Ganesh Festival of SA 2022

By: Daljeet Bakshi

Theresounding beats of dholtasha, soft jingling music of lezim, powerful chants in praise of Lord Ganesh, and women and children dressed up in traditional attire and head gear were the highlights of the vibrant procession of Lord Ganesh that marked the inauguration of the Arts and Cultural Ganesh Festival of SA 2022 that was held in Adelaide on 3 September and 4 September.

Organised by the not-for-profit organisation United Indians of South Australia (UIOSA)

at AFL Max, near Adelaide Airport, the Festival celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesh, the Hindu God of wisdom, prosper ity, and good fortune. An estimated 10,000 visitors flocked to the two-day free cultural event to seek the blessings of the deity and to immerse themselves in the spirit of

Thefestivity.highlight of the 2022 Festival was the beautiful and magnificent 21 feet high Ganesh idol, Australiacha Raja, which was shipped all the way from India. This year,

The volunteer-run event, which offers an op portunity for the people of South Australia to celebrate the multicultural spirit of the state, featured a wide array of music and dance perfor mances by 590 professional and budding artists from various linguistic, cultural, and regional Somebackgrounds.ofthecultural performances that enam oured the visitors included the Chinese lion dance, Vietnamese dance, Latin dance, Macedo nian folk dance, Garhwali dance, Marathi dance, Garba dance, Bharatnatyam dance, and contem porary dance. The Festival has proved to be a

great platform for artists (adults and children) of the state to showcase their talent and skills.

A new addition this year was the rendition of Lord Ganesh Aarti and Atharvashirsha (chanting of hymns) by children of 6-15 age group. They had practised for two months under the guidance of UIOSA committee member Kapil Chousalkar to gain perfection, and the result was a beautiful performance which was admired by all. The UIOSA Children’s Arti group has now been receiving invitations from other Indian com munity groups to showcase their talent at Indian

Therefestivals.was

an exclusive Satyanarayan Puja held on the morning of 4 September at the venue

wherein, 101 couples were invited to perform the puja. All the items needed for the puja were provided by the UIOSA.

In its 7th year now, the Arts and Cultural Ganesh Festival of SA 2022 highlighted the cohesive relationship between the state government, coun cils and the people of South Australia, and the support provided by the government bodies and the community in helping the state emerge from the throes of the COVID pandemic.

The Festival was supported by the Government of South Australia, the Department of the Pre mier and Cabinet and has the City of West Tor rens as its Event Partner. The other organisations that supported the Festival were the Multicultural Affairs SA, the Multicultural Communities Council of SA Inc., and the South Australian Cricket Association.

In his welcome speech, UIOSA President Dilip Kulkarni said the success of the Ganesh Festival was the result of the powerful support of their sponsors, volunteers and committee members and he thanked them all for their contribution and trust. It is the brigade of over 200 volunteers that run the show under the guidance of UIOSA working committee comprising 30 members. For the Arts and Cultural Ganesh Festival of SA 2022, of the 30 business sponsors, the lead corporate sponsors were Asia Pacific Group Education & Migration Consultants Adelaide and Alaxia Homes. The media partners for the event were SBS Radio, TEJJO TV, and Nischal Plus.

The Guest of Honour for the 2022 Festival was Hon Michael Coxon, Mayor, City of West Tor rens. The Mayor said his city was happy to host the vibrant Arts and Cultural Ganesh Festival of SA 2022 and he looked forward to welcoming the Lord Ganesh again. During the immersion procession Ganesh idol, AFL Max resembled a mini India, with people dancing to the reverber ating dhol-tasha beats, waving flags, and chant ing Ganpati Bappa Morya.

South Australia celebrates diversity and multi culturalism is a great way . Year around festivals make state a happening place with lots of engag ing events . This opens up a common space to promote inclusiveness , opportunities for small businesses and showcase of local talent . Migrant community of South Australia has massive sup port from the Government of South Australia and local community .

UIOSA presented a grand event celebrating Ganesh ji Festival .

Adelaide set a record of hosting the biggest Ganesh idol outside of India.

Inauguration of BAPS Swaminarayan Institute, Adelaide, South Australia,

By: Daljeet Bakshi

Wehuman beings are social animals and live our entire lives as a part of society and social interactions and social connections has a positive impact on our health. Quality time spent with friends you trust and care about is good for everyone and good for our overall sense of wellbeing and also for our soul.

BAPS Australia has inaugurated the BAPS Swaminarayan Research Institute Australia in Adelaide South Australia. Thousands

witnessed the historic inauguration and partic ipated in person or online through a live web cast in the Satsang Diksha Homatmak Path, a unique yagna (a ritual performed to invoke God for their blessings) ceremony in which sanctified grains were offered in the sacrificial flame with the recital of selected Sanskrit verses from the Satsang Diksha scripture (a revered and profound spiritual text at BAPS). For the first time in the Asia Pacific Region, the Satsang Diksha Homatmak Path yagna was undertaken. Over 90 children and teenag ers sang Vedic peace prayers and recited San skrit verses from the Satsang Diksha scripture in the Homatmak Path. With the blessings of His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, this yagna is a stepping-stone for the elevation of Vedic Sanatan Dharma and its heritage on the land of Australia.

The BAPS Swaminarayan Research Institute is dedicated to advancing quality re

search, learning, and expression of Hinduism, its cultures, philosophies, affiliated languages, and rich collection of literature. Furthermore, the institute will strive to foster social har mony, interfaith dialogue, public engagement, and academic discourse as it generates oppor tunities for the highest level of value-based education, innovative research, and creative expression. His Holiness Mahant Swami Ma haraj, the spiritual guru of the BAPS Swami narayan Sanstha is the visionary and inspirer of this research institute. Furthermore, The BAPS Research Institute was inaugurated as a part of the centenary celebrations of His Holi ness Pramukh Swami Maharaj.

His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj designated and inspired Mahamahopadhyay Pujya Bhadreshdas Swami from India to travel globally and preside over the inaugu rations and the Satsang Diksha Homatmak Path. Pujya Bhadreshdas Swami is globally

Swaminarayan Research Australia, Australia

acclaimed for his seminal contributions to Indian philosophy and his erudite scholarship on Hindu beliefs and culture. As the author of the ground-breaking Sanskrit commentarial and philosophical texts, the SwaminarayanBhashyam and the Swaminarayan-SiddhantaSudha, he is one of the world’s leading scholars of Hindu philosophy.

Many scholars have lauded the Swami narayan Bhashyam, written by Mahamaho padhyay Pujya Bhadreshdas Swami, as one of the greatest contributions to Hinduism and In dian philosophy in the past several centuries. This monumental work is a testament to the continuing tradition of spiritual inquiry that has remained vibrant over millennia within Hinduism. These volumes address the modern need for religious and social pluralism and harmony in the world, along with explaining universal ethical and spiritual values.

BAPS invited and homogenised 92

representatives across 46 leading spiritual organisations, government, academics, and many community individuals under one roof for this event. Present in the event were the prominent guests Hon Jing Lee, Member of the Legislative Council of South Australia; Hon Tony Zappia MP, the federal member for Makin; Mr Rajendra Pandey is president of VHP, Mr Chirag Trivedi is President of Hindu Council Australia, Chad Buchanan, Deputy Mayor, City of Salisbury and many more. In his remarkable speech Tony Zappia stated “Everyone is welcome in Australia but don’t forget your heritage” and Mahamaho padyay Pujya Bhadreshdas Swami reiterated it in his speech. During his keynote speech, Mahamahopadyay Pujya Bhadreshdas Swami further conveyed the message of His

Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj and said, “This institute aims to promote the spirit of benevolence and harmony by spreading the message of the ancient, sacred sentiment of “Vasudev Kutumbakam” – the whole world is one family. This historic initiative of BAPS to bring together and collaborate with all; marks a new chapter in the transmission of the Vedic doctrine: “Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam.” Visit the global website at www.baps.org/adelaide for further information on BAPS Australia in Adelaide.Youmay

also visit global websites for additional information about BAPS and its activities: www.baps.org; https://research. baps.org/; www.bapscharities.org; https://pra mukhswami.org/

Cancer Screening- Talkwith experts

By: Harmohan Walia

AASHA is A Non Profit Aged Care Organisation who believes that our Seniors deserve the best. To help them achieve this, they strive to help Seniors from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Com munities in general and Seniors from South Asian Communities in particular, achieve

good physical and mental health and a good quality of life.

They organise social hubs, health promo tion activities, forums on health and informa tion sessions about services available for seniors.

Recently they organised a talk with ex perts on Cancer Screening. The following experts spoke this afternoon at Went worthville Community Centre:

1. Sheetal Challam, Multicultural Strategic Advisor - Cancer Institute NSW Cervical Cancer.

2. Dr. Sanjay Adusumilli, General and Colo rectal Surgeon. Colon Cancer is common in Indian subcontinent communities.

3. Jesusa Helaratne, Deputy Director NSW Multicultural Health Communication Services (MHCS).

4. Sou Helmey, Marketing & Recruitment

Vipra Sharma made the seniors exercise on Bollywood music (Dance Fit). Vijay Jogia and Akanksha Srivastava entertained with Bollywood songs. Snacks, tea and lunch were also served to seniors.

Coordinator Breast Cancer.

5. Dr. Nagamma Prakash – GP

Screening and Panel Discussion of Dowry Videos by NSW

By: Sue Advani

Forover two years, a team of three Multicultural Community Liaison Officers from Bankstown and Parramatta PACs have worked on a visual resource addressing the grow ing concerns around dowry abuse in the sub-continent communities. Dowry- related abuse is often linked to instances of human trafficking and forced marriage, as well as economic and physical abuse in migrant communities.Asaresultof this initiative, all three Mul ticultural officers were nominated finalists for “The Rotary Clubs NSW Police Officer

of the Year Awards 2021” – the IJ (Irene Juergens APM) Fellowship Award (unsworn officer category).

Two videos have been created addressing the issue of dowry abuse within the subcontinent community and to educate first responders to better understand this form of Domestic Violence.. There have been con sultations with community members, pro duction companies and actors all of which come from the community in focus. The

team acknowledges that cultural practises in their true organic intent and contents are amazing. It is when those practises impact on a person’s safety and overall wellbe ing that it could require police or service provider interventions.

Dowry Abuse is a form of Domestic Violence- not always physical but unseen emotional, economic and financial abuse, isolation and gas lighting destroying the soul. Many affected are new migrants on

NSWDiscussionPolice

temporary spouse visas who have no idea where to seek help often suffering alone and inDowrysilence.Abuse is illegal in India and the police are able to take action against the perpetrators. We are working hard with the NSW and Local and Federal governments to

get Dowry Abuse included in the definition of Domestic Violence and Coercive Control so that suitable action can also be taken against perpetrators in Australia. We will not rest until it is.

The CMRC and IWE hosted the screening for the various community organisations supporting those affected by this social

disease.Itwas

a privilege to be a part of the panel discussion following the screening. While no community is immune to Domestic Vio lence, let each one of us take action to stop Violence also caused by Dowry Abuse - a silent killer. Let us not look the other way - this is everyone’s problem- Speak out and Support any way you can.

Let us all Say No to Violence and keep

this important conversation going - Together we will make a difference

WaliaHarmohanCredits:Photo

A Rip-roaring Evening with Kapil Sharma

By: Lalitha Chellappan

Sydneysiders

thronged to the stateof-the-art Aware Super Theatre on 3rd Sep. to watch their favourite comedy king Kapil Sharma live in action. Rain was no deterrent nor was the industrial action that has lately been quite an annoyance, severely impacting public transport.Theair

of excitement as fans and support ers flocked at the venue to watch Kapil and his scintillating team was to be seen to be believed. It bore testimony to the popularity of the lead comedian Kapil Sharma who lit up the faces of the audience at the very crowded venue, as they cheered and lauded him along the

Theway.event

started over 30 minutes late as the anchors kept asking people to take a seat, given several enthusiasts continued socialis ing at the foyer. A number of people had arrived on time and were seated on time.

After a lively dance sequence by the Bolly wood Dance School to kickstart the evening, the event started with Kapil’s troupe member Rajiv Thakur and a female artist’s exchange. Rajiv kept the audience engaged as he inter acted with them; those that walked in late were addressed as chief guests or attention seekers, eliciting laughter from the crowd.

Kapil was welcomed with a loud applause and was the instant favourite. Having seen him on television over the years, seeing him standing in front of them was a treat for the audience. He marked his arrival on stage with the Oh Baby song and by thanking the audience for having come to hear him despite the chilly weather. He was very appreciative of the cleanliness and beauty of the Sydney city and of how well-dressed people were. He admired how complimenting each other was quite a norm here. Comparisons drawn with similar scenarios in India were hilarious. Even the pandemic didn’t sound too bad hear ing him talk about how he and his wife started resembling each other simply being stuck at home and that he would wear her cloths at

times so that he didn’t have to wash his own. All the remarks he made were laced with hu mour. It’s admirable how he connected with the audience and instantly found something funny about anything they’d would say or about someone who walked in. A man who rocked up late was asked by him if he was Indian and that if not it was ok as he (Kapil) could speak English but he quickly quipped adding may god give the man strength to understand his (Kapil’s) English, much to the crowd’s delight. He didn’t even spare himself as he added that he had a small family with two kids and - unfortunately - only one wife. He went on to joke about the bumper-tobumper traffic in India, the way Indians would eat mangoes or overspeed on streets. The joy and happiness he spread lit up many faces for the duration of the event.

Free flow of humour had the audience in splits, there was something in it for everyone. His humour was at times anecdotal or topical and farcical at other times. He lifted spirits forDuringsure.

his break the audience witnessed other crew members from his team Krushna Abhishek aka Sapna and Kiku Sharda who kept the audience engaged with their antics. They were funny though it seemed like the attendees were waiting to see Kapil return to take stage. He was welcomed back with a thunderous applause.

The comedy show subsequently turned into a musical evening where Kapil burst into a display of talent that many of us weren’t aware of. He’s an excellent singer and was accompanied by talented musicians who together made this an evening to remember. Of particular mention was his rendition of Pardah hai pardah and Jhuki jhuki si nazar.

His mimicking singers was a treat to watch, leaving the audience uber amused. His singing numbers such as Hothon se choo lo tum and Koi fariyaad were accompanied with anecdotes and therefore twice as much entertaining. So popular was his singing that he decided to spend the rest of the evening singing and people loved it, more so when he remarked that he usually didn’t get to sing at his shows and that this was special as it was thanks to the love the audience was bestow ing upon him. One wonders if some of the viewers who came purely for comic relief

were disappointed as the theme was comedy afterTheall.Kapil

Sharma Show 2022 was a runway success, adding another feather to Cinestar Events’ cap. Laughter is indeed

the best medicine, and the organisers provided the Sydney audience a perfect opportunity to forget about their dayto-day stress and sit back to enjoy an evening full of chuckles, giggles, fun and frolic.

WaliaHarmohan:CreditPhoto

Charkha & Kargha Opening Night

Takingits title from Charkha (spinning wheel) and Kargha (loom), the exhibition featured over 100 rare items that date back to the foundational collections of the Powerhouse acquired since the 1880s.

In addition to their beauty, many of the textiles featured in the exhibition incor porate spinning, weaving, dyeing and embroidery techniques. Highlights included block-printed textiles, known as Fustat frag ments, believed to be made in Gujarat in the

1400s.Theexhibition

featured a recently ac quired work by artist Sangeeta Sandrasegar, What Falls from View, 2019. The work featured Khadi and silk pieces, hand-dyed in

Indian indigo and Australian native cherry. Anu Kumar’s medium format photographs that document the Australian-Indian dias pora was another highlight of the exhibition.Charkha and Kargha coincided with the 75th anniversary of India’s independence on 15 August. The exhibition demonstrated the role that textiles played in India’s movement towards independence from colonial rule.

It featured live demonstrations of spinning and weaving in the Textile Centre, talks on Indian textiles, master classes on textile weaving, dyeing and spinning, daily story telling of Indian folktales and documentary film screenings in the Kings Cinema.

Indian Textile Exhibition from the Powerhouse Collection & Ministry of Textiles, Government of India

Charkha and Kargha was presented by Powerhouse with the support of the Consulate General of India, Sydney. As sociate Professor Dr. Chaitanya Sambrani

of the School of Art and Design, Australian National University supported as curatorial advisor. The exhibition was curated by Dr Pedram Khosronejad and assistant curator Alysha Buss with exhibition design by Hugh O’Connor. The project was managed by Anna Gardner and realised with the support of a multidisciplinary team of Powerhouse staff and collaborators.

IABCA was proud to collaborate with the Musuem in sharing this cultural artistic bi lateral exchange with its Alumni Members. Visit the exhibit any day up to January 2023 and it’s free.

SAFAL Fest 2022

The5th South Asian Film Arts and Literature Festival (Safal Fest 22) organised by Australian South Asian Forum Inc. (ASAF) was held on two weekends, week 1 Saturday 20th of September and week 2 Sunday the 28th of September at the Brush Farm House and was a great success.

Week I : At 9.30am Safal Fest 22 Chair Per son Kedarnath Pagaddinnimath welcomed the Dignitaries, Councillors ,Community leaders and Members ,followed by a speech by the President of ASAF inc.and Safal Fest Director22 Ash Gholkar and Mayor City of Ryde Jordan Lane who officially inaugu

rated the Festival with the lighting of the lamp . After the Australian National Anthem the Safal Fest 22 team of Directors were introduced (Tahera Nassrat Afghanistan, Clr Sabrin Farooqui Bangladesh, Nagendra Adhikari Nepal, Shahid Malik Pakistan, Saliya Tennekoon, Kavitha and Jeyakumar Ramasamy, Kithsri Karunaratne Sri Lanka, Rekha Rajvanshi , Dyu D’Cunha India .

Events that were covered on Week one Literature Panel Discussion (Fiction Panel) Authors Sharing their Journey and Book Readings, Poetry slam competition and finally the Performance Arts competi tion Solo Singing and Solo dance category

both Female and Male . The Festival Ended around 6.30 pm.

Week 2: Was Inaugurated by the newly elected Federal MP for Bennelong Jerome Laxale at 10 am and was well attended by dignitaries and community leaders and members

Events covered on Week 2

Art ThreeExhibitionLiterature Panel Discussions

Non-Fiction Panel Research and Fact Requirements Plus Book Reading

Media Panel Political Interferance in

Media and Vice Versa Academics Panel Academic Literature to Best sellers

The Festival Ended around 6.30 pm. Week

1 and Week 2 of the Festival were very well attended.

2022*The

Indian Film Festival of Melbourne

2022 (IFFM) after much fanfare has announced the winners for the coveted awards for its 13th edition. It was a tough time for the jury members to choose winners from the impressive nominations across several categories and movies across languages. This year the festival has an impressive lineup of films, short films, documentaries representing Indian cinema and from the neighbouring countries.

