Student issues highlighted by visiting Minister

The Indian Minister of State for External Affairs, Preneet Kaur recently visited Sydney and Melbourne to review and gain first hand knowledge about the problems with Indian international students studying in Australia. She was in the region attending the Pacific Island’s Forum. The Victorian Sikh Association (VSA) organised a visit to the Blackburn Gurudwara Sahib, and Ms. Kaur won the hearts of attendees with her eloquence and understated elegance. Accompanying her were the High Commissioner of India, Ms. Sujatha Singh and Consul General of India in Melbourne, Ms. Anita Nayar as well as members of the VSA. Preneet Kaur is current Maharani of Patiala and wife of Maharaja Amarinder Singh of Patiala, and a member of the 15th Lok Sabha, represetnting Patiala of Punjab. She is currently serving as the Minister of State for External Affairs with the Government of India.

Mr. Harvin Dhillon, President of the VSA welcomed Ms. Kaur and requested her assistance and support in taking forward new projects of the VSA such as the Indian community centre which has been a goal the organisation has been striving for.

Ms. Preneet Kaur addressed the crowd in Punjabi and expressed her admiration for the way we live together as a community, welcoming new students with open arms and demonstrating support in any which so she could interact with the community in person and discover ways in which she can assist and support. Ms. Kaur expressed grave concerns on the issue of racism against Indian students in Victoria and the media frenzy that ensued in both countries, particularly India. She recalled the time when an advisory notice was issued to young Indians to not visit Australia and the pressure they applied on the Australian government to find the reasons behind the attacks. She further advised that the Australian government has been investigating these cases since the meeting between Foreign Minister SM Krishna and his counterpart in London. Issues of were a part of the discussion too. Ms. Kaur ended her speech extending an invitation to the officials of the VSA to keep in touch through the Consul General and provided assurance of support in any form within the boundaries of her role, beyond which she is eager to play a facilitation role.

Manpreet Singh, a representative of SBS Radio took the attendees through the final journey of the ashes of Indian immigrant Pooran Singh in Australia, returned to his homeland 63 years after his death. Pooran

Singh arrived in Australia as a 30-year-old from Bilga, a village in Punjab and spent the remaining 47 years of his life in Victoria, dying in 1947 in Warrnambool, aged 77. Pooran’s wish that his ashes should be returned to India to be immersed in the Ganges was finally fulfilled, after the funeral home retained the ashes for 63 years. Kapil Dev, veteran Indian cricketer and Manpreet Singh accompanied Pooran’s ashes back to India. Preneet Kaur presented some memorabilia from Pooran Singh’s house in India.

Ms. Kaur also met with students and shared one-onone conversations with them regarding the daily issues they face in Australia and explored options through which she be able to assist. As for the others, it was a regular Sunday at the Gurudwara, where a langar after worship was the order of the day – just as usual!

Later that evening an impromptu reception was held in honour Maharani Preneet Kar at the FIAV office in Foster Street, Dandenong jointly hosted by the FIAV, Federation Of Indian Woman’s Associations in Australia (FIWAA), Australia India Society Of Victoria (AISV) and Australia India Business Council (AIBC).

Pinky Bhatia