Student attack shakes local Melbourne community

In what is alleged to be an opportunistic attack, an Indian student from Melbourne was severely beaten and hospitalised we.lcoming ro an y migrant."

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~:NEHAL d-iHATRAPATI ' emor1es of student

Mviolence surfaced again in Melbourne as an Indian student Manrajwinder Singh was attacked in early hours of December 29, 2013 close m Federation Square. Local community leaders have moved quickly to allay any fears of this being a rac ial attack, and local police has moved swiftly to apprehend the perpetramrs of this arrack.

From information gathered rdating to tbe incident, Manrajwinder was attacked about 4.15am near Princes Bridge, as be and two friends waited for a train. Reports claim that they were approached b y a gang cif e ight youths and Manrajwinde r and his friend were attacked , while the other friend escaped to raise the alarm. Manrajwinder was kicked in the head from an elevated position and then kneed, and was beaten while he lay unconscious on tbe ground. His friend was punched in the face and also scmck as he l ay on the ground.

One of the accused attackers, a youth of I 7 who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested on ew Year's Eve in re.lation ro the arrack, and has appeared in court but has been refused bail. The court heard that the boy, his twin brother and their younger brother were named by another of those arrested.

Detectiv es to ld the court tl1e boy was part of a gang known as 'KYR', which targeted vulnerable people, particularly those of Indian appearance. The detective testifying said she did not know what the initials meant, bm reports of ocher gang offences last year seated that 'l<YR' stood for 'Kill Your Rivals'.

The detective also confirmed chat CCTV footage capt LLted tbe eight youths approaching the men, although it was yet to be determined which of the gang had attacked Singh and his friends.

Manrajwinder Singh is still not completely ont of danger and remains in intensive care at tl1e

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Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. 1-Ie has gone through brain s11.rgery as a result of which he remained in a coma for seven days, bm each time he regained consciousness even for few minutes, he would express aggression and anger.

Speaking to Jndio11 Li11k, Singh's brotber Yadwinder Singh said, "Maybe he was remembering bits and pieces of the attack and was expressing auger about it." He also added that Manrajwinder's memory has been affected seriousl y, and he remembers very little of an-)'thing else. Though out of coma now, he is still not able to converse fully and bas had another surgery for his jaws and face.

"The police have been very cooperative with us all this wh ile.

I was informed last week b y the police that several of the members of tbe gang had been canght, cwo were released on bail, one \Vas denied bail and the police are still on d1e lookout for the other two remaining members of the KYR ga ng," said Michael Singh Kang, cousin of Manrajwinder Singh. The attack on Manrajwinder has ignited past fears of attacks on Indian students which dominated the headlines in 2008 -09. Community leaders have stepped in to offer their perspective on this arrack.

Speaking to media at the 12'" Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) in Delhi, Vinod Danie~ chairman of Ausl-Iericage, an Australia government organisation said, "I have worked and continue to work internationally on projects and have been to over 40 countries.

1 ha\7 e found Australia to be one of d1e most roleraot and safe countries, wbjcb is very

"This kind of incident can happen anywhere in the world even in India, there are so many such incidents," said Kushagra Bhatnagar, a fu1ancial anal yst based at Greenslopes, Queensland who was also in Delhi for the PBD.

Yadwinder himself, who has been living in Australia for seven years and is an Ansttalian citizen, also agreed drnt this was an oppo rmnistic crime. "Austtalia o-r Me lbourne for d1at matter isn't a vulnerable p lace; t his was an opportunistic crime that could have happened in any otl1er state or country," he said. "If an attack W,e this can happen in CBD right outside the ev er-crowded Federation Sguare without any fear of CCTV, then th is can happen anywhere," added Yadwinder.

However d1is attack has left him shaken The incident haunts Yadwindet every time he goes out, and even at home when he is by himse lf. ''Even I was attacked a few ti.mes in the past, but tbose attacks were notserious and all they wanted from me was money. In my brother's case their motive was not just money, as d1ey straight away attacked him wid1out demanding anytbing," said Yadwinder

Yadwinder i s very positive about Australia and would still encourage srudents co come here and smdy if that's whar. d1ey aspire to do. But he wou ld like to pass on a message to police and tl1e Victorian government. "1 be lieve d1at they should strengthen tl1e laws and take extra safety measures for all international students," he stated emphatically.

