2023-04-Sydney

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey

Charishma Kaliyanda

ButÊifÊyouÊareÊyetÊtoÊtieÊtheÊknot,ÊtalkÊtoÊusÊatÊ Manjit’s.ÊAtÊManjit’s,ÊweÊspecialiseÊinÊcelebratingÊ

weddings.ÊFromÊvenueÊtoÊmenu,ÊdesignÊtoÊdecor,Ê mandapÊtoÊmusic,ÊweÊdoÊitÊall.

LetÊyourÊweddingÊbeÊanÊexperienceÊtoÊremember.Ê LetÊusÊatÊManjit’sÊlookÊafterÊitÊallÊtheÊway.ÊÊAndÊdoÊ inviteÊallÊyourÊmarriedÊguests.ÊTheyÊshouldÊknowÊ whatÊtheyÊmissed.

PUBLISHER

Pawan Luthra

EDITOR

Rajni

Anand Luthra

CONTRIBUTORS

Torsha Sen, Khushaal Vyas, Ritam Mitra, Vivek Asri, Nidhi Panicker, Prutha Chakraborty, Keonia Swift, Lily Gabriel, Kristen Dias, Lakshmi Ganapathy, Kersi Meher-Homji, Sandip Hor, Suhayla Sharif, Auntyji, LP

Pale, male, stale The problem with the Liberal Party

bY PAWAN LUTHRA

With their win in the NSW elections, the Labor Party is now in charge of all of Australia, but for Tasmania. The most senior Liberal leader in the land is now the Premier of Tasmania. On the mainland, it’s wallto-wall Labor.

It is time for the Liberal Party to rebuild its brand.

with the rest of the world and are more socially and environmentally responsible. These young people also have a high setting on their bullcrap meter and can smell insincerity a mile off.

We also have to recognise the increasing participation of women in all parts of our lives as compared to 20-30 years ago.

If the Liberals need to build their brand and connect with Australians, they need to be less blokey, less white, more youthful, and start believing that minorities and women matter.

policies but unwilling to vote for the Labor Party. The first battle which the Liberals now need to fight, is to entice these voters back. The NSW Liberals were able to keep the teals in check at the recent state elections - head office has a playbook to work from.

Electoral defeats are important as they force the losing party to take a cold hard look at themselves, and this has to be the time for seniors in the Liberal Party to do that - though one fears it may take upto even a decade to bring about any change. Still, you start by taking the first steps.

Drishya

‘Brand building’ is simply connecting with your intended audience for the purpose of establishing a relationship with them in their day-to-day lives.

The question that needs to be asked is, do the Liberals have a positive relationship with everyday Australians?

Let us look at this from the lens of the changing face of Australia.

The recent 2021 Census told us that we are the most multicultural nation in the world, with one in two Australians either born overseas or have parents who were born overseas.

We also have a young community which is increasingly connected

Labor realised this way back in the early 2000s and has spent the last 20 years building a brand which is more accepting of everyday Australians. Interestingly, it has been true to its affiliations with the Union movement but modern Labor has been able to embrace the new voter also.

The teal brand emerged and flourished at the last Federal elections. Made up largely of those Liberals who did not relate to the leadership, this group of mostly women were able to capture the imagination of their largely affluent electorates, and with this, the votes of traditional Liberal voters disappointed with their party’s

It is almost a year since the Liberals were smashed in the Federal elections of 2022 and yet, there seem to be no discernible moves by them to make any changes to their branding. Leadership now is of the essence, even a sacrificing one - any leader who brings about change may not last the distance till the next couple of elections when they may have a chance of winning again.

The next Tasmanian elections take place on 28 June 2025. It will be interesting to see if the Liberals take any steps by then to rebrand and hold on to their last patch of blue in Australia.

YOUR SAY

NSW TREASURER DANIEL MOOKHEY: SWEARING IN CEREMONY

Our early reports by VIVEK ASRI and PAWAN LUTHRA on the new NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey’s swearing in ceremony, with the Bhagavad Gita playing a prominent role, was widely read.

Barry O’Farrell, Australia’s High Commissioner to India, shared our report and wrote: Indian-origin Australian Daniel Mookhey takes oath as NSW Treasurer on the Bhagavad Gita – the first Australian minister to take the oath of office on the holy scripture. Born in Blacktown to Punjabi migrants, he has been a politician since 2015.

Gauri Maini wrote: I firmly believe our younger generation will be far more at ease with diversity and far more vocal about social equity. I hope we can be witness to a world where moments like this are the norm.

Estelle Keerthana Rangaswamy wrote: It is nice to see such acceptance (of religions, languages and cultures) in Australia.

Shriram Iyer wrote: Great to see, very happy! Also noted your excellent play on words there, Pawan.

SAHIR LUDHIANVI: 102 YEARS YOUNG AND MORE RELEVANT THAN EVER

On the birth anniversary of the legendary poet-lyricist, VIRAT NEHRU wrote about why his work remains timeless

Timothy Osborn wrote: That article couldn't be more Virat, it's almost as if you wrote it.

Mohammad Anas wrote: Bahot umda likha hai, bhai. An honest attempt. Appreciable.

Virat Nehru wrote: I tried to tackle those aspects which usually don't get talked about as much while also tying it to contemporary issues

Anamika wrote: Loved reading this piece, and reminiscing about so many of Sahir’s works. Kudos, Virat.

Deepak Joshi wrote: On Sahir Ludhianvi's birthday, which is also International Women's Day, Virat Nehru writes about how Sahir's poetry addressed uncomfortable issues of nationalism, communalismand misogyny. Srishtee Bajpai wrote: Sahir Ludhianvi is my favourite for a reason… So glad to read this piece that weaves his work so beautifully

Avinash Gadkari wrote: A really good article that highlights Sahir more as a poet and song writer than as a person or victim of romance. With regards to Sahir being nationalist of other cadre, a rationalist and atheist, his songs like Wo subah kabhi to aayegi and Aasma pe hai Khuda aur jami pe ham from the movie Phir Subah Hogi tell much about his vision and are also worth citing. Bharadwaja Prasad wrote: Could you please provide a pdf (or link). I’d like to send it to my 70-year-old father.

KIARA RODRIGUES: A RISING VOICE IN AUSTRALIAN MUSIC

KEONIA SWIFT spoke with the country music star, a first-gen Indian-Australian, who is breaking stereotypes in the Australian country music scene.

John Denyer wrote: Kiara is a very talented singer/songwriter, and it's good to see her getting some of the recognition she deserves. And her performance at Starmaker at Tamworth was fantastic.

Kiara Rodrigues wrote: Big thanks to Keonia and the team at Indian Link for this article. It is truly an honour and privilege to represent my South Asian heritage in the Australian Country Music industry

Maggie Rodrigues wrote: That's awesome! Congratulations!

Melanie Rodrigues wrote: Well written article. So, proud of you, bubba.

Canute D'Souza wrote: Nice tribute to mum and dad too. Well done Kiara Rodrigues go well.

Brooklee Rose, singer/songwriter wrote: Congratulations, this is so wonderful.

Beth Milkins wrote: Loved reading your story.

Melanie Gray, modern Australiana singer/songwriter wrote: And what a voice!

Patricia Woodrow wrote: She’s our star.

