DISCOVERING MYSELF IN DANCE

Vishakha Iyer, 10 YearSix, Kings Langley Public School

I have always told my mum, "I wish I could dance 24hours of the day and do nothing else."

This wish has been coming true over the past two years as I go to India duringthe summer break to train in Bharatanatyam with Abhinaya exponent Bragha Bessel. Learning from Bragha Aunty is very special. When we enact everyday situations in dance she presents the ideas in such a refreshing way that we start to discover the same common things from different angles. The best thing about training under Bragha Aunty is that even when she makes corrections and is critical, she does it with such humour thatI never forget what she hassaid. As she was teaching me on how motherYashodha was caressing Krishna's face, looking atthe way I was holding my hands, she said, "You are holding baby Krishna's face,Vishakha, not a Halloween pumpkin!" Every time I practice, comments like these will not only help me never make those m stakes again but willalso bring a smile to my face. I am very lucky to have teachers who train me with love and patience like Chidambaram R Suresh in Sydney and BraghaBessel in India.

• are producing - all the old phones,

• televisions, microwaves, basically

•

• anything with a cord we throw out,

• making it the fastest growing waste

• stream globally.These devices are

•

• complex waste products, comprised of

• over 1000 different materials, some

• of which are toxic such as lead, others which are immensely valuable, such as copper. So, the SMaRT centre has been researching solutions to this global challenge which has now culminated in the design of a micro-factory. We are designing a containerised factory to disassemble, sort and process in furnaces to convert our waste into high-value materials based on our patented micro-recycling technology. I have been working on the automated vision systems, drones and robotic arms to augment the material processing techniques being developed by the centre.

Reaching Outto Underprivileged Kids

Brinda Ohri 23 Doctor ofMedicine, Griffith University

During my gap year I volunteered teaching English to disadvantaged children in Argentina. It was both an eyeopening and rewarding experience and I was able to immerse myself in their community, culture and way of life. I had always been interested in travelling to South America, and I whilst I was researching, I came across an NGO in Argentina, which was very passionate in helping their underprivileged population. I made contact with them and was lucky to join their incredible work.

Back In The Home Country

Anindya

Bhowmik 27

Graduated in Mechanical Engineering from University of Technology, Sydney

I volunteered forYuva Australia and the Consulate General of India in Sydney last year and in January this year, representing Australian Indian youth at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas organised by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. It was a pleasure participating in a Panel Discussion on youth NRI issues atYouth PBD 2017 with the Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, and meeting the Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a lunch event.Youth PBD 2017 was a huge success, particularly the Q&A session with an audience of 700 PBD attendees. The three-day main affair from 7-9 January, 2017 in Bengaluru, entailed an inauguralsession on the "Role of DiasporaYouth in the Transformation of India", two plenary sessions anddiscussionsabout various aspects of NRI and studentjyouth issues.

Seeing Howthe Otherhalf Lives

Nishtha Chadha 19

BachelorofGlobalStudies & International Relations, University ofSydney

I am currently on a scholarship program in Southeast Asia for about three months.The program has two phases; the first is working with various charities in Cambodia and Vietnam that my college currently sponsors and assessing their impact and budgeting our donations that we raised throughout the year.The second phase is an internship, for which I am currently working at the SAELAO project - an ecologically friendly community development project in rural Laos. The project provides surrounding communities with education support, employment opportunities and promotes ecological awareness and sustainable practices across the surrounding villages. Both phases have

. A SONG FORYOU

MahekAnand 17 Year12, Melbourne

During the summer break I was a part of the David Jaanz School of Singing showcase. I got the opportunity to perform in front of a large audience.

• In the past year I have started doing

: gigs as a singer and since then have

• performed at various venues around

• Melbourne. I am passionate about RnB,

: soul and pop music but I like to keep my

• doors open to other genres as well.

• I have been singing for a few years

•

• now and aspire to gain more experience

• in live performances. I have always been

: fascinated with music, even in different

• languages- whether Latin, French or

• Bollywood - and would love to explore

• been incredibly eye-opening and pushed me very far out of my comfort zone, but I've learnt and seen more than I ever could've imagined.

• more in the future. Something I enjoy

• thoroughly with music is being able to

• be versatile.

• Preparing for this showcase and

• having been giventhe opportunity to be

: a part of it has definitely been one of the

• best moments of 2016 for me.

Reporting From The Diaspora

Arpita Singh 23 Graduatedin IT, CharlesSturtUniversity

Asthe secretary of Yuva Australia, I was invited by the Indian High Commission and the MEA to be a panellist at PBD 2016-17 on the topic of "Problems faced by Indian international students in Australia". I travelled to New Delhi late last year and hadthe honour of participating in the 8th PBD Panel Discussion chaired by the External Affairs Minister SushmaSwaraj.The issues we raised and the solutions we proposed were thoughtfully considered by the MEA and significant implementation strategies and solutions were announced at the annualYouth PBD 2017 held in January.

Relinking With Arts Heritage

Keerthana Parthiban 22 BachelorofScience in IT, UniversityofTechnology, Sydney

Over the past year I've been part of a team of students working hard to reestablish the UTS Tamil Society and its annual event Kathambamalai.

First established in 1999, the society has a long and rich history of organising cultural events to fundraise for communities in Sri Lanka and India. We have now brought back its annual Kathambamalai event, reinvigorated for a new and diverse audience.

These past months of summer, we've passionately been working on script writing, dramaturgy, dance and acting rehearsals with a great cast and crewto bring to stage a thrilling dance drama titled Kaya/ Vizhi. We're proud to have provided a platform for upcoming youth talent and to have used this opportunity to establish ties with ourTamil community in the form of donations to Vanni Rehabilition and Palmera Projects. Being able to bring this production to life has truly shown

ACCOUNTING: GETTING A LOOK IN

Tom Smith 18 BachelorofCommerce, UniversityofMelbourne

Since finishing high school in November I have begun developing the necessary accounting expertise to transition into the corporate world, by working at the accountingfirm Murdoch Partners. I have learnt the basic skills such as filing and archivingbefore undertaking a graduate accounting course in the CBD.

I hope that these experiences will prepare me for the Bachelor of Commerce and beyond.

EXPERIENCING THE LIFE Of INDIAN FARMERS

HazelJohal 20

BachelorofBusiness, UniversityofTechnology, Sydney

In January, I participated in a 21-day innovation and empathy workshop with BUiLD UTS in rural Maharashtra. I went with fve other students from UTS to study the local community and one of the challenges they are facing, agriculture. For 18 days, I studied the local agricultural practices. One of the things I noticed was that they didn't use any machinery, the farmers still handpicked their crop and used methods that their fathers taught them. Soon, I realised that the old-school method of farming is heavily dependent on a regular water supply, and in the summer, lack of water makes farming impossible. Unfortunately, the farmers lack the training to do it any other way. On the other hand, meeting the local children was very exciting; they were so eager to share. I had a really good experience because everybody I met was kind and no one made me feel that I was from a strange, foreign country. For Makar Sankranti on the 14'\ the villagers bought all us girls matching sarees and took us to the local temple for an evening of culturalactivity and prayer. Meeting these people is something I will cherish forever.

• .

NOT-FOR-PROFIT LEGAL SERVICE

• •

• Azaara Perakath 21

•

• BachelorofLawand Commerce,

•

• UniversityofAdelaide

•

•

• Havingjust completed my third year

• of my law and commerce (corporate

: finance)double degree, and armed

• witha lot of enthusiasm, I decided that

• this summer,much as I would miss the : opportunity to sleep in, I would immerse

• myself in the opportunities available

• to me. The firststep was applyingto

•

• be a volunteer at JusticeNet, a not for

• profit legal service that provides free

: legal help for people who cannot afford

• a lawyer or who are low-income and

• disadvantaged members of society.

• the potential of young people when we come together. Overall, it has provided us with an avenue to tap into our creative cultural roots in a university and community setting.

• This has so far provided me with

• invaluable practical experience in a

: variety of areas of law and increased my

• passion for justice. I was also fortunate

• enough to secure a summer position

• • at the Australian Financial Security

• Authority, a Commonwealth Government

• Department, doing corporate related

•

• work as part of a projectteam. Andjust

• to ensure I really did not have even a : moment to be boredthese holidays,

I have also been doing research and oral advocacy as part ofthe University of Adelaide's JessupInternational Law MootTeam. We will be representing the University atthe national round of the competition in Canberra in a few days. All in all, a busy butfulfilling summer and one that I am sure will shape my future!