Botb the Australian government and Indians in Australia have worked hard in the years after the attacks against in Indian students .in bringing ford, di e oppormnistic natures of d1ese crin1es. The state governments are battling ongoing problems of increased violence in our cities. Examples of renaming terms such as ' king hit' to 'coward ly punch' is a step in the right direction. But more needs to be done in making our streets safer Those most \T\lillerable, such as irnemational srudents and young people, need ro have assurance of better polic ing and a stricter legal system co punish the offenders. Our political leaders and policy makers owe .it to everyone to make the streets safer for all,

Both the Australia n government and Ind ians in Australia have worked hard in the yea rs after the attacks against in Indian students in bringing forth the opportunistic natures of these cr imes

Students across Australia dissect the final year of school and how they achieved success in 2013

After au intense year of bard work and preparacion, the resuJrs of the Year 12 examinations are finally out, and a whole raft of new graduates are ready to embark on the next stage of their lives after school lndian Link spoke to smdents across AL1stralia abom their Year 12 experience, how they maimained a healthy balance between work and play, and thei r plans for the future.

What was your studying technique? Did you have any added support from a tutor or at home?

Priyanka Banerjee: I made sure that l well prioritised my work so that 1 focussed on all of my sub jects w ith equal weighL i\lJy wide range of subjects ensu.red that instead of caking lots of irregular breaks to diversify m y stud y routine, I could simpl y shift between subjects to use different skills.

Nikhil Sach d ev: I tried ro study for a minimum of two hours each day Dllring a week where there was a SAC l did more, but I never studied the night before a SAC or exam. Around a month before the exams I aimed for 6- 8 homs a day in blocks of 2 hours. I preferred to study at the library where there were l ess distractions.

The key to studying for me was to find a way to Wlderstand and relate to the content of each subject. I learn best visually, so watch ing YouTube videos and downloading apps related to topics 1 was struggling w ith really cemented concepts for me, made them easy to remember and were a welcome change from my textbook! l didn't have a tutor for any of my subjects, but all m y teachers were extremely supportive. j\ (y parents were incredib le and a source of constant inspiration and encouragement. There were tears and times I fe lt burnt out, but my dad always managed to make me laugh, m y mum constantly reassuring.

Ap arna B alakumar: J was a pretty visual learner so would stick m y Englisb quotes all over my room, and history timelines of key dates up on m y ceiling. I had a giant whiteboard in my room where I would map out responses to practice essay questions for m y humanities subjects, linking different ideas with different col oured markers. It's all about being creative! My motto was that there was no point making a hundred pages of meticulous notes unless I was going co be bothered ro read them (and 1 knew J wouldn't be). My home support was really great, I really appreciated that the whol e famil y never acted differently towards me, forced me to smdy; or stopped me from going co parties just because it was an important yea r. They understood that l would do what needed to be d one, when it needed to be done by, and trusted me to hmTe the ability to say no to commitments if I felt I needed to.

Vikram Kumar: I had a tutor for phys ics and for maths My studying technique was basically just revising the topics and content of the course and going over it thoroughly ac schoo l aud home and asking questions where I didn't unde rstand tl1e content.

Chaitra Baroc I did nor rake any support from a tutor to improve m y knowledge or underst.andjng.

1 use to smdy b y myself and took he.Ip from my subject teachers when required. Year 12 is a difficult, stressful and a hectic year in compare to any other year level in school and near the end of terrn 3, it becomes unbeljevably intricate. If you put in all the effort studyi ng who le year then you will delmitely achieve what you aim for.