HOLI WITH PETS

You liked our post on keeping our pets safe during Holi

Uma Patel wrote: Good to see this concern for the wellbeing of our pets on festivals like Holi and Diwali.

Cactuslessons wrote: Raising awareness – we call that ‘careness’

Anuradha Kapur wrote: As the kids splashed around the backyard with their friends on Holi creating a ruckus, our brand new puppy joined in. I was concerned about the rang (coloured powder) on puppy’s skin and fur, not wanting her to lick at it afterwards. Luckily the kids agreed to keep her out of their muck-up activities, but only after putting one little bindi of colour on her forehead!

A truly phenomenal weekend attending the opening of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre in Mumbai, India. From the spectacular musical “Civilization to Nation” to the most extraordinary “India in Fashion Exhibition”. Congratulations to #NitaAmbani and family on your extraordinary investment, support and love of arts, culture and fashion and to Tim Brinkman and Anuj Talukder for your extraordinary work in bringing it all together. Honoured to have been a part of it all.

Michael Cassel AM, Producer & CEO of live entertainment and theatrical production company, Michael Cassel Group, Australia

BALESH DHANKHAR IN COURT, CHARGED WITH SEXUAL OFFENCES

Sydney’s Indian community was shocked to learn of the offences allegedly committed by Balesh Dhankhar, who once enjoyed high profile Krish Na wrote: Very disturbing allegations. What shocks me is how he was rubbing shoulders with the Indian PM and his senior ministers, while at the same time allegedly drugging, raping and videotaping women. It also appears he was charged years ago and was out on bail. How did he manage to remain ‘prominent’ with this hanging over his head?

Maria Alam wrote: Sounds like a predator.

WHERE IN OZ

This stunning composition of coral has naturally formed into the shape of a heart. First discovered in 1975 by a pilot, it is now one of Australia’s most recognised attractions. Where in Australia?

CAPTION CONTEST

What’s Ajay Devgn thinking here, we asked you.

Preet Cheema won a free movie ticket for his response: I protest! I’m a celeb, but they’re not letting me act out my boyhood fantasy - to be a truck driver.

Amanjot Cheema wrote: OK then, if I can’t be a truck driver I’ll settle for traffic warden.

Vandana Mathur wrote: What a "drishya", hmmm?

Ambika Girglani wrote: Hum jaha khade ho jaate hai line wahi se shuru ho jaati hai. Do not cross Bholaa.

Ambika Girglani wrote again: Ala re ala Bholaa ala.

Jasmeen Singh wrote: Ruk ruk ruk, arre baba ruk

WHERE IN INDIA

Bruce Wayne aka Batman escaped jail in the movie The Dark Knight Rises by jumping out of this iconic structure. Where in India?

Please make it stop.

Tom Holland (historian), after being deluged with SRK fans on Twitter. He was tagged in place of Tom Holland (actor), who was snapped posing with SRK at the opening of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) in Mumbai

‘Gigi didi, ikde ikde’; ‘Ae Tommy’, ‘Tom, Homecoming’, ‘Jhandeyaa’ Paparrazzi to Gogi Hadid, Tom Holland and Zendaya at the opening of NMACC

Get the best of Indian Link straight in your inbox. Scan the QR code to sign up to our weekly enewsletter

The answer is Heart Reef, Queensland: readers Rani RJ, Smita Nashikkar, and Rohit Ganesh got it right.

The answer is Mehrangarh Fort Jodhpur: readers Bhanu Kothari, Jillian Abery and Rohit Ganesh got it right.

‘As a parliament

now looking like the people we represent’

parliament, his Indian heritage, and about NSW’s ties with India.

Daniel Mookhey, congratulations on the new job. How are you feeling?

I“am incredibly honoured and humbled to be the first Australian Minister, state or federally, to take my oath of allegiance on the Bhagavad Gita,” NSW Treasurer and Minister for the Gig Economy Daniel Mookhey said after the swearing in of the Chris Minns Government on 28 March.

Treasurer Mookhey, the son of Indian migrants from the state of Punjab, has been a member of the NSW Legislative Council since 2015 and was previously the first Australian of Indian-origin politician to enter the NSW Parliament.

Mookhey’s Sydney-based family has deep links with the local Indian community, his parents being a part of the founding members of the first Hindu temple in Australia, SriMandir Temple at Auburn. He speaks here about the responsibilities in his new role, about a new-look

I'm feeling overwhelmed - excited and thrilled that we had the opportunity to change the government and change the direction of the State. It's just such a thrill to be a part of it.

As the incoming treasurer for the NSW government, what kind of economy are you inheriting from the previous Liberal government?

Look, it's troubled. Inflation is high, economic growth is obviously challenging right now. A lot of uncertainty in global markets. At the same time, the NSW government has inherited quite a lot of debt, quite a lot of challenges to do with the budget. So I'm just purposeful in terms of the work that I want to go about doing as Treasurer. I'm pretty determined to deliver all the commitments we made that got us elected - especially about rebuilding our schools and our hospitals and bringing

we are

Daniel Mookhey has made history by becoming the first Australian Minister to be sworn in to office by pledging his oath of allegiance on the Bhagavad Gita

bY

KHUSHAAL VYAS

an end to privatisation.

You’ve touched on a few of those things there in terms of pressures - we have inflation, we’ve got rising interest rates, rising costs of living, a housing crisis as well for renters in particular. In terms of that vision that you've talked about, what are your priorities as Treasurer?

And what are the key challenges that you think you're going to face as Treasurer in meeting those challenges?

My priority as Treasurer is to make sure that every school has the resources they need to be able to give every kid the opportunity for the best education that is possible, because education has transformed my life and education transforms so many lives. My job is to make sure that anyone who turns up to a hospital in NSW can see a doctor, a nurse, a paramedic and get the help that they need as well. So I think of my job as Treasurer not as much about what the finances are - the finance of course is crucial - but actually why we manage to budget well to be able to make sure that people have the services that they've been promised that they can rely on.

Are there any things that the NSW government can do in terms of those cost-of-living pressures?

Yep, we can cap tolls to $60 per week for two years, as we promised. We can bring an end to privatisation which is the reason why so many families are having to pay super profits to privately owned electricity companies. We can begin the hard work of managing the budget well, so we're taking pressure off inflation, working in partnership with Anthony Albanese and his government, as well as the Reserve Bank.

You're evidently a leader as well that's really proud of their Indian heritage. On the Australia-India front, do you think NSW gives enough importance to its trade relationship with India?

I think Australia is paying a lot more attention to India and India is paying a lot more attention to Australia, and that is to our mutual benefit. And I think that the Australian-Indian communities are transforming Australia - the diaspora is our best asset when it comes to engaging with India and so much of the links, the peopleto-people links between Australia and India, are much ahead of where perhaps the government should have been right now. I think it's terrific that Anthony Albanese has made these relationships such a priority for him. I think it's also excellent that the Indian government is reciprocating, and we look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Modi to the country soon.

When you say that the Australia-Inda relationship could have been further ahead, or perhaps something on which we could have moved on sooner, what can the NSW government do to improve the trade relationship? More broadly, what's the vision for your government in this space?

The trade relationship with India in NSW is being led by the NSW diaspora. Every time I meet with Australians of Indian origin now, it is so remarkable how complex those links are. I'd really like to see the NSW government put it centre of its strategy when it comes to engaging with India - the links that the diaspora has already forged, as

well as the further growth that is possible if we actually have the NSW Indian diaspora leading this conversation on behalf of the state government. Frankly, the diaspora knows more than the government does.

