YOURSAY

SUNNYSIDEUP!

In an Australian exclusive, RAJNIANANDLUTHRA spoke with little Lion star SunnyPawar

AnnSharon van Beemen-Prasadwrote: He is cute, isn'the?

Maryanne Fonceca wrote: This fills myheartwithsooomuchjoy!

DavidHersantwrote: He lovesAustralia, he'd probablystand forthe anthem

THEYKNOWATHINGORTWO!

FARZANA AHMADprofiledexceptional twins NeeranjaliandSwaranjali Jain, settinga great example to other Indian Australianyouth. We received a huge response to this article. Here are some ofyour comments

Dlllp Bhatt wrote: Amazing and inspirational youngladies living, breathing examples ofhow open mindsthat are able to harness thebestof diversity and cultures, can result in outstanding citizenryof any land.

PersisShah wrote: What an amazingpair of intelligent and achieving twins. Mayyou climb to higher goals and shine foryourselves aswell asyour parents and family, theworld needs people like you. We areso honoured by your success, keep aspiringto reach yourgoals, and stay happy.

Vasudha Chandra wrote: Amazing role models! Indian Link: whywrite "over-achieving youth", when you could have written 'high achievingyouth'?

Sunll Salunkewrote: Remarkable achievementsgins, congratulationsto you both! We wish you all the best!

Leena Kordewrote: Dear Swara, Neera. You girls are amazing! So proud of you. Keep up with your hard work and success is sureto follow.

SylooMehtawrote: Well done! How proud you make not only yourfamily butalsothewhole Indian community! God bless and wewishyou a lifetime of happiness.

PalllatlveCareVolunteerlng NSW wrote:Twicethe musical talent in palliative carevolunteering-See the original story in Indian Link. Twins in bothlife and study Neeranjali and Swaranjali Jain recentlygraduated with first class in honoursfrom Bachelorof Medicine (UNSW) in 2016, with a swagofprizes each. The youngwomen alsohave a heartforcommunity causes and overtheyearsthey have been involved with the Cancer Council and Red Cross, aswell asvariousfundraisingevents. Neera and Swara are also accomplished musicians, belongingtothe NSW Doctors Orchestra and each holding an Associate Diploma in Piano. Itistheir musical skillsthat havetaken them into palliative carevolunteeringwheretheyvolunteerto playing music forpatients in Sydney.

Music and music therapy istopical in palliative care, and willfeature on the program ofthe 2017 NSW Palliative CareVolunteerConferenceto be held in Maitland in Maywhen Hanna Tsoi presents a workshop on Music Therapy.

Proudtobevictorian

PREETIJABBAL reportedon the newgovernment campaign on multiculturalism in Victoria featuringIndian-Australian Satbir Singh Kah/on

Robin Scott MP wrote: Greatwrite-up by Indian Link's Preeti Jabbal on our #vicproud campaign, profilingthe inspiringSatbir.

JasvlnderSidhu wrote: Well done Preeti Jabbal and Indian Link

HarlnderSidhu @AusHClndia tweeted: Indian-Australian SatbirSingh Kahlon is a great example of#multicultural Australia @VicGovAucampaign

Indiansmuststopfunding Poorgovernance

Indian citizens have to wake up to the fact that theyfunding the lifestyles of their politicians while themselves beingmade to lie in eternal waitfor "achhe din" wrote SANAM SHARMA

Chandra Klshorewrote: The young peopleshould speak out and be part of the required change

Saltoftheearth

DHANYA SAMUEL wrote about the holistic approach to farmingat Avani boutique winery

Australla In lndla shared Indian Link s article: One of the best placesto enjoy a glass ofAvani wine in Victoria is at Tulsi restaurant, owned byShashi Singh and her husband Devendra. Originally from Haryana,theyboth moved toAustralia in 1983 and today own the 15-acre Avani boutique winery in Red Hill South, Victoria.

Alan Davidson wrote:After reading theexcellentstory ofShashi and Devendra Singh from Avani Winery, onthe Mornington Peninsula, I wrote to them asking ifthey would do a storyformy new local online publication The Peninsula Star. Yourstory,just published, isterrific and I wondered ifthere would be a chancethat I could reproduce itwith credits?

It could make a coverstorywith therightillustration.

Risingstarankitasachdev

Former Indian Link Radio idol and now Co/orsTVRisingStarAnkita

Sachdevspoke with Indian Link Radio's own KASHIF HARRISON

Srinivasan Nswrote: Best wishes. Keep risingwith yoursweetvoice and talent!

