ONOURS

Mentoring Overseas Trained Doctors

Dr Mulavana Santhadevi Parvathy, OAM

For service to medicine, and to medical education

Dr Mulavana Santhadevi Parvathy is surprised and humbled after receiving the Queen’s birthday honour this year for her contribution to medicine and medical education. “I’m not sure if I deserve this,” she laughs bashfully.

Her impressive list of accomplishments says otherwise.

She has been working with Hunter New

England Local Health District since 1985 as a general practitioner, and since 2000 in the education sector as a senior lecturer, in the discipline of general practice for the University of Newcastle.

In 2006 she became director for the International Medical Graduates Program. As an overseas-trained doctor herself, she considers this one of her great passions. “We look after overseas trained doctors who come here to work with us from around the world,”

Community Champion

Lakshman Prasad Alluri, OAM

For service to the Indian community of the Australian Capital Territory

While 2020 may go down for most of us as The Year That Never Was, for Canberra’s Lakshman Prasad Alluri it will be a memorable year.

This year marks milestone anniversaries for at least three of Alluri’s pet community projects, and on top of that, he has received an OAM in this year’s Queen’s birthday honours. It’s lucky times for Lakshman, well-known in Canberra’s Indian community as Lucky.

“I’m elated with the OAM honour,” Lucky told Indian Link. “It comes after 27 years of community work.”

Having arrived in this country in 1993, he took to voluntary work in his community almost immediately. The first of these was the Sri Vishnu Shiva Mandir at Mawson, which marks its 25th anniversary this year. In 1995, Lucky oversaw the inauguration of the temple volunteering as the priest for the ceremony. “Prior to this of course, it was a long process to have the temple established. In 1993, as president of the Mandir Society of Australia, I administered the foundation laying ceremony (Turning of the Sod) by Labor MP Ross Kelly for the construction of the temple. A year later, I helped organise the first havan for the purification of the idols received from Tirumala temple in Andhra Pradesh India.”

As current Vice-President of the Mandir, it continues to be part and parcel of his community work to this day. This work also sees him sit on the boards of two other Hindu temples in ACT and NSW.

In another role – President of the Canberra India Council – Lucky is leading the not-for-profit in marking its tenth year this year. Launched in 2010, the Council aims to promote interest in and appreciation of Indian and Australian cultures and values. The Council’s flagship event has been the annual ‘India In The she describes to Indian Link. “We organise orientations for them and ensure that they’re looked after, are mentored, and have all the resources and support they need.”

Since 2013, Dr Parvathy has been the director for the Hospital Skills Program looking after education, mentoring and rendering ongoing support to doctors. Additionally, she has been a foundation member and governance committee member for Workplace based Assessment Program since 2010. This is an innovative programme, founded by her husband Prof Kichu Nair AM, which provides an alternate route for International Medical Graduates to practice in Australia. She continues to work as a GP in her practice.

The Cochin-born MBBS graduate says the most rewarding aspect of her job is working closely with people. “I love working with people. I have been looking after some of my patients for over 30 years now and it is such a privilege to develop these relationships and bonds with people over the years.”

The current climate of global retaliation towards racial injusticeand ethnic discrimination begs the question,has she ever encounteredracism or bias in her professional life?

“In my experience, most people are welcoming and open minded. In the early years I received lots of support from my Australian colleagues, which was invaluable.

Unfortunately, racism exists in every society. It is human nature to be wary of people who are different. As people of colour, we will inevitablyexperienceracismin some form or the other. Often it is subtle, and you are left wondering what just happened.”

She has counsel to combat this. “You’re presumed incompetent unless proven otherwise. At the end of the day, we need to work hard, harder than most people, to prove our worth and capability. Any community that is a minority will experience its share of difficulties and challenges. We need to value ourselves and keep working hard.”

Some advice regarding COVID-19? “This is a new virus and we’re all eagerly waiting for a vaccine. The next few weeks are pivotal for us as they will determine where we’re heading so let’s take responsibility, maintain social distancing and follow the rules especially as the flu season approaches.”

She also has sage advice for young people considering a profession in medicine. “The most important thing, is to do what you love doing. See where your passions lead you even if that takes some time to figure out. Happiness comes from doing what you love.”

With nearly four decades of work and an illustrious career, where does she see herself going from here? “As long as I’m healthy and able to work and my patients want to see me, I will continue to work,” she smiles.

Ria Lawrence

counselling assistance to domestic violence families,” Lucky revealed.

As if these activities do not keep him busy enough, Lucky does his bit for his adopted city in a variety of other roles, volunteering at Floriade, Canberra Day Parade, Christmas Carols at Commonwealth Park, at over 25 events through 2013 during the Centenary Celebration of Canberra, at AFC Asian Cup and Cricket World Cup (CA) in 2014/15 besides a number of cricket clubs across the city, and volunteering with the elderly at Miranjani Village, Weston Creek.

“I’ve also been involved in fund raising activities for Cancer Council Australia, Beyond Blue, ACT Women’s Advocacy Group and the Smith Family Soup Kitchen.”

A seat on the ACT Government Multicultural Advisory Board came soon enough, as well as on various other ACT Government community committees, and a Multicultural Advocate of the Year award.

This year, COVID-19 has kept Lucky involved in an entirely new way.

City’ at the National Multicultural Festival, besides Vaisakhi and Diwali events.

(Lucky also founded the Canberra Telugu Association and Kannada Association of Canberra).

Also this year, Lucky has just finished celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Telugu Vani radio station, which broadcasts Saturday mornings.

“As a community service leader, I’ve been providing services in cultural relations, organising of cultural workshops for children, organising seminars on health and motor skills workshops for seniors, providing

“Since the outbreak of COVID and the clampdown of restrictions, I started a small informal organisational network group between Marie Ball Associates, Vishnu Shiva Mandir Mawson, Canberra India Council Inc, and Canberra Telugu Vaani Inc to provide Indian groceries and fresh fruit and veggies to needy senior citizens, families, frontline workers and international student at ANU/UC. Over 58 people have been receiving these supplies on a weekly basis.”

All this alongside his day job in the public service (in which, Lucky is about to finish his 25th year.)

How does he find the time?

“It’s not a problem,” he smiled. “I’ve worked at the Floriade all day, and gone and danced the garba at night, and thoroughly enjoyed both!”

Rajni Anand Luthra