You've been making waves recently both in Australia and India on that front, with Indian news media widely reporting your swearing-in ceremony. You've become a bit of a domestic and international sensation in that regard by being the first Australian-Indian to take their oath on the Bhagwad Gita.

Yep! (Raises the Gita in his hand)

There it is! What is the Bhagavad Gita's significance for you? Is there something within it that inspires you, or was it a symbolic choice to recognise the

diaspora in the state of NSW?

All of the above. It's actually kind of a tribute to my parents, who migrated to Australia back in the early 1970s like so many others, with very little to bring with them from their country other than their faith and their family. So for me, it really is a tribute to my mother and my father, as well as the community which I grew up that was so organised around our Temple. And so I wanted to tip my hat to that heritage, but I also wanted to make it clear, this is what modern Australia and modern NSW look like.

Fantastic. I think that your parents would be very proud, no doubt, and probably a lot of ethnic children, myself included, will get that familiar “you must be like him” lecture.

I apologise for all the children who will

now be lectured by their parents. We're very happy to see it. In terms of that Indian culture that you're really proud of, are there any aspects that you particularly celebrate? You were in India recently, in 2020?

Yes, my brother lives in India half the year. I have so much family there. I visit so often and I'm looking forward to taking my children there. My oldest son, I took in 2020 just before COVID, and now my younger son is due to visit for the first time ever, so he can meet his extended family - my mamas and mosas and masis - all of them. I'm really looking forward to that - obviously for me, it is such an important part of who I am as an Australian Indian. I'm at that stage of life where I'm teaching my children what it's like to live in the two worlds that we do - often as an Australian first, but very proud of the heritage and the culture that we have.

That leads nicely to the final question that I have for you, which is, there are now four people of Indian origin in this next term of NSW Parliament - three Australian-Indians from the ALP, and one from the Nationals. What's your reaction to seeing that, and what work still needs to be done on that front, to see a more accurate representation of diverse communities in Parliament?

Well, I'm just thrilled that the representation has gone up for all people of different cultural backgrounds. I think it's so much better that we have a more culturally diverse Parliament. We need a democracy that looks like the people it represents, and I'm personally very pleased that my party has done a lot to make sure that the people we are choosing to run for public office do represent the full diversity of the NSWcommunity. I'm so thrilled for Charishma Kaliyanda who has been elected as the new member for Liverpool. I saw her this morning at our first caucus and to just have her in there is terrific. The deputy Premier and the Treasurer both having Indian heritage in this government, is just such a sign of how as a parliament we are looking like the people we represent. But I'm just as proud that next week we’ll be swearing in a minister of Buddhist origin, we'll have the first Islamic Minister I think, likely to be sworn in too. And I don't think we deserve massive pats on the back for this as politicians, because frankly we should have been achieving this already, but I do think we should mark the fact that progress has been made and there's more progress to be done.

‘Pledging the oath of allegiance at the swearing-in ceremony using the Bhagavad Gita, I wanted to tip my hat to my heritage, but I also wanted to make it clear, this is what modern Australia and modern NSW look like.’

‘I'm just thrilled that the representation has gone up for all people of different cultural backgrounds. The deputy Premier and the Treasurer both having Indian heritage in this government, is just such a sign of how as a parliament we are looking like the people we represent. But I'm just as proud that we’ll soon be swearing in a minister of Buddhist origin, and the first Islamic Minister too.’

democracy’

Charishma Kaliyanda, the new Member for Liverpool, is the first Indian-born Australian to be elected to the nSW Parliament.

bY RITAM MITRA

The Labor Party entered the 2023 state election with the promise of giving NSW residents a “fresh start” after 12 years of Coalition government.

It’s a campaign platform that is reflected both in Labor policy and personnel; many members of the new majority Labor government – including Premier-elect Chris Minns himself – do not have prior ministerial experience, and many come from diverse backgrounds.

A day after the resounding Labor victory, Bengaluru-born Charishma Kaliyanda – MP for Liverpool – spoke to us about the last weeks of the campaign, the election result and the journey ahead.

Charishma, congratulations on the election result. Talk to me about how it feels to not only be elected, but to be in government and in majority government. Has it sunk in yet?

To be honest, it hasn’t quite sunk in yet. It feels very surreal. There was a real positivity and a real enthusiasm for Labor on the ground over the last few weeks. We were really hopeful that the election results would reflect that. To see the results and to form majority government was a real validation of the policies that we went into the campaign with, but also our articulation and understanding of the challenges people are experiencing right now.

The cost of living is really hurting a lot of people and families are making decisions based on the challenges they are

experiencing. They’ve seen the things Labor are putting onto the table are not just about alleviating those immediate cost of living issues, but also for example in south-west Sydney, on the long-term plan that Labor is bringing forward - because this region has been really left behind when it comes to basic infrastructure.

It seems like the temperature of politics in Australia has gone down, even as the challenges we have seem to have increased. It's also something both Dominic Perrottet and Chris Minns alluded to in their speeches on election night. What do you make of that and how do you think we can continue that in our political discourse going forward?

It’s an interesting thing to witness. Over the last few decades, we’ve become used to politics being about big announcements with large price tags and, as one journalist called it, ‘razzle dazzle’. People are a bit more cynical about politics, political parties and politicians now, but also about the promises that generate media fanfare, but don’t materially impact on quality of life.

The other side is that over the last three years we’ve been incredibly focused on our local areas and local communities so when it comes to commitments that people have responded very well to, in my experience, it’s the commitments that people can see happening in their local communities: those are the ones that impact the decisions that people make.

You're now one of 4 elected MPs of Indian heritage and the first Indian-born Australian to be elected. What do you think that means, both to young people from diverse backgrounds and equally to your parents and other migrants who are seeing a government here that is more reflective of them?

It’s been quite overwhelming. I’ve lost control of my phone today just in responding to the various phone calls and messages that I’ve received, just the excitement and anticipation that people have.

It’s been over a decade now and three campaigns during which I’ve been balancing having an actual professional life alongside being politically involved. It’s important to me to step back and reflect

‘More participation in all aspects of our

With mum Bhanu Chottera

Election night

on the fact that for so many people within our broader community - being politically active, having a voice and a platform and a seat at the decision-making table, is something they now see as part of their daily lives. Seeing someone like me, who they went to school with, or with whom they performed at someone’s wedding, or even those for whom I MCed at their arangetram – these are people who have been a part of my life and I’ve been a part of their life.

Having it all intersect with the political world has been really nice. It’s been an exciting experience for a lot of people in my community and it’s been met with a lot of enthusiasm. I hope it’s met with increasing engagement and attention to being politically engaged and aware, and ultimately just result in more participation in all aspects of our democracy.

What do you think your next 90 days is going to look like – are you excited, apprehensive, or just keen to get on with the job?

It’s a mixture of all three. I’ve been so focused on getting through to 25 March that I was sort of not really thinking about what comes after that!

I had a conversation with a sitting MP

AN INSPIRATION TO YOUNG WOMEN

this morning and I was asking, “Will I get an email? A phone call from someone on what we do next, where do we go from here?” Just to look at the next 90 days though, it’s very much going to be about speaking to people who have been in a similar position, understanding the processes, the practical and logistical things like staff, who I need to see, getting my head around those things. And also very much around thanking my community and making sure my community understands how grateful I am that they’ve placed their trust in me.

