Queen's Birthday Honours

Gambhir Watts and Arcot Sampath Kumar were awarded Australian honours this month

Gambhir Watts, OAM

Multicultural missionary

E.xecutive Presideor of Bharatiya Vjdya Bhavan and Founder and CEO of International Cemre of Nonvio lence Australia, Gambhir Watts is renowned and respected within the Indian community, and for very good reasons. Since his arrival here in 1992, ]\fr Watts has made a significant contribution to Ausrra]jan society, working tirelessly towards the promotion, education and acceptance of India's rich herimge and culmre.

For Mr Watts, the award is certainly an honour and an acknowledgment of the work he has been doing for a while now, but he is modest about being presented with such an accolade.

" The important thing is to continue the good work for Bharaci ya Vidya Bhavan Australia (BVB), and to continue striving to make a difference," Mr Watts tells Indian Unk.

As one of the largest , GOs in the world, d1e BVB literally means the House of Indian Knowledge/Wisdom, and has over 367 constin1ent instimtions, with d1e Sydney Centre being its first in Ausrralia. M r Watts was instrumental in setti ng up and launching the Bhavan in Australia in 2003, and has carried d1e reins of responsibility since d1en; hi s current role is that of President.

"My motto is that of the Bhavan: Vt1s11dhaiva K11!111J1hak.a111 or 'The world is one family', and I strive to achjeve this through vario us events designed to bring people together," he says.

The Bhava n organises variou s activities co enhance India 's culmre and heritage in Australia, as well as promo ting Sanskrit a.ad Hinru languages and multiculturalism throug h mainstream events.

INDIAN LINK

One of the biggest events organised by the Bhavau, the Holi Mahotsav is held annually at Darling Harbour, and is attended w ith equal enthusiasm by local Australians and lnclian origin patrons. ]\fr Watts works tirelessly to showcase the event every year, which keeps gaining in strength and p o pufacity. " The Holi Maliotsav celebrations have increased co three days now, but my eventual aim is to o rganise a week- long celebration," he says

Another significant event organjsed under the auspices of the Bhavan was d1e highly successful World Cul mre Concert and Arrs Festival that ran from 2004-07, di sp laying performances of

• A country practice

: Dr Sampath Kumar was hon o ured for !us

: service to the c o 1nn1Lu1iry of Cano\vindra in : NS\V, particularly as a general practitioner.

• "l am ve ry grateful to receive an OAM

: for n1y \Vork as a ge neral practitioner and wrote for th e local Ca1101JJi11dra 1'Jew.r.

: for over 40 years in Canowi ndra and the • s mrounrung area (including Eugowra and '\'.Voodstock)," Dr Kumar tells Tndia11 Li11k. His work invo lves visiting the 32- bed Canowindra Hospital as well as at the 60bed Moyne N ursing Home.

"Worki ng as a doctor in a small and s upportive country town has been rewarrung to say the least," Dr Kumar s ays I am now campaignjng for yo ung doctors original cultural music a.ad dance from : to come and serve in th e country. Ir is a different nations, wluch hemtends reviving : great opportlllury. Every little bit you do is in the future. : g reatly appreciated".

The family a lso got involved with the local farming community, having bought a farm themselves in the area.

"\'{le took steps t o involve ourselves whole -heartedly wid1 d1 e who le gam u t of the social and conmmnity life here - from work to school to farming," Dr Kumar reveals. "Being involved in farming has al so give n us g r ea ter i nsight into this rural COllll11Ullit)'".

Yet be lees slip that Um a was a bit taken aback at hav ing co start life in a small community after having lived in d1e bustling ci ty of Bangalore back home.

"Bue she assimilated ve ry we ll. ln no rime, she had made many friends, and when the children ca.me alo ng, we pur them in the local schools here, which al.so hel ped".

: graduate smdies.

: ul was alJ ready to go to tbe U l<, but

: a senior colleague who was already here

: c o n vi nced n1e d1at r\ustralia is a g reat

: place to Live and ,vork. I am g lad l cook his

: advice!"

One of the Bhavan's newest achievements : Dr Kumar moved to Australia in 1971 is d1e recent setti ng up of the Internacional : as a yow1g doctor keen to take on postCentre of No nv iolence Australia, with the blessings of Ela Gandhi (granddaug hter of Mahatma Gandhi) and in association wid1 International Centre of Nonviolence South Africa and Gandru Develo pment Trust South Africa, of which Mr Wlatts is Founder and CEO.

As can be in1agined , Mr \X/atts leads an extremely busy life , balancing h is business w ith his philanthropic work and working tirelessly towards achieving his goals. He works seve n days a week, so metimes well over ten hours a day, but it's aU for a good cause - to achieve greater recognition for all that's good about hj5 motherland. On behalf of the community, we congratulate h im on dus important felicitation and wish lum all the best in lus endeavours.

Sheryl Dixit

: Dr Kumar started work at Manly Hosp ira!

: but soon found an opening in the coLtntry

: at Canowindra.

: He has never left.

: He took lus bride U ma there soon after

: they were wed, and they raised chert family

: of three kids therel quite happily

•

• " The community welcomed us with open

: arms," Dr Kumar says.

.

• The Kumars became quite prominent

: n1en1bers of the local con1n1unicy Dr

: Kumar joined local organisations such as

: Apex Club and Li o ns Club (of which be

: served as Secretary as welJ as Pre side nt),

The Kumars are all for a country up -bringing for their children "\Y/e soon discovered Canowindra is a great place to raise a family. Our kids have got a good educatio n starting here and tl1en boarrung in Orange and Canberra. T oday, our sons are specia]js c doctors in Sydney working as a neurologist and an o nc o logist, and our daughter is a lawyer".

The Kumars travel to Sydney eve ry fortnjghc to visit their kids - and to stack their fridges wid1 home- made food!

But for them, it wilJ always be the country life.

"I'd li ke co send th e message ouc to young doctors our there, to come and try a country practice. The work i s va ried and rewarding, and you'U enjoy the peace and qwet and the co untry hospitality of the wonderful people here".

Rajni Anand Luthra