D arren R e b e ll o: My study pattern was quire challenging, persistent and committed. I smdied for a coup le of hours, took a break and carried on this cycle tmtil 1 1pm. I had a wellorga n ised stud y pattern and prioritized tl1e important work load on a daily basis , which attributed to my success. l did nor hav e any added support from a private mtor or at home, except for the gujda nc e of teachers at Sr. Paul's, where help was always and readily available all the time My parents' cons tant following up and frequent discussions helped me monitor my progress and guided me towards this achievement.

Curie Kannam pu zha: l studied in a lot of different ways, depending on the subject material.

0 ften when I was learning new concepts, I wouJd try to do it in a group. If I had additional difficulties, I would get help from m y teachers, family or mrors. With assignments, I would always plan m y work before beginning to wcite it up and refine it witl1 help from Lhe teacher. With practice and revision for tests or exams, I found it best to go over m y notes, textbooks and instructional v ideos by my self, because that way 1 was more focused and used m y time more effectively. I tcied to revise really frequentl y so that it wouldn't be too d ifficuJr to cram right before the exam.

D war kes h B arot: I was regular with my daily studjes, spending about 2 - 3 hours a day in study beyond schoo l. On weekends 1 studied for about 5 to 6 hours, buc I took breaks p laying sport and watching TV !never ever had a rntor in m y l ife except when I went to one for an hour at the beginning of Yea r 1 1. J\ fter that session, l felt that l could smd y by mrself. But I fee l privileged to be a part of Aquinas College as all the teachers gave tl1e required support and assistance. M)' parents never forced me to stud y or pressured me on what career I should pursue in m y life. This is the best form of support parents can provide because kids can only achieve their best when they a.re self-motivated.

How did you decide what subjects to pick a nd why did you like them?

P riyanka: I srndied Mathematical Methods (CAS) and Physics i11 Year 11, and tl1en in Year 12 1 studied French, Literature, Economics and History : Revolutions. I also studied Extens ion Economics at the Univ ersity of Melbourne, on campus with other first- year student.

Nikhil: M y subjects included Australian Policies, G lobal Policies, Economics, English, Business Management, Legal Studies

Naki t a : When I initially chose my subjects at the s tart of Year I 1 I rook into account m y interests, strengths and also potential future career prospects. I was confident when I made the decision tliat all mr subjects pJayed to my strengths, knowing tl1ar I would need as much time as possible to really g ive m y Extension 2 English and Visual Arts projects my all. I was also taking Spanish through d istance education at The Open H igh Schoo l, which was brilliant, bm required a Jot of time, hard work and se lf -di scipline 1 have always been a creative person by nature and the visuaJ arcs course gave me space to breathe. Business Studies rounded me and kept m y rational mind sharp. :My cho ice to lear n Spanish was slightly eccentric, however, it was a good 6t for me as I have al\vays enjoyed learning languages.

Aparna: J always loved spending hours researchjng and edjting an essay, and simultaneously struggled through 10 minutes of Maths homework. Whilst I enjoyed aspects of the sciences, I was not a 'natu.ral' at them, and always found more interest in learning about societies botb past and present. \X'hen it came to subject selection, my famil y and I made the dec ision co forget about ' scaling' or ' weighting' and just take subjects I w o uld enjoy and was thus Likely to excel aL Writing my 6000 word major project on volm1to ucism was something I found incredibly fascLnacing rather tl1an a chore, and similarly learning all about the Vietnam \'v'ar came in handy when l recentl y visited the region and viewed the historical sites firsthand. I loved that the things I was learning about in the classroom were tl1i.ngs I could see tl1e effects of and appl y to my everyday world.

Vikram : From Year 7 - 10 you develop an understanding of what you like and don't lil,e and at the end of year 10 yon realise what you want to do Chai tra : The subjects that I chose were Ivlatbs Studies, Bio logy, Chemistry, ESL Smclies, Hindi and IPP (Info rm ation Publishj n g Programming). With six subjects instead of four, J had to work hard but J wanted tO do something challenging is very important to have a life outside of academics: sports, or volunteering or music or something that'll give you contentment and social interaction" and different. I also had to give an entrance exam UJ'viAT (U nde rgraduate l':.-[edicine and Health Sciences Adrn.iss ion Test) to get into Medicjne and also, 1 am a part- time worker at Coles. le was all very stressful but I think it is advantageous to have the knowledge of more subjects and caree rs.

"I learn best visually, so watching YouTube videos and downloading apps related to topics I was struggling with really cement concepts for me, made them easy to remember and was a welcome change from my textbook!"

Darren: Right fro m primary sc hool, I preferred Mathematic and Science subjects and opted to choose Specialised Mathematics, Mathematical Studies, Chemistry and Physics from year l 1. 1 thoroughl)' enjoyed the th eor)' and applications of each o f these su bjects in Year 12.

Curie: l chose ro do the IB (international Baccalureate) where I was required to take 6 subjects, some e.xtra.-cuniculars and learn a subject called Theory of Knowledge. The subjects I did were English, l'vlaths, Chernisccy, Bio logy, French and Economics.

Dwarkesh: l chose subjects that challenged me and would allow me to follow m y ambit.ion. P lan "l'.,:.' is ro be a Doctor and Plan " B" - an Engi neer (typical Indian pathways I guess). As these careers a.re very demanding I had to choose perhaps the mosr challenging and difficult subje c ts. Overcoming the hurdles that these sub jects posed filled me with conteocme.o t and satisfaction.

Did you have a balance between study and play during Year 12?

Priyanka: Desp ite m y relatively heavy study Load, I was also Debating and Public Speaking Captain at sc hool and was involved in House Cho rals (wh e re I was Chorus Director) , L ipsynching and Senior Dance, was part of m y school's French Club. I also did charity work su ch as being a fundraising volunteer for the Royal Children Hospital's Good Friday Appeal. I made sure that I remained active ly engaged .in schoo l life, during lunchtimes, and then focussed on academics after schoo l and dur ing free periods. To remain well-organised, I created a weekly schedule so l could always stay on top of things and also still be an active membe r of the commu nity

I am reall y happy that m y hard work has generated ics rewards and jtis definitely my parents who have been integral to my success, as without their support and advice, I would not have been able to achieve what 1 did.

Nikhil: 1 rowed in the swnmer for sport, and until April I had long hours in training. In winrer l got into gaming and started phying two to three hours a day after study/homework. I kept one day on the weekend free where l did no work and could go o ut. T o balance chis, I sec deadlines for myself in terms of what I wanted co achieve and whe n Small goals belped!

I'm quhe happy and proud of achjevi.ng a good score, bu t regardless of the ATAR, I feel li ke I did m y best. The support from m y parents in ensuring that my Life is balan ced and not all stu dy, and in not putting pressure on me made a huge difference in achiev ing m y ATAR. If l n eeded help or advice it was always available, but they n ever forced me to smdy This helped me to be se lf- ruotivated and I think the trust m y parents showed in me gave me a sense of ownershjp in terms of m y aim s for the year.

Nakita: I really tried to maintain a balance throughout the year, although m y wellbeing suffered a coup le of times when things became a bit coo overwhelmi ng. But I think 1 managed pretty well , as finding that equilibrium is vjtaJ if you want to succeed in life with anything! You'll be more productive if you can r.ake efficient breaks, don't be too hard o n yo urself. But it's important to know when enough is enough Procrastination is to be avojded at all costs, however so metimes inspiration sparks most vividly when you are under pressure.

It's important to remember that your final year of high school is somethin g you'll never fo rget, so make i t enjoyable! The year passes so quickly and I know the connection I shared with m y grade and teachers wW be something I miss dearly over the years to come.

Aparna: Definite ly! I didn't put things Like watching my favow:ite n rshows or learning bow to drive o n bo ld for the year. Ultimately tbe s tudy l evels did increase during assessment periods, burl maintained balance by watching a movie or interacting with m y family following a past paper. I also studied at the library with friends on a few days, so we could bounce ideas off each ocher and eat our after our work was completed. It's only a stressful period if you give the HSC too much importance and stop doing the other things that make you happy. Small tasks helped take my mind off formulas and quotes, and keeping bus y outside of study helped m y perspective that tbe HSC wasn't the be all and end all. This helped me scay much calmer when exams rolled around, and also forced me to use the study time I had efficiend)7

Vikram: Yeah, l tried to keep a strong balance between the two. I think it's extremely important because i f it's out of balance you tend to go towards the e.xtreme of e ither side, which hurts the other sid e of what you're doing.

Chaitra: l did not get much rime to p lay sports as I was occupied and engaged with my learning. I was also a Prefect in my school,

I had to host assemb li es, attend meetings, belp organise events, help teachers wbene.\Ter needed the Lisr is endless. I still somehow managed to balance m y workload in a productive way.

Darren: I felt it was mo st important to take some time away from studying. This not only reduced my stress, bur also helped me to review o ccas ionally the progress 1 was making academicall y, and the ways in which l could improve my work ethic and attitude.

Cutie: Year 12 was mosdy stressful, as expected. In the beginning o f the year especially, it was reall y difficult because d1ere was so much to do and I wasn't very organised, but after I'd devised a routine, the year was easie r to handle, even enjoyable.. It is very important to have a life outside of academics: sports, or volunteering or music or something that'll give you contentment and social interaction

Dwarkesh: Anyd1ing extreme is not good. You need to have a sp ace to vent and rejuvenate yoursel f. Planning and in1plernentation is the key fot success.

How did you and your family celebrate your results ?

Nakita: My parents were absolutely ecstatic, especially as they knew that I'd had three main goals throughout the year, to become an all-rounder, receive a nomination for the Extension 2 Showcase and an AT.AR of over 95. I'd had these goals, bu t they had seemed more like m1achievable dreams when I first formed them. It was surreal to achieve not jus t one, but all of them. My parents are extremely proud, and I feel a huge sense of relief. They gave me the freedom ro take d1e sub jects I l oved and to so many people, they were the ' non -inte llectual' subjects, the 'unimpo rtant ones'. My parents have always taken the stance that if you're n o r passionate abom something, if it doesn't excjte you and make you think , you should be doing something else that does. It means a lot that I can thank my patents through showing them that it's nor the subjects you rake that detemune success, but the effort and enthusiasm you put into them At the moment m y fami ly and l a re travel)jng through Europe, another absolute d ream come true! We are h o ping to have a barbecue when ,ve get back co Auscrilia to celebrate with d1e rest of m y family!

Aparna: My famil y were so excited! I woke them all up in the morning just after I looked up my marks at 6am the day d1ey were released. As I didn't come Out of many of the HSC exams thinking I aced the paper, and never made an estimation about my marks, ir was a huge .relief. Coming first in the Seate for Society and Culmre was the biggest shock, and I called my parents straight after the Board of Studies called me and told them, 'you're going to have to take Tuesday off work!' As a family, we all wenr out to the temple and then dinner afterwards. We were all just g rateful that l recei ved an ATAR likely to get me into the U ni course I wanted The bonus was just knowing d1at the effort l put in throughout the year was rewarded, and that I can look back proud of the marks I received.

Chaitra: My family a nd I celebrated the bliss of my results by organ.ising a day out, followed h y a dinn er.

Darren: l was really thrilled when 1 saw my results in the morning on the internet at 8am. The whole family was over joyed and this increased hugely wben I got a call from the SACE boa.rd around 9am to say that I have also been awarded the State Governor's commendation! l had to come by fo.r a photograph by noon on the same day. Of course, my parents didn't forger to bring a lovely cake to celebrate, followed by a superb dinner at a restaurant on chat weekend.

Dwarkesh: We have not really celebrated my results as the jo b is nl1t yet done. I am still waiting for offers from universities. ln d1e. meantime, we called our family back home and visited d1e Hindu temple on d1e day the results came our.

What does the future hold for you and what will be your next accomplishment?

Priyanka: I wW be studying for a Bachelo r of Commerce ar die Un.ivers ity of Melbourne and am also hoping to smdy a concurrent Diploma in Languages (French) Ultimately, 1 would like to study the JD and work in international re lations / politics.

ikhil: I am hoping for a caree r in ei ther law or ruplomacy/politics I would also love to travel over the next few years.

Nakita: I'm hop ing to srud y E ngLish and Axt History at the Univers ity of Sydney wid1 d1e intention becom.ing a wri ter.

I'm wary of saying that, it's an ambi tio us path and a long one too, bur I am hopeful that things will work out. ldeally I would Like to go on to do an honours year and potentiall y postgraduate. stucLies, but we'll see how things shape up. I'd really like to keep writing and pubLishing work. More than anything, I'm looking forward to meeting all kinds of new peopl e and building up an arsenal of experiences with which to face the world. I think the next few years ate going to be an adventure to say the lease, and it would be foo lish to predict where I'll encl up, but the one thing I can say with certainty is that there will be p lemy of stories to tell.

Aparna: l have no idea! But chat's the most exciting part! At University I'll be studying Media and Communications, so hopefully I can continue writing, researching, and exploring all the world has to offer.

Vikra m : I hope d1e future holds a good job, and an easygoing lifestyle. l haven't thought that far ahead about my next accomplishment Oaughs) I would like co do media/arts at UNSW and 1 want to go into graphic design.

Chaitra: My future plan is to attend a Medical School, which wiU success fully lead me into acquiring a Medicine Degree (MBBS).

Darren: I am focused on community giving, I believe in helping the community and have opted to foUow Bachelor of Pharmacy through Uni SA. I am unsure abou t what d1e future may hold for me bm I now look forward to starting Uni, and hope to progress through it attaining the best marks I can.

Cutie: What I'm aiming cowards in the future is a career in Medicine

Dwarke s h: Hopefully a career in Medicine where as a doctor, I can help unprivileged individuals, bm certainly not for the sake of it. Though this sounds like a bod.ng answer, our family v al ues and my personal e.'lperiences in serving the community have germinated this inclination to help others.

Purchermore,in my family, money .is always conside red as a secondary thing; the most importanr thing is to be a good htm1an being and inner development is the prime agenda as we are social animals and not mere animals

What would your advice be to future HSC students ?

Pciy anka: Keep co a routine of consistenc rev ision and making sure you seek support and help from friends, famil y and teachers, when necessary. Balance acaclenucs with extracurricular involvement, co make sure chat you become well- ronoded individuals.

Nikhil: Make sure mat you choose subjects chat you like and are good at. If you hate what you're doing it will be harder to do well. Communic,ate with your teachers and parents. Talk to d1em if you're confused or don't understand something, or i f you are having any issues. More often man nor if you are open about dungs, teachers will go out of their way to help you. Keeping parents in the loop is good coo, just to bave an active support system. FinaUy, keep d1e year balanced. Nobody can study all day Enjoy extra curricular activities and go om on weekends lr's a refreshing change!

Vikram: Try to keep a balance between stud y and whatever you like to do and don't get too stressed, it's nor d1e end of d1e world.

Chaitra : M y only tip would bework smart, not bard!

Da rren: Take control of your studies right from beginning of the year and work bard to obtain d1e results you see!,. Keep your goals in 1ni11d and work towards them While mere may be periods where you are tired of sn1clying and feel like giving up, remember and look forward for d1e end of year holidays. If you remain pers istent and work hard, you will reap the rewards of what you sow.

D warke s h : My philosophy of life is simple: hard work alone satisfies oneself, so work ro your best and hope for d1e best, but be prepared for the worse. To do well at the end of the year it is imperative that you stare working from the very beginning. Onl y hard work can enable you to achieve the goal you want to achieve. Ir is absolmely essential d1ac you analyse yourself and recognise your strengths and weaknesses. EssentiaUy, a person's performance in exams and tests determines their year 12 results, so jusc follow your instincts and gi\·e it your best.

''The whole family was overjoyed and this increased hugely when I got a call from the SACE board around 9am to say that I have also been awarded the State Governor's commendation!"

''To do well at the end of the year it is imperative that you start working from the very beginning. Only hard work can enable you to achieve the goal you want to achieve:'

Dwarkesh Ba rot