I’m very grateful that almost 50% of my community has put me as number 1 on their ballots, and expect me to work hard for the people of the Liverpool.

What do you have to say to the uncles and aunties of NSW and to Indian Link readers?

The reason I am able to do something like this and be an MP - it feels so surreal saying and articulating that! - is because of the belief and support and the encouragement of so many aunties and uncles in my community who knew me.

They turned out and helped me on early voting booths, on election day, putting out election posters and helping me at train stations. I really think the belief and assistance and support that you give to young people, whether your own child or another’s, can have a transformational effect.

It takes a village to raise young people in our broader community – and if uncles and aunties can keep supporting young people, that’s great.

JODI McKAY

National Chair, Australia

India Business Council; Vice Chancellor’s Fellow South Asia, Western Sydney University; and former Leader of the Opposition in the NSW Parliament

Our Indian-Australian community is politically active, but it's taken time for that activism to translate to elected positions. Charishma Kaliyanda is fundamental to the change that's occurring across the country, but it's important to note that she's not there because she's Indian Australian, she's there because her community trusts her as their parliament representative.

In his 2018 strategy on the India-Australia relationship, Peter Varghese highlighted the opportunities for the diaspora to become more involved in politics, and we're finally seeing that happen. Along with Daniel Mookhey, Charishma represents a generation of Indian-Australians leading decision and policy making in NSW.

Charishma is an inspiration to young women that they can lead and make a difference in this country. She has been engaged in her community since she left school and her love of the southwest of Sydney is genuine. She was a strong voice for the area during the COVID lockdown and her election shows the high regard in which she's held in Liverpool. She is intelligent and warm and not afraid to say what she thinks if it supports her community.

'To form majority government was a real validation of the policies that we went into the campaign with, but also our articulation and understanding of the challenges people are experiencing right now'.

Attending the first meeting of the Caucus of the Chris Minns Government

Half of Australia’s permanent migrants since 2000 are now Australian citizens

Australia’s demography is constantly evolving, with a significant portion of its recent permanent migrants being Australian citizens. The latest statistics released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveal that, out of the 3 million recent permanent migrants who arrived in Australia between 1 January 2000 and 10 August 2021, 59% are now Australian citizens.

Jenny Dobak, ABS head of migrant statistics says the data released on recent permanent visa holders reveals that the majority are now Australian citizens, with those on a Skilled visa the mostly likely to have become Australian citizens (64 per cent), followed by those on a Humanitarian visa (61 per cent).

Ms Dobak noted that the new figures also offer new insights into permanent migrants’ visa history.

“We can see the majority of permanent migrants were granted a permanent visa as their first visa (1.7 million or 58 per cent),” said Ms Dobak adding, “This was higher for Humanitarian migrants (93%), and those on Family visas (75%).”

“1.3 million permanent migrants were first granted a temporary visa before becoming a permanent migrant – most commonly a Temporary Student visa,” she said.

Australia’s multicultural society is

reflected in the various nationalities of its permanent migrants, with China, India, and the United Kingdom being the top three countries of birth.

The ABS report also highlights that the majority of permanent migrants are of working age, with around two-thirds being aged between 20 and 44 years old. Additionally, a significant proportion of permanent migrants hold a bachelor’s degree or higher qualification, indicating the valuable contributions they can make to the Australian workforce and economy.

Overall, Australia’s demography continues to be shaped by a variety of factors, including migration, birth rates, and ageing populations.

The majority (71%) of permanent migrants were employed. This figure was higher for Skilled migrants (81%).

“In terms of top occupations, 10% of migrants from the Family visa stream and 14% of migrants from the Humanitarian visa stream were employed as Carers and Aides.”

“For migrants from the Skilled visa stream, the most common occupation was Business, Human Resource and Marketing Professionals at 10%,” Ms Dobak said.

7.7 per cent of the permanent migrants are working as health professionals whereas 7 per cent are working in the fields related to caring and aid.

Vivek Asri

Taxi driver, guilty of sexual assault of passenger, denied visa

Australia has denied visa to an Indian-origin taxi driver who was found guilty of sexual assault.

The Federal Court of Australia has dismissed 31-year-old Indian citizen Navdeep Singh’s application for judicial review of a decision made by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal earlier last year. The appeal centred around the denial of a visa application by Mr Singh, who failed the character test under section 501(6) of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth).

Mr Singh had previously pleaded guilty to a charge of sexual assault, for which he was fined with no conviction recorded. The Department of Home Affairs denied his application for a visa,

and the decision was affirmed by the Tribunal. The appellant argued that the primary judge had erred in finding that the Tribunal did not consider his submission that he had been “tested in the community” since admitting his guilt.

The appellant also argued that the Tribunal was incorrect in its finding that there was no temporal limitation on its assessment of risk. Despite these arguments, the primary judge found that the Tribunal did not make any jurisdictional errors, and the appeal was subsequently dismissed with costs.

Mr Singh arrived in Australia in 2015 on a student visa to undertake a postgraduate course. He has lived in Australia continuously for six years,

apart from a month-long return visit to India in 2017. While working as a taxi driver, he was involved in an incident with a passenger in the early hours of the morning of 16 August 2017. This resulted in him being arrested, charged, and found guilty of sexual assault.

In December 2018, DoHA cancelled Mr Singh’s Further Student Visa which he obtained after marrying a student visa holder and staying on a dependent visa. On 3 January 2022, the Tribunal affirmed the minister’s decision.

In its decision, the Tribunal also referred to a statutory declaration that Mr Singh signed in June 2020. The Tribunal noted that the appellant had “… blamed the victim and demonstrated a lack of remorse”.

“Under [Direction 90], any finding of guilt relating to sexual offending is viewed very seriously. The Tribunal notes that a person found guilty of Sexual assault under section 40 of the Crimes Act 1958 (Vic) is liable for up to 10 years’ imprisonment. The Court’s punishment on this occasion, however, is clearly at the low end of available sanctions,” reads the judgement.

The Tribunal went on to conclude that the appellant’s risk of reoffending, though low, was nonetheless real; and that, when coupled with the very serious nature of the charge to which he had pleaded guilty, that weighed “…moderately against granting the visa”.

Vivek Asri

The Tribunal noted that the appellant had “...blamed the victim and demonstrated a lack of remorse”.

The majority (71%) of permanent migrants are employed. This figure is higher for Skilled Migrants (81%).

Indians top the list of skilled migrants in Australia

new ABS data reveals that India has overtaken china and england as the largest source of skilled migrants

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has reported that India has become the leading source country for permanent migrants to Australia since 2000, with a total of 439,700 permanent migrants.

India has now overtaken China (334,900) and England (277,500).

Philippines (167,400), South Africa (118,200), and Vietnam (82,400) are also among the top sourcing countries of permanent migrants. Australia, Iraq, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka are other countries of birth in the top 10.

People born in India moving to Australia have already overtaken Chinese and New Zealanders to become Australia’s secondlargest migrant group, trailing behind only England. In the 2011 census results, 337,120 Indian migrants flocked to Australia. In just 10 years after that, the number has rocketed to 710,380 people.