>LOGontoyourownFacebook orTwitteraccount

> TYPE "Indian link" intothesearchboxatthetopofthe screenand click onthe linkthatcomes up

> CLICK'like'tojointhe Indian linkFacebookcommunity or 'Follow' @lndian linkonTwitter

The death ofHarjit Kaursparks further conversation on the steps we can take toward endingthe national crisis ofdomestic and family violence

BYANEETAMENON

Torrentialdownpoursdidn't keep more tban200peopleaway fromgatheringinBlacktown thisweektocommemorate thelife ofGlenwoodresident HarjitKaur.NSW Policehavechargedher husband,JagdishSingh withher murder. Thevigil,organisedBlacktown Women's and Girls Health Centre (BWGHC) and BlacktownCiryCouncil,wasattendedby communityleadersandpoliticians aswellas Mrs Kaur'sfamily,friendsandmembersof thesub-continental community. The vigil commencedwith aprayerbyrepresentatives from Park.leaSikh Ten1ple,which Mrs Kaur frequented.

lSW!StateMemberfor Blacktown,John Robertsonaddressedthosegathered,relaying that Harjit Kaur is the ninthwon1an to die fromdomesticviolencein Australiaso far thisyear.

Shewaskilledin thetenthweekofthe year.

Blacktown Mayor Stephen Balireaffirmed BlacktownCiryCouncil'sconmuonentto thecause,assuringthecrowdthat Blacktown willserveasleader intacklingdomestic and familyviolence(DFV),despite theissuenot being aproblem unique tothe area Domestic andfamilyviolenceknowsno geographic,ethno-religious,socioeconomic orculniralbarriers.Asa frontlineservice, i\foni HabibfromB\X!GHCworks throughouttheweek toensurewomenare supportedandadvocated for."Everything startswith education,and educationbegins inthehome," sheexplained.

Blacktown Women'sandGirlsHealth Centre worksaround-the-clock tosupportwomen, manyofsubcontinental background,arming themwith theknowledgeandskills required toescape harmfulrelationshipsandcreate lives freeofabuse.

In theface ofweakeningstategovernment support,access to fewerresources,andpitted againstdeeplyentrenchedsocialand culniral ideologies which aimtononnaliseDF\� frontlineservices arefightinganuphillbattle.

FederalMember for Greenwa)�and ShadowMinister for Communications. MichelleRowland,whohas ahistoryof legaladvocacyfor DFVvictims,wasdeeply troubledbyMts Kan.r'sdeath as it notonly occurred inher electorate,butthefamily were also among her neighbours.

Speakingontheissue,MsRowlandsaid, "Frontlineservicesknowwhatthey'redoing. Theyknowwhat theyneedtodo,andneed tobesupportedbygovernment."

What can be done byway of education

\Xfbilst asa societywearebecoming increasinglyawareofthestatistics around thefatalities causedbyDFV,thegreater cost remains hidden. Manywomen -particularly thosefromsub-continentalbackground- are unabletoproperlyclifferentiatebetween healthyandnormalrelationships and those which maybemoreinsidious."Particularly when awomanis norworking,andis made to feelas though sheisnot contributing,she maybemorelikelyroacceptan unhealthy dynanuc;'Ms Habibcontinued.

It is the inabilitytorecognisedomestic abuseasbeingbeyondphysicalviolence whichpreventsearlyintervention. Akeypart in tacklingDFVis forus,as communities, friendsand families,tobecomea\vareof warning1,ignssuch ascontrollingbehaviour, persistentmessaging,controlover orlimited accesscofinances,verbalabuseandpmdownsand cyber abuse,suchasdemanding accesstoemailandsocialmediaaccmmts.

Threats ofviolence,whether tothe individual,familymembers (includingthose overseas)orevenpets,arean extremely commonwayin whichpeoplewho use violenceexett controlovertheirvictimsand leavetbemfeelingtrapped.This isnota precursortodomesticabuse,this isdomestic abuse.

Speak up

UnderstandingthatmainstreamAustralian services maynotinnatelygrasptheculniral intricaciesofour community,Kittu Randha,va,ChairoftheIndian Subcontinent Crisis and SupportAgency(ICSA),an organisationspecificallysupporting subcontinentalvictimsofDF\�wantsto assurewomenthat supportisout there. "Peopledon't report. andoften,asin the caseofHarjit,itis too lace."

The mosttroublingissuefacingthe subcontinentalcomnmnity,shesays,isthe lackofprotectionofferedtospousesand dependents residinginAustraliaaspartof temporaryvisas.

"Thelawasweknowirdoesnote.xcend tothesewomen Forthem itis a caseofput uporshutup,"MsRandhawasaidregarding situationswherewomen,legaUyresiding in thecountry,risk deportation for speaking Out.

Whilst culmrallyit canbequitenaniral for ustoavoidtalkingwith our friendsand communitymernbersabout their familylives, remainingsilent maywellbethedifference betweenlife anddeath,aswasthecasefor Harjit Kaur.

Evenwhenconfronted,victims canbe reluctant todisclosetherealities oftl1eir siniation fora myriad ofreasons,however it is vitaltoensurethatpeopleknowthat theyaresupported,willbebelievedandwill not beshunned.Thattheyknowthereis a futureand alifebeyondviolence,andthatit iswithinreach.

Forsupportvisit:Bklcktown Wvmen'sand GirlsHeal:thCentre-womnl$andgirls. org.au,98312070;/SCA-icsa.net.m,