A cultural heritage champion

Vinod Daniel, who heads the Cultural Heritage and Science Initiatives Branch of the Australian Museum, has won the Indo-Australian Award for 2009.

He received the award at the Silver Jubilee function of the Indo-Australian Association in Chennai on November 18, 2009. Daniel is also Chairman of AusHeritage, a network of Australian cultural heritage management organisations. He was recently reappointed to the board of the Australia-India Council, by the Governor General of Australia.

The annual award is given to an individual who has contributed substantially to the bilateral relationship between Australia and India. Previous award winners include cricket legend Dennis Lillee, social worker Sr. Mary Theodore, industrialist Ravi Mammen (posthumously), and barrister Michael Lewis Abbot QC.

K. V. Matthew, President of the IndoAustralian Association noted Daniel’s extensive contribution over the past fifteen years in furthering the links between Australia and India.

Daniel said on the occasion, “This opportunity will further facilitate my interest to broaden relationships between Australia and India in a range of areas including arts and culture, sports, Australian studies, public policy etc. The Australia India Council and the board are very committed and dynamic in pursuing this and I am privileged to be part of this team.”

Daniel has been working towards forging strong Indo-Australian cultural relationships over the past decade and played an active role in repatriating 31 social and religious objects from the Australian Museum to the Government Museum, Chennai about 10 years ago.

He has also played a leading role in bringing over twenty heritage delegations from Australia to India and in the process developing strong people-to-people linkages between heritage practitioners in the two countries.

Daniel was recently in Kerala, along with another Australian heritage management specialist to deliver a workshop organised by the Centre for Heritage Studies, Cochin. The workshop provided advice on developing management plans to minimise damage from natural and man-made disasters as well as damage from insects which is a huge problem due to Kerala’s tropical climate.

He also ran a similar workshop in December 2008 for North-East-Indian museums in collaboration with the Archaeological Survey of India.

“Australian and Indian heritage practitioners have been working very closely over the last decade and learning from each other in preserving our valuable past for future generations,” said Daniel.

He was also instrumental in coordinating support from AusHeritage for developing a new exhibition gallery at the Chhatrapati Shivaji (Prince of Wales) Museum in Mumbai.

“Specific assistance was with regard to environmental and conservation inputs especially related to standards, environmental conditions and air conditioning inputs,” said Daniel.

Matthew also acknowledged that through his extensive interviews in the Indian media, Daniel has raised awareness about a number of heritage conservation issues. He was also instrumental in coordinating Australian assistance for INTACH to develop a conservation charter.

The Indo-Australian Association was established in Chennai (Madras) 25 years ago for fostering friendship between peoples of

A heritage restoration project in Kerala led by Vinod Daniel of AusHeritage

India and Australia. Significant past programs, besides the annual awards include introducing Australian studies and literature in Indian Universities, hosting events for significant Australian visitors to India, including for two Australian warships, and facilitating Indian student visits to Australia. The association members include high court judges, bureaucrats, academicians and four Padma Shri award winners.

Shivangi Ambani-Gandhi