Founder and CEO of academically.ai Dr Akram Ahmad says the Indian education system has been known for producing a vast pool of talented and skilled STEM and Healthcare/Medical graduates every year.

“It is a robust system that emphasises a strong foundation in theoretical concepts and practical skills through its IITs /IIMs and medical colleges,” said Dr Ahmad told Indian Link. “This has resulted in many Indian professionals becoming CEOs of top-notch Fortune 500 companies globally. However, due to various reasons, including better employment opportunities, quality of life, cultural diversity, and social acceptance, many Indian healthcare professionals are migrating to Australia through the skilled PR

visa pathway.”

The ABS report also highlights that the majority of permanent migrants are of working age, with around two-thirds being aged between 20 and 44 years old. Additionally, a significant proportion of permanent migrants hold a bachelor’s degree or higher qualification, indicating the valuable contributions they can make to the Australian workforce and economy.

Brisbane-based migration expert Suman Dua of Nationwide Migration and Education says Australia has always been attractive to migrants due to the weather, employment opportunities, and pay rates, but the recent skill shortage in Australia has particularly helped Indians.

“Due to the recent skills shortage in Australia, the department has been inviting many skilled applicants for permanent visas.

Most IT, engineering, and health occupations are in demand in Australia, and as per the available data, most invitations go to Indian nationals. In recent times, we have also seen a rise in invitations for trade occupations like Chef, motor mechanics, and carpenters,” Ms. Dua told Indian Link.

Indians also make up the largest group of skilled migrants arriving in Australia since 2000. According to the latest ABS figures, one in five skilled migrants were born in India (20%), highlighting the strong presence of Indian skilled workers in Australia’s workforce. England and China are the second and third largest source countries for skilled migrants to Australia.

ABS says 59% (1,761,000) of 3 million permanent migrants arriving in Australia since 2000 were skilled. 356,100 of them are Indians. England holds the second spot in the

list with 197,300 skilled migrants, and China is at a close third rank with 196,500 skilled migrants.

Dr Ahmad notes that Australia is a popular destination for Indian professionals due to its high standard of living, excellent healthcare system, and diverse cultural environment.

“One of the biggest challenges faced by healthcare professionals migrating to Australia is the need to clear various exams and language proficiency tests,“ Dr Ahmad noted. “Academically.ai is a one-stop solution for such professionals looking to migrate to Australia. It provides them with the necessary guidance, resources, and training to prepare for license exams and English proficiency tests. Moreover, it also offers assistance in navigating the complex PR visa application process, ensuring a smooth transition to life in Australia.”

Victoria widens eligibility criteria for 491 Visa

residents and employees situated in metropolitan Melbourne can now apply for the Skilled Work Regional Visa Subclass 491

The eligibility criteria for the Skilled Work Regional Visa (Subclass 491) has been widened by the state of Victoria, allowing individuals residing in metropolitan regions to be included.

Residents and/or employees situated in metropolitan Melbourne who are already in Australia can now apply for nomination to obtain the Skilled Work Regional Visa Subclass 491.

“The new expanded eligibility criteria opens Victoria’s subclass 491 visa program to skilled migrants living anywhere in Victoria, including previously ineligible metropolitan Melbourne residence who wish to relocate to work and live in a designate regional area of Victoria,” said

Victorian government in a statement.

According to Chaman Preet, a migration expert, this is a positive development.

“Victoria is very attractive to a lot of applicants however living and working in regional condition to obtain nomination made it difficult for a lot of applicants to be able to apply for this particular visa. This move has made this option reachable for a lot of applicants now,” said Chaman Preet, Director of the Melbourne-based firm Migration and Education Experts.

According to the Victorian officials, Subclass 491 visa holders must live work and study in a regional area of Victoria for at least 3 years before they can apply for their subclass 191 visa, which provides permanent residency. This means the

visa holders need to move to a designated regional area of Victoria or secure a job that provides them with regional employment.

If the applicants have a Registration of Interest (ROI) for a subclass 190 and have not been selected, they can submit a new ROI for a subclass 491 after withdrawing the existing subclass 190 ROI.

To be eligible to apply for Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) nomination, you must:

n be committed to living in regional Victoria,

n have had your Registration of Interest (ROI) selected,

n be under 45 years of age, n have Competent English,

n have a valid skills assessment in an

occupation on the eligible skilled occupation list for this visa,

n if you are onshore, you must be living in Victoria at the time of nomination. Please note, that if you are onshore and living in Melbourne, you may need to relocate to a designated regional area of Victoria after you are nominated. Some outer suburbs of Melbourne are included in the regional zones by the Department of Home Affairs.

n be committed to living in regional Victoria,

n have achieved at least 65 points on the Australian Government’s points test for your Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect.

Vivek Asri

Seeing the struggles and strengths in women’s lives

and Draupadi - through a contemporary lens, challenging the traditional narrative surrounding these characters. Care was taken to honour and respect the inherent values originally depicted in the scriptures.

back into a stone and takes her fate back into her control.

of Kali, exploring her mental health and response to unbelievable trauma.

Each dancer transformed into their character with ease and grace, and it was refreshing to see relatable yet complex themes depicted on the dance stage.

Dreams. Duty. Defiance. These were themes of womanhood that resonated, jointly and individually, from the stories that played out on stage. Coming so close to International Women’s Day, Iksha laid bare for us all to see, the struggles – and indeed, the ensuing strengths – that deserve to be understood and celebrated in women’s lives.

As we celebrate the global success of South Asian culture at the Oscars, let’s bring our attention more locally - to a special group of young artists who bought to life an idea concocted over a lunch date. It was a joy to see five young Bharatanatyam dancers present a professional, accomplished and nuanced performance in early March at Sydney’s Bryan Brown Theatre.

Iksha (Sanskrit ‘to see’) tells the tale of five prominent women in Indian literature -Ahalya, Shikhandi, Andal, Soorpanagai

Led by creative directors Sharanya Thiyagarajah and Divassini Ramesh, under the banner of Madeira Productions (Creator: Rishi Suresh), Iksha showcased crisp dancing, captivating abhinaya, and thoughtprovoking choreography.

Five lamps hung from the ceiling, lit one at a time as each dancer took the central spotlight to bring their character to life.

Ahalya, portrayed by Jessica Vaishnavi Jayakumar, compares the injustice of her own punishment (and redemption) for infidelity with that of Sita’s fate. Disgusted by the double standards that exist, she wilfully turns

Shikhandi, performed by Sharanga Satchidanandam, highlights the fluidity of gender expression – Shikhandi is a warrior, a non-binary reincarnation of Amba, seeking justice for the shame they experienced at the hands of Bhishma.

Andal is bought to life by Aniita Vytheeswaran. Through Andal, we see the depiction of divine love, uncommonly seen on the dance stage, in its most sensual form.

Divassani embodied Soorpanagai, who after being mutilated at the hands of Lakshmana, cannot reconcile how she perceives her own beauty to that of the men who mock her.

Lastly, Sharanya takes Draupadi from helpless pawn to vengeful reincarnation

Special mention must be made of the choreography, especially the depiction of the combination of feminine and masculine energy through the way each adavu was performed for Shikhandi. The silambam display at the end was a powerful finale for Shikhandi’s story.

Also visually striking and thematically bold was the use of mirrors to reflect back to the audience the complex state of mind and emotions for Soorpanagai.