The festival was attended by various dignitaries of the Victorian govern ment in Melbourne at the iconic Palais theatre. A plethora of Indian actors and artists were part of the celebration in person during the festival were Abhishek Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Tamannaah Bhatia, Vaani Kapoor, Kabir Khan, Shefali Shah, Shoojit Sircar, Anurag Kashyap, Nikkhil Advani, Mohit Raina, Sona Mohapatra, Mini Mathur, Suresh Triveni, former cricketer and ex-captain of Indian cricket team, Kapil Dev, Vikram Malhotra, Shibashish Sarkar, Sunir Kheterpal amongst many others. The awards night was hosted by Rithvik Dhanjani.

IFFM 2022, honoured with Leadership in Cinema Award to Abhishek Bach chan, Vaani Kapoor was awarded with Disruptor in Cinema award for her path breaking performance in Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui. The team of Jalsa star ring Vidya Balan, Shefali Shah directed by Suresh Triveni and produced by Vikram Malhotra of Abundantia Enter tainment was awarded with the Equality in Cinema Award. Former cricketer Mr Kapil Dev was awarded with Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Ranveer Singh said after getting the best actor award for 83, “I thank the jury members at IFFM for bestowing me

*83, Jalsa, The Rapist, Jaggi among top winners, Ranveer Singh, Shefali Shah bag top acting honours at IFFM Awards

with the Best Actor of the year for my role as Kapil Dev in the film 83, one of the most loved films in my career. It’ll always be one of the most cherished films in my filmography. But more than the accolades it’s the process of mak ing the film that I cherish the most. I am thankful to Kabir Sir for giving me this opportunity, for guiding me and for inspiring me. I share this honour with the cast and crew of 83 who are so dear to me, and with whom I share very warm bond and I dedicate this honour to Kapil’s Devil’s on whom this story is based a fine bunch of gentlemen who dared to dream and through their efforts and achievements showed us that we Indians can be the best in the

world.”Vaani

Kapoor said after winning the Dis ruptor in Cinema Award, “It’s so special and kind of Indian Film Festival of Melbourne and Mitu to recognise such a film and giv ing so much dignity, respect and love and accepted it and to have a great inclusion of

Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui in a film festival. It feels so special and surreal.”

Abhishek Bachchan said while accepting the Leadership in Cinema Award, “I thank IFFM for giving me Leadership in Cinema award, I am extremely ecstatic being considered for this prestigious award by the Victorian Government and the film festival. Even though this award is not for the best ac tor, I am very much certain to come back to the festival soon enough for the best actor award too as I am certain I’ll soon get it.”

Spearheaded by director of the film festival Mitu Bhowmik Lange, this year IFFM started physically and virtually, from 12-20 August 2022. It is one of the biggest Indian film festivals that takes place outside of India and is also the only Indian film festival backed by the Australian government. The film festival will showcase more than 100 critically acclaimed movies.

Here’s the complete list of winners –IFFM 2022

4Best Documentary - A Night of Know ing Nothing by Payal Kapadia

4Best Actor in a Series - Mohit Raina for Mumbai Diaries 26/11

4Best Actress in a Series - Sakshi Tanwar for MAI

4Best Series - Mumbai Diaries 26/11 by Nikkhil Advani

4Best Indie Film - Jaggi directed by Anmol Sidhu (Punjabi)

4Best Director - Jointly won by Shoojit Sircar for Sardar Udham and Aparna Sen for The Rapist

4Best Actor - Ranveer Singh for 83

4Best Actress - Shefali Shah for Jalsa

4Best Film - 83 directed by Kabir Khan

4Equality in Cinema - The team of Jalsa directed by Suresh Triveni

4Disruptor in Cinema Award - Vaani Kapoor for Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui

4Lifestyle Achievement Award - Kapil Dev

4Leadership in Cinema AwardAbhishek Bachchan