Melb becomessecond hubafterPerthto securean IndianCommunityCentre

The Australian Indian Community Centre was inaugurated at Rowville late in March

BY RAJNIANAND LUTHRA

henYasan Srinivasan pottered around at Melbourne's new Indian con,munity centreat Rowville on theweekend, he observed con,patriotsstopin theircars to checkout the building.

Someeven tookphotographs.

"Itwasawonderfulfeeling," Srinivasan beamedashespokewithIndianLink.

As thedrivingforce behind tbe new Australian Indian Community Centre that waslaunched late in March, itmusthave been satisfyingto see thatthewordhadgot around so quickly,and hadpiqued interest in thecon1n1unity.

Co1nmunitycentreshavebeenapipedrea1n forwaytoolong,andnowMelbourne becomesthesecondhubafterPerthtohave'a placetocaUhome',asSrinivasanreferstoit.

An idea that wasfloatedwaybackin 2012,ittook muchlobbyingwith the governn1entand within thecommunityto finallysee it tofruition.

Alan Tudge, Ministerfor Education and Youth, acknowledged thiswhenhesaid attheinauguration, "Thishasbeenthe culminationofabigvisionandhundredsof hours ofworkbycommunityleaders."

The FederalGovernmentmade a $2.5 milliongrant fortheproject.

TheCo1n1nunityCentreatKingsleyClose inRowvillewillhavehospitalityandfunction centrefacilities,andwillalsohostcultural andsportingactivities,seniors'activitiesand educationalprogramsfortheyoung.

Thepremises,fonnerlyownedby SalvationArmy,include on theground flooramainhall anda 1ninihallthat canaccommodate 250and 120people respectively; offices, toilets andshowers, and outthe back, asportcentrewhich couldconvertintoa 350-seatdininghall.

Upstairs ishometothe Museum of India, nowrelocatedfrom its temporary home at Dandenong. Filled with artefacts donated bythe Parekh fan1ily,itwill bean added attraction. So1ne ofthe collections include nearly 500coins (somedatingback to600 BC), nearlya million sta1nps,a large collection ofGandhi memorabilia, no less than 600paintings, and manysculptures and books.

Outli11ingthejourneyoftbeAustralian IndianComn1unityCentre,Srinivasan described,"Son,e28 Indianorganisations cametogetherasan Indianfederationtosee thisprojectthrough.Theseincludedlocal organisationsofpeoplehailingfromKashJnir toKerala.Whileindividualorganisations continuedtocarryontheiractivities,asmall groupfromacrosstheboard formedacore con1mitteeformajorinfrastructureprojects toservicetheco1nmunityatlarge. Thiscore group,theAustralian IndianCommunity CharitableTrust(AICCT),wasmadeupof like-mindedpeoplewhowouldsupportthe projectsphysically,financiallyandmorally."

Alistoffive majorprojectswere drawnup-an ethno-specificaged care facility,a museumofIndian art,an Indian communitycentre,a retirementvillage for Indian-origin people, anda school.

"We'vedeliveredon threeofthese," Srinivasan declared. "Theethno-specific agedcare isa 108-bed facility in Noble Park that MiCare willconstructand manage. Planningisapproved,andconstruction isduetobeginshortly,asCOYIDplayed spoilsport. lt will havelanguage-based staffandvolunteers,prayerroomsand a 300-capacitycommunity hall."

Museum Indiawas launched in 2014 withcollectionsdonated by art collector andconnoisseur Dr Dinesh Parekh, who passedonlyweeks ago.

TheIndianCommunityCentreiscurrently awaitingCouncilapproval,Srinivasan revealed."Thepremiseswereused previouslyasaplaceoftrainingandassembly butceasedoperatingthustwoyearsago.We arewaitingonCouncilto reinstatepermits forthesepurposesagain;we'rehopingthey'll comethroughinthenextsixweeks."

Awebsite forthecommunitycentreisin development: itwillenablepeople tobook facilitiesonline, registerforevents, and also see the Museum in 3D.

"Wewould lovetocelebrate Independence Dayhere, but are aiming mostcertainlyforaGandhi Weekin October, with Museumactivitiesand a leeture series," Srinivasan announeed.

Itwasexactlytwoyearsago the Indian communityin Perth securedits India centre, thanks to the Indian Societyof Western Australia (ISWA). It was a project onwhich Srinivasan had advised.

"I workedtogetherwithaverycommitted ISWAteamunderthen President Surya Ambati, tonegotiate with thefederal government," Srinivasanrecalled. "Wewere abletosecure grantsof$2.5 millioneach. They're hopingtoinaugurate thisAugust too. Ofcourse they've had toconstruct,but wewereabletopurchaseexistingpremises, even thoughwe'llhavetospend$250,000 forupgrades."

Whatabout an Indian centre in NSW, we ask Srinivasan.

Allhe'llsayin replyis,"Weare disappointed thattheNSWcommunityisnot comingtogethertoachievewhatwehave."