The dancers were supported by an equally accomplished cohort of live musicians, with vocalist Keshika Amir, Ranjeev Kirupairajah on nattuvangam, veena artist Saumya Sritharan, Peraveenan Jeyarasa on mridangam, flautist Jathushan Jeyarasa and Athithan Thirunantha kumar on octopad. Traditional compositions were woven with musical interludes specifically created by the musicians to fit with the themes represented.

Off stage, the show was executed to a high level of professionalism – from the marketing and social media presence, to the beautifully designed programs and sweets distributed at the exit. The costumes had colours complementing each character, whilst still presenting unity in cut and style. The narration preceding each item was clear and ensured that those in the audience unfamiliar with these stories could easily follow along.

As the five dancers took the stage at the end for the Mangalam, the five lamps blazed powerfully together and matched the energy of the finale.

Sharanya and Divassini are keen to bring more dance shows to the stage which lend a fresh perspective to our rich Indian culture, and we certainly look forward to seeing more of their work.

five young Bharatanatyam dancers present their particular perspective on International Women’s Day

Blending music and cultures

THE THREE SEAS

Modern Australian jazz blends here with West Bengali folk music, electro-dub and funk

The Three Seas, a cross-cultural band comprising two Australian and three Indian musicians, is currently on tour in Australia. This unique ensemble has been performing across the world for over a decade now, fusing Australian and Indian music styles.

It was Aussie musician Matt Keegan (baritone, clarinet and ewi) that brought the band together. The story dates to 2009 when Keegan went to India for inspiration and new experiences.

“I went to a school in Sydney with some boys with Bengali heritage,” he tells Indian Link. “Their mother, Sutopa Parrab, was a huge music fan and invited me to come stay at her house in Santiniketan, West Bengal. My wife’s mother was also born in India so we both were keen to visit India some day.”

And when they finally did find time to travel in 2009, it was for their honeymoon. This was when Parrab introduced Keegan to many musicians, including Raju Das Baul (vocalist, khamak), Deo Ashis Mothey (vocals, esraj, dotora, guitar, murchunga) and Gaurab Chatterjee (drums, dubki).

“After this initial meeting, I thought these three interesting and diverse Indian musicians would blend musically very well with some of my colleagues from Australia,” Keegan describes.

And so, The Three Seas project was born with Australian Brendan Clark (bass guitar, effects) joining the troupe.

Fusing Austr AliAn And indiAn music

The band blends modern Australian jazz with West Bengali folk music, electro-dub and funk.

“We love experimenting with sounds,

textures and grooves,” Keegan explains. “We always take into account the space we are playing, the people we are playing for, and the mood we create together. Listeners will hear baulgaan (Bengali folk), Himalayan folk music, original jazz, and groove-based music that blends folk instruments with western instruments and electronic sounds in an organic way.”

(Baul music originates from a community of wandering minstrels who practice a unique form of spirituality that is a blend of Hinduism, Islam, and Sufism.)

While the group members are sensitive and respectful towards their diverse

influences in music, sometimes their ideas do take time to ripen. “The project is a safe space to try things out free from judgement; some ideas we discard, others turn into material we use exclusively on recordings while the majority are incorporated into our live set.”

In the last fifteen years working together, Keegan says their collaboration has only “marinated and matured”.

He says, “I have a much better understanding of the poetry that we incorporate in the music and that informs the sound of each piece. The Indian musicians also have developed a much better understanding of the way us Aussies contribute musically.”

Their first big tour was in Australian in 2017; the response was welcoming and the band has not looked back since.

Last year, they recorded their fourth album Vimana, at the Real World Studios in the UK. Haveli (2013) was recorded in a guest house in the Rajasthani desert.

Fathers, Sons & Brothers (2017) was recorded at Free Energy Device studios in Sydney. Then came Afterlife (2018-2020).

“This was a real studio album with many of the parts recorded remotely and put together in isolation in the studio during the pandemic.”

now pl Aying!

Next for The Three Seas is an eleven-track project. “We have each contributed a couple of original compositions and chose the final eleven tracks from about 15 potential pieces,” Keegan reveals. “We rehearsed every night after our show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (nine shows in a row).”

His favourites are the new baul Bhalo Basa and Rongmohol.

The Three Seas are currently on a tour in Australia (March 17 – April 15), playing a variety of venues from concert halls to intimate clubs.

bY PRUTHA CHAKRABORTY

There’s room for diversity in Australian country music

challenging expectations of what a country singer looks like

breaking stereotypes and making waves in the Australian country music scene.

bY

K EONIA SWIf T

Take me back to when we were just 17 We ruled the world, we knew who we were gonna be And then life came along and killed our teenage dream

inger-songwriter Kiara Rodrigues claims she wrote her charting High School Reunion as she took stock of her life in pandemiccaused isolation, wondering what a high school reunion would look like for her, ten

She can rest assured, however, that her own teenage dreams are well and truly

As a first-gen Indian-Australian, she is

Singing since she was nine years old, Kiara has won several awards, including “Female Rising Star” at Southern Stars Australian Independent Country Music Awards; the Tamworth Songwriter’s Association Comedy Song of the Year (for her song Mr. Vanity), and Triple World Champion (Country, Gospel, Rock) at the ‘World Championships of Performing Arts’ in Hollywood.

She has also made her mark on the charts, with three singles debuting in the top five of the Australian Country iTunes Charts; has sung at the world-renowned Tootsies in Nashville, and performed the national anthem at NRL games.

“People often wonder how someone with an Indian background gets into country music,” Kiara tells Indian Link. “The stereotype is often blonde hair, cowboy boots and cowgirl dress! But my parents

grew up on all these songs that they didn’t necessarily know were country. As a result, I’ve ended up listening to those songs and having that influence in what I do now.”

Kiara’s parents migrated to Australia in 1994 from Mumbai, arriving in Melbourne and then moving to North Queensland. Today the 27-year-old is based in Sydney, and works as a speech pathologist when she’s not singing.

Influenced by country music, the stage beckoned from a young age, with appearances on Channel Ten’s Young Talent Time and X Factor.

Classic country artists such as Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, and Dolly Parton heavily influence Kiara’s music. She is also inspired by more contemporary country artists such as Kacey Musgraves and Ashley McBryde.

“What all of those artists have in common is their ability to tell stories,” Kiara muses. It’s no surprise to see this reflected in her own work. She writes in High School Reunion:

Shelly’s on her second husband Betty’s on her second kid, and Mary’s on her second shot a whiskey just to get through this

Or again, in her latest single Message in a Bottle

Gonna drink you right out of my mind When the bottle’s empty I feel empty too Her songwriting just as accomplished as her vocal prowess, Rodrigues hopes listeners will take away the stories behind her music and relate to them.

“The stories are often my own experiences, or the experiences of other people around me. My hope is that listeners can find something that they relate to. Being able to relate to others through your work is what it’s all about.”

Explaining her creative process, Kiara reveals, “I start with an idea and then put a unique spin on it, often finding inspiration between my laptop, piano, and guitar.”

She’s currently writing new music for an EP to be released shortly.

As a person of colour in Australia, Kiara Rodrigues acknowledges that she has faced challenges and barriers in the country’s music industry. “You’re often striving against Western beauty standards of what a singer looks like, what a popstar looks like, and what a country singer looks like. And I think it’s really great to have that opportunity to be able to change and challenge those expectations of what a country singer in Australia looks like.”

