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Community Engagements
AFIN International Films Awards Night
28 November 2021
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IAIE CEO Dr Ashutosh Misra was invited at the AFIN International Films Awards function to present the 2021 Best Ensemble Cast Award. It was a wonderful opportunity to engage with several prominent Australian, Bollywood and Hollywood producers and directors and noted members of film, fashion and modelling fraternity and discuss ways to boost engagements in the entertainment and tourism sector between Australia and India.
Goodwill Trophy: IAIE XI vs QPS XI
17 April 2021
The inaugural T20 Goodwill Trophy was organized by the Institute for Australia India Engagement in conjunction with the Queensland Police Service. The match fostered engagement between the South Asian diaspora (represented by IAIE) and QPS members on Saturday, 17 April 2021, at the Wolston Park Cricket Club at Wacol, Brisbane. The underlying objective of this innovative initiative was to promote inter-community integration, mutual trust and understanding between the South Asian communities and the state law enforcement agencies and the government to build a vibrant and multiculturally thriving and resilient Queensland. The event commemorated 2021 as the ‘International Year of Peace and Trust’ declared by the United Nations General Assembly. Sports is an effective medium for breaking barriers and strengthening multicultural ethos. This event was a celebration of diversity to acknowledge the invaluable role community organizations, local businesses and institutions play in the growth and progress of Queensland and Australia. Batting first, after losing the toss, IAIE XI captained by AmilaWeththasinghe scored 154 runs in 20 overs. In response the Queensland Police Commissioner’s XI red by their captain Senior Sergeant Wayne Clayton fell short by 9 runs. It was a tight and keenly contested match which kept the supporters on both sides on the edge of their seats till the very end. IAIE XI was very proud to clinch the trophy, for which the credit goes to IAIE XI players and its coach Anu Perera. The Queensland Police XI players specially Jake Coolwell (Man of the Match) deserve a special praise for putting up a great fight and treating the audience
with a cracker of match. Special thanks to Ian Healy AM for meeting and greeting the players, and doing the toss in the morning, on the day of his marriage anniversary. IAIE and QPS also thank Milton Dick Federal MP, Minister Lance McCallum MP, Minister Charis Mullen MP (representing the Hon’ble Minister for Multicultural Affairs Leanne Linard), Jessica Pugh MP, Jim Madden MP, Councillor Nicole Jonic, Henry Palaszczuk (representing the Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk); Acting Inspector Michelle Piket (representing QPS Commissioner Katarina Carroll) Ankit Taneja, Country Head, Mahindras Automotive, the lead sponsor; and Peter Clifford, former Australian firstclass cricketer, for their generous support and time to grace the presentation ceremony. The event kicked start by welcome remarks by Ashutosh Misra, IAIE CEO, Senior Sergeant Wayne Clayton, Ian Healy and Peter Clifford. Ian Healy was also presented with a token of appreciation to also mark his marriage anniversary on the day. The closing ceremony began with the acknowledgement to the country by Adrian Coolwell (QPS Indigenous Employment Officer), special remarks by Peter Davis, WPC President, and vote of thanks by Inspector Jason Saunders and Ashutosh Misra. For the successful hosting of the event special gratitude goes to the Wolston Park Cricket Club, President Peter Davis, Greg White curator and grounds man, Brad and Anu Perera for their wonderful hospitality and logistical support, without which the event would not have materialized. Similarly, Team India News led by Dr Ram Mohan Chairman/Publisher, Agastya Yeturi, Nishit Chandan and Kartik Pratap Sigh for the excellent coverage of the event, live streaming, photography, food arrangements, match jerseys, publicity banners and other logistical necessities. IAIE and QPS is also indebted to Amol Wagholikar, Program Director, Sports and Wellness at IAIE for his sustained support in organizing the event and securing funding from various sponsors. For making this inaugural event happen, sincere gratitude goes to the event sponsors Sankalp restaurant, Mirch Masala restaurant, Tulsi restaurant, Nabropure, Top in Town restaurant, Meg Fine Arts, Gadgets for Projects, BiowinNeurosocks, Star Promotions, Woolworths, Greg Chappel Cricket Centre and above all Mahindras Automotive. Various community organizations including Kshatriya Society of Brisbane, Afghan Association, Nepalese Association, Sri Lankan Association and Griffith Criminology Institute deserve accolades. Also, our special appreciation goes to our family, friends and well-wishers for their support and most notably to our wonderful Master Ceremony Narasimhan Ravi for his smooth compeering and deft handling of the proceedings.
SCORES
IAIE XI: 154 for 9 (20 overs) QPS XI: 144 for 9 (20 overs) Man of the Match: Jake Coolwell, QPS XI Best Bowler: AmilaWithesinghe, IAIE XI Best Batsman: Wayne Clayton, QPS XI
Courier Mail Coverage of the Goodwill Trophy The trophies
The victorious South Asia (IAIE) XI
The QPS Commissioner’s XI
Dr Ashutosh Misra delivering the welcome speech Mr Wayne Clayton sharing his thoughts
Acting Inspector Michelle Piket delivering her remarks Adrian Coolwell, QPS doing acknowledgement to the Country
Mr Healy doing the toss.
Mr Milton Dick - Federal MP, Mr Lance McCallum - MP Bundamba, Ms Charis Mullen - MP Jordan, Ms Jess Pugh - MP Mount Ommaney, Mr Jim Madden – MP Ipswich West, Councillor Nicole Jonic and Mr Henry Palaszczuk (representing Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk
The winning captain Mr AmilaWithesinghereceiving the trophy Man of the Match Mr Jake Coolwell
Mr Wayne Clayton with Jim Madden MP Cr Nicole Jonic felicitating the umpires
Ms Jess Pugh MP with Dr Ram Mohan doing the raffles Dr Ashutosh Misra felicitating Mr Ian Healy
Ms Jess Pugh with a young raffles winner Mr Kartik Pratap Singh, Mr Nishit Chandan, Mr Ian Healy, Dr Ram Mohan, Dr AshutoshMisra and Mr Agastya Yeturi Community champions QPS members
Mr Kartik Pratap Singh, Prof Shaun Star, Dr Amol Wagholikar, Mr Muthuraj Guruswamy, Mr Ian Healy, Ms Sweta Misra, Dr Jacqueline Drew and Dr Ashutosh Misra Mr Ankit Taneja - Country Manager Mahindra Automotivewith Dr Nik Senapati, President AIBC, Queensland
Dr Ashutosh Misra with Inspector Jason Saunders
BBQ by QPS members
Action time
IAIE and India News organised networking drinks on 3 June 2021 in the Brisbane CBD. The event was called BBQ 360 because the location provided a 360 degree view of the CBD and Brisbane city. Dr Ashutosh Misra, Dr Ram Mohan, Prof Shaun Star, Mr Muthuraj Guruswamy, Ms Sweta Misra and Mr Kartik Pratap Singh were amongst the guests.
IAIE, Fight4Balance and India News organize International Day of Yoga
21 June 2021 Report by Dr Ashutosh Misra The 2021 International Day of Yoga was organized by the Institute for Australia India Engagement (IAIE), Fight4Balance and India Newsinconjunction with the Art of Living group, near the Mahatma Gandhi Statue at Roma Street Parkland, Spring Hill, Brisbane on Saturday, 19 June 2021. The event was supported by the Indian High Commission in Canberra. At the event IAIE CEO Dr Ashutosh Misra welcomed the participants and guests and highlighted that India’s stellar leadership in yoga is now recognized globally, since the United Nations announced 21 June as the International Yoga day, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 27 September 2014 speech in the UN General Assembly. He said that India’s proposal had received the support and co-sponsorship of 177 nations which is a record itself. Dr Misra also said that as Covid-19 continues to upend lives and livelihoods around the world, the relevance of yoga has become more profound to maintain a healthy body and mind. He also delivered a special note of acknowledgement for the Indian High Commission for supporting the event for the second year in a row. India News chairman and publisher Dr Ram Mohan also in his welcome remarks thanked the Indian High Commission, Fight4Balance and Art of Living for their support and emphasized on the relevance of yoga in the current scenario. Mr Stephen Illidge, CEO of Fight4Balance that helps children with mental disabilities said that kids need to build mental and psychological resilience and yoga is a great way to do it. He said that Australians love India’s soft power appeal including yoga very much and IAIE and Fight4Balance can play an important role in creating greater awareness about yoga and bilateral friendship, and his charity was proud to connect with the Indian community for the event and beyond. The session was conducted by Ms Seema Lathker of the Art of Living. IAIE Sports and Wellness program coordinator Dr Amol Wagholikar and Board Member Mr Muthuraj Guruswamy, local community champions and family and friends of the participating institutions were there amongst the participants.
Dr Ashutosh Misra
Dr Ram Mohan
Mr Stephen Illidge
