Preeti Jabbal does us proud!

Indian Link's Preeti Jabbal wins the Victorian Multicultural Award for Excellence

Indicm Links Melbourne coordinator Preeti Jabbal took home the Individual ]V[edia Award at the recently held Victorian Multicultural Awards for Excellence 201 4 at Government House

The award recognises " excellence in the reporting of multicultural affairs", and acknowledges "die outstanding efforts of a person who highli g hted issues of soci al impo rtance and contributed to communiLy awareness"

Widi her passion for bringi ng issues and personali ties to th e fo re di r ough her wr iting in Indian U11k newspaper, Preeti Jabbal has won di e respect and admiration of di e community as well as her peers in the newspaper i ndustry.

Preeti has continually demonstrated a d ynamic and strong relationship with the culturally, linguistically and religiously diverse communities in Victoria through he r e fforts to promote cultural collaboration, in particular the Australian Indian and Sout h Asian communi ty " I am so pleased to have received this recognition ," Preeti says "I love doing what I do, connecting wi t h peopl e and learning about them and the n telling t h eir stories It's like an o ngoing education, I learn someth ing with each interaction and share it with m y readers "

"Em:iching is the word I would use for the who le experience It i s an invaluable part of m y li fe," she remarks witl1 characteristic passio n.

As a prolific writer about issues suc h as do m estic vio lence, gender equa lity, c ti.ltural conflict, multicul turalism and migration, Preeti is well regarded for her sensitive understanding o f relevant community issues and tbe balanced perspec tive s he provides d1ro ugh Indian Link newspaper and radio. le all scarred for Preeti as a yo ung child. A lifelong passi on for w ri ting began w h ile she jotted dow n thoughts o n a p iece of paper while watching her mother in the kitchen. The little poem penned in tbe kitchen was sent to a kids' mag azine and published immediately Many write- ups fo llowed and a hobby morphed into a career.

Fa m ily and friends we re not surprised when Preeti chose to finish he r u_niversiry yea rs with a p ost grad degree in Mass Communication and Journali sm

As a bright and bubbly 22 -yearold, she s tarted wo r k at a local newspaper in Nagp ur called Lo!vnat Ti111e.r lt was a rapi d trajectory fo r Preeti from looking after a s ingle le isure page, to handling the chi.ldren's magazine to becoming the editor of their

Preeti Jabbal is given her award by Victoria's Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship, Matthew Guy MLC regLi.lar s u pp lement Montage, all within a year and a hal f.

"Mar r iage an d migration co Australia certainly created a temporary di version," Preeti reveals. "However, the writing bug rema in ed in the system!"

Her first researched story in Melbourne was pub li shed in The Ag, in 1995. Jour nali sm w as cons idered a dosed market at t hat rime and not easy to get in to so Preeti dabbled in other professions Her first break came in d1e form of a phone call from Pawan Luthra the Sydne)'-based edi tor of Indian Link who offered her a job as a co - anchor for a S1mday morning radio show. The rest as they say is history.

Preeti has worked as die Melbourne Coordinator of Indian Link for more than a decade, now writing innumerable in terviews, reviews, reports, features and profi les that link Indi a and Australia. Besides this she bas continued her corporate career, as well, by li te rall y burni ng the candle at both end s.

Her husband Ravinder, who she describes as h er 'rock', has proudly supported her in pursui n g her man y passi ons, often joining in as well witl1 j ust as m uch enthusiasm. Her son, Ronit, i s ber p r ide and joy

Preeti believes strongly that co mmunication i s tl1 e h uman con nection that forms the key to community relations.

Having been recognised prev iousl y by a mul titude of organisations over tl1e past few yea rs, Preeti has been a panellist on d o mestic v io lence as part of the Victo r ia Harmon y D ay 2013 and a pane.Ilise o n PS3 Parenting in a Multicul tural Society Forum in Septe mber 201 3

"As a writer you can live a v icario u s life and amass va ried experi ences. You ca n also reach ou t ro thousa nd s of people. It is ver y important for me to do so creatively, conscien ti ous ly and ethically," says Preeti And with wholeheartedness, she might as well add.

Says Rajni Ana nd Luchra, Editor of llldian Link, "At Indian Link, Preeti has happily taken on any story leads tl1rown her way, and fo llowed them throug h ro conclusion. This, besides digging up newswortl1y sto ries herself from the community

Many of her stories are put in at ungo dly homs of the night, as s he toil s away after finishing her househol d chores and family responsibilities. But more o ften than not, they are accompanied by a n ote saying h ow much she enjoyed doi ng the story "

Rajni adds, "Preeti's effervescent personality and enthus iastic a t timde make her a val ued member of our team. She is a sh ini n g ambassador o f the India11 Li11k brand in i\'1elbourne."

Kira Spucys-Tahar