Despite the challenges, Kiara Rodrigues sees her role as an opportunity to inspire younger children who look like her to pursue their dreams. “Growing up, I didn’t really have that in Australian country music, but things have now gotten a lot more diverse. So to be able to be that representation for our Indian community in the country music industry and in the wider industry as well, it’s just a real privilege.”

Kiara Rodrigues’ rise to prominence demonstrates that there is room for diversity and different perspectives in country music.

Beginning now to see a country music industry that is welcoming and which values diversity, she advises aspiring country singers to “just jump right in.”

“As a person of colour, no matter what community you are from, being as visible as you can be, and getting out there, is the best thing you can do. Be seen, and add to the diversity. So my best advice would be, be proud of your heritage, and just do it!”

“You’re often striving against Western beauty standards of what a singer looks like, what a popstar looks like, and what a country singer looks like. It’s great to be able to challenge those expectations of what a country singer in Australia

Kiara Rodrigues

bY PRUTHA CHAKRABORTY

If you ever cross the Dadar suburbs of Mumbai city, a massive mural painted across outer walls of four tall buildings will put some pep in your step. The artwork features two hands holding flowers – an ode to the vendors in the area who are witness to the changing urban landscape of this fast-paced city.

Deserving full credit for this project, is Australian street artist Fintan Magee. It took him five whole weeks, two assistants and a strong will to battle Mumbai’s scorching heat to complete this mural.

The Brisbane-based artist spent a considerable amount of time in Dadar’s market – where flowers are fresh heaped, fragrant and colourful.

“The Mumbai project was definitely difficult,” Magee tells Indian Link. “The walls were big and there were too many windows. The image had to be split up as I had to paint one theme across four buildings. Good thing is such projects help me branch out, get out of my comfort zone and give me an opportunity to make something new!”

This isn’t Magee’s first painting in India –in 2019, he created a mural in Goa featuring three local workers holding the base of a Roman column.

Magee is celebrated world-over for his socially and environmentally engaged works. He uses large-scale murals to depict intimate moments and communicate political and social viewpoints.

His Dadar mural comes at a critical time when Mumbai-based activists are at loggerheads with the state government over a Metro car-shed construction that will wipe off a portion of the luscious and vast Aarey Colony – also dubbed the ‘green lung’ of the city.

When asked if his mural is hinting at that, Magee says: “My mural is a statement on the dignity of hardwork and the beauty of craftmanship. It also portrays the fragility of nature in a developed city like Mumbai.”

But he adds that he loves our interpretation. “I wasn’t aware of the fight the activists are having with the authorities here. In hindsight, Mumbai does need a Metro to decongest the city. But I did notice this on my trip here that the city doesn’t have any green space either. There is definitely a need to treasure the green space.”

Magee says he is glad his work in the public eye can make people think and form different perspectives. “Art takes a life of its own sometimes,” he smiles.

Magee has been painting professionally for close to 10 years now. He doesn’t shy away from crediting his creative parents –architect mum and sculptor dad – for this. “I’ve been drawing from a young age; it

was always there in me,” he says. “Growing up, dad had a studio so naturally there was material around to experiment with. I think it is important when you are young.”

What about other influences?

“There were always lots of books around. My dad had a big book on English painter David Hockney (who had a major contribution in the pop art movement of the 1960s). I grew fond of his works. And also, there was Australian cartoonist Michael Leunig.”

Magee was also obsessed with drawing planes and dreamt of becoming a pilot. But his colour blindness came in the way. “When I realised I couldn’t become a pilot, I became an artist, which I realised is the second-worst job to have if you are colour blind,” he laughs.

But that doesn’t surprise us. After all, mant great artists are colour blind, including Frenchman Edgar Degas, Englishman William Blake and American Mary Stevenson Cassat.

“It was hard to tell colours apart when I was younger as I always got them mixed up,” he confesses. “I’ve had to learn colour theory. When I choose colour schemes, I have to read the labels correctly to ensure I don’t pick the wrong shade. With experience, I can proudly say I’ve got it under control.”

Most of his recent work is monochromatic – either all browns, all reds or all blues to make it “easy for me”.

It probably helps also that the sites of his paintings are picked for him, by the commissioning authorities.

But he does plenty of research before delivering the final work.

When we ask him to pick his most favourite works so far, he doesn’t choose street art, rather a piece of personal art – a set of 12 paintings that were displayed at Melbourne’s Backwoods Gallery during the pandemic.

Titled Nothing Makes Sense Anymore, “each painting acts as a kind of chaotic, codified storyboard of the year”.

“I’ve never set time aside for exhibitions, as murals take up a lot of my time. What I liked about this project is that I got time to be alone with my work.”

Magee has now got projects coming up in Sydney, Brisbane and overseas in Austria and Switzerland.

“I do my best to keep myself busy,” he laughs.

“The mural (in Dadar, Mumbai) is a statement on the dignity of hardwork and the beauty of craftmanship. It also portrays the fragility of nature in a developed city like Mumbai.”

A Magee mural in Newcastle…

… and one in Georgia

Artist Fintan Magee

Aussie street artist paints massive mural in Mumbai

f intan Magee says the project was challenging but worthwhile

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IndianLink

All things Indian. In Australia. For the past 28 years.

28 YEARS

Aussie BBQ meets filter coffee

The podcast series Stuck In Between explores the complexities of growing up navigating two different worlds

microscope and challenging what they can learn from one another, sharing and learning from diverse perspectives, and experiences and accomplishments of our community,” Senthan tells Indian Link.

The program has attracted “a killer guest list,” including comedian Neel Kolhatkar, radio presenter Avneesha Martins and playwright S Shakthidharan, among others.

In Between, she enlightens listeners about how she has expanded her business and ventured into publishing children's books that share stories, histories and mythologies of Indigenous communities and communities of colour.

Romitha and Senthan are both in their late 20s. Romitha is originally from Sri Lanka, and moved to Australia when she was six years old. Senthan was born in the United States and migrated to Australia when he was just three.

They met some 10 years ago as first year students at university.

“It wasn't until our final year though, when we reconnected for a student-run cultural group,” Senthanshares.

The idea of Stuck In Between came to them when they were comfortable in corporate jobs but were itching to enter the creative sphere.

“Senthan is really good at facilitating conversations,” admits Romitha. “So while recovering from an existential crisis triggered by the 2020 lockdown, I formulated the initial idea and asked Senthan if he’d be interested in starting a podcast.”

Unlike other friends-run podcast shows that may engage in filler conversations, Romitha and Senthan keep their conversations crisp, sharp and fun.

The biggest reward for the hosts though, is the encouraging feedback they receive from their audience.

Two Tamilians walk into a bar. One likes to ask questions, and the other loves to talk. And just like that, a podcast is born!

Long-time friends Romitha Seher and Senthan Sanchayan are hosts of Stuck In Between, a podcast that talks about their South Asian roots and Aussie upbringing. The crossover of differences and commonalities between their native and adopted heritage meant there was always a lot to discuss and talk about.

“The show is about trying to make more sense of the two cultures, putting both our Eastern and Western cultures under a

“A big part of the Stuck In Between experience centres on juggling differing value sets - the individualistic view prevalent in the West, compared to the focus on collectivism in the East,” Romitha points out.

When the idea first came up, there weren't a lot of South Asian Australian voices in the space.

Today the podcast is two series old, with 25K+ downloads, and a third series has just dropped.

“We’ve had the opportunity to build special relationships with some incredibly inspiring people and it’s been a privilege to share and learn from so many important and underrepresented stories,” Senthan highlights.

“One of the more recent episodes was with Dinesh Palipana, who is a doctor, disability advocate, author and speaker,” says Romitha when asked to pick a favourite. “Hearing how Dinesh overcame the trauma of a car accident that left him quadriplegic and how he didn’t allow his circumstances to get in the way of chasing his wildest dreams – publishing a book, sky diving, driving race cars, being a runway model – was a touching conversation about resilience and purpose.”

Entrepreneur Luckshmi Nirmalananda, who has featured in two episodes, is this writer's favourite. Luckshmi is the founder of The Heritage Supply Co, which aims to connect people to their heritage through toys, books and education tools. On Stuck

“Our episodes have resonated with [our listeners] and helped make sense of something they’ve been working through,” shares Romila, encapsulating why their show continues to be so successful.

bY PRUTHA CHAKRABORTY

“Stuck In Between is about putting both our Eastern and Western cultures under a microscope and challenging what they can learn from one another, sharing and learning from diverse perspectives, and experiences and accomplishments of our community.”

It’s 5:00 pm Sunday evening… time for wrapping my weekly gift. It is a gift of the week’s rubbish.

This wasteful present is for my neighbour down the street, who is very happy to receive it.

Now, before you raise your eyebrows in distaste, let me tell you, this gift is biodegradable kitchen waste, and my neighbour Maureen is a composter.

I would love to be a composter myself, but since I live in an apartment, space is a constraint. And so, cue technology: apps like Sharewaste help people like me connect with composters in the neighbourhood.

Before I began doing this, a feeling of guilt would routinely come over me every time I packed organic waste into bin bags along with other nondegradable waste. Not only because I was aware that organic waste deserves to be given back to nature, but also because I knew once it goes to landfill, it would remain inside my packed bin bag, decomposing anaerobically and contributing to greenhouse gases, adding to climate change.

I am thankful now for the knowledge I got from my university social project more than a decade ago, where we were taught about wet and dry garbage segregation, and how wet garbage need not go into landfills but be composted.

Did you know, in 2016-17, Australia produced 7.3 million tonnes of food waste across the supply and consumption chain?

Of this, 2.5 million tonnes (34 per cent) was created in our homes, which is more than four kilograms per household per week. Organic waste in landfills emits methane, a gas that has a global warming potential between 28 and 36 times that of carbon dioxide. So, it’s not only our cars but also our kitchens, that contribute to climate change.

Yet there is a simple way for us as individuals to ensure we are not doing further. And that is – composting.

Organic waste composting can be as easy as burying our problems. Some composters use a simple trick of burying the household garbage in a dedicated spot on the ground in their garden. Others use a composting bin and microorganisms like Bokashi powder to help them compost faster. In a matter of few months, voila, your kitchen waste disappears and reduces to natural fertilizer for the garden.

Agree, not all may be able to take up composting for various reasons, due to space

constraints or lack of knowledge of composting, like me. This is where apps like Sharewaste help.

All you need is a box or bin to separate your kitchen waste, and a connection with a composter.

If you’re composting already, then it’s a great service you are doing to the environment and to the future. Getting on to such apps helps you connect faster with your compost donors. After all, we all want our children to have a better future.

As you may have experienced, Australia is going through climate change already with changes to rainfall patterns, and increased extreme weather events like floods and bushfires. Across the world too, there are higher than average temperatures, melting glaciers and rising sea levels. Imagine how this will change in our children’s future.

If there’s anything we can do to gift them a better environment, it’s disposing our kitchen waste correctly. In the process of organic waste composting, kids and family members also become aware of the environment and their responsibility towards it. (The activity of collecting kitchen waste separately from the other waste will invoke a sense of being a Captain Planeteer, with Earth as the superpower.)

So, what are you doing about your child’s future besides giving them beautiful experiences, saving up for their education or their big day? Which day of the week are you going to set aside to take your organic waste out?

Bokashi bin

Important things I’ve learned about Indian culture

a town an hour from Melbourne where I have some family and many friends who live there, but whenever I travel back I stay in a hotel, as it’s too much for people to offer to accommodate a family of 4. However in India, I have too many offers from people to stay with them, and end up disappointing some people who we can’t stay with.

Being vegetarian – and how this mEAns so much AmA zing Food!

I was very surprised to notice in India that there would be a sign on a restaurant – Non-veg – if they serve meat, as most restaurants are vegetarian. In Australia, you have to go hunting to find a vegetarian restaurant. I then became friends with a Hindu family who are vegetarian. I used to go to their place for dinner at least a couple of times a week. I would always be served a bunch of vegetarian dishes, at least 4 or 5, plus rice and chapati or puri. Every time I went there would be more new dishes that I hadn’t tried before. Eventually, I did have the same dish more than once, and avial from Kerala became one of my favourites.

tAking your shoEs oFF whEn you EntEr An indiAn homE

When I moved to India briefly to work as a teacher, I never expected my life would change like it did. I am back in Melbourne now, but I brought back with me an Indian-origin husband, a beautiful Indian-Australian son, and a deeply enhanced understanding and appreciation of Indian culture.

Here are some important things I’ve learned about Indian culture.

E Ating with your hAnd

Indians often eat their food with their hand, which seems messy, but is actually a great experience and makes eating more enjoyable if you try it. It’s kind of hard to explain, but the food tastes better when you mix it with your hand. You then have a multisensorial experience of tasting, smelling and feeling the food.

BEing hospitABlE And sElFlEss: thEsE ArE hAllmArks oF indiAn culturE

There is a huge difference between our trips

home to India, versus going to my home town in Australia. When we return to India for a holiday with our children, we always have multiple people offering for us to stay with them, which actually puts them out quite a bit, as they may need their children to move out of their bedrooms, buy and cook more food, and generally reorganise

their lives to accommodate us. This is absolutely never seen as an imposition, and in fact it always feels as though our friends and family are extremely happy to have us in their home. The reason this strikes me as so significant is that Australians do not offer this kind of hospitality, especially to people with children. I come from Geelong,

I learned pretty quickly in India that no-one wears shoes that have been walking around outside, inside a home. Thinking about it, I realised it makes a lot of sense: outdoors, there’s a lot of dirt, and even worse on the ground, as animals and vehicles move around outside and leave behind all kinds of waste. If we don’t remove our shoes when we come into a home, this mess is brought inside. In our home my husband always wears slippers (or thongs as we call them in Australia) inside the house. I have now learned to always take my shoes off when I enter someone else’s house. A good sign that I should do that, is if I see shoes near the door, it’s the norm to remove your shoes in this house. My hint – if you see a pile of shoes anywhere, remove yours. Sometimes you might notice this outside a shop too.

using wAtEr in thE BAthroom

When I first went to a toilet in India I realised there was no toilet paper, but there was a little water spray gun called a health faucet to wash myself. I thought, this is weird – where’s the toilet paper? However, I reflected that when we get something messy on our hands, we use water to wash it. We don’t just wipe it with paper. