Australia Day Award for Sanjiv Dubey

The Indo-Australian Harmony Cricket Series is a unique cricket tournament, inspired by the Indian Premier League.

Founded less than six months ago, it has grown to become a contest between 26 different cricket teams, all hailing from different communities, not only from South Asia but the mainstream community as well.

For promoting social inclusion and equal competition, irrespective of culture, social or religious association, the brain behind the event Sanjiv Dubey has won an Australia Day award this year from his local council, Parramatta.

“I can’t be happier,’ Sanjiv revealed to Indian Link soon after accepting the award from Parramatta Mayor Paul Garrard. “I’m living my dream”.

The dream actually began when he was a Year 5 student back in India. A keen sportsman already, he had organised his first ever cricket competition, between the different classes at his local school.

Little did he know that the very same formula would be put to use again, for another much larger contest, so far from home.

Sanjiv, president of the New Australian Sports Association, is a well-known sports coach in Sydney’s Indian community. He founded the Footwork Academy of Sports through which many kids have honed their cricket as well as soccer skills. As a Phys Ed teacher, Sanjiv coordinated the Premier’s Sporting Challenge at his school a couple of years ago. It occurred to him that then he ought to do something at the community level.

“I charted out a program, but never thought it would go on to become such a huge platform”.

The Indo-Australian Harmony Cricket Series that he launched last year, sees teams compete in 8-A-Side, 20-20 and 30-30 competitions. The teams enjoy the backing of local businesses, whose name they proudly bear, and the matches are played in the Parramatta region.

Sanjiv has found he has reached out successfully to international students, who are represented on each of the teams. They come from all over the subcontinent, and seem to have found a ‘home away from home’ and like-minded friends, during the series.

“I think it gives a great boost to their selfesteem to be participating in a large-scale community event in which their individual talents come to the fore,” Dubey noted.

“Many of them are really quite talented, and I hope they get noticed”.

Some players have already reached acclaim as Ranji Trophy players (Suleman Syed of the Hyderabad Travels team played for India’s Hyderabad, and Mayank of MIT played for Baroda). Jai Poria of the Ryde Automotives Haryana Bulls has played for NSW Under-19s. Two players even have some international experience – Shashi Keshri of the Nepal team represented his country at the Under-19 level, and Naran of SKLPS Simba played Under-19 for Kenya. The weekend games at Parramatta Park have begun to attract many onlookers, who come by to support their teams. (Perhaps there’s a role for cheerleaders now….?)

Among the frequent visitors is former NSW Premier Nathan Rees – he often steps on to the field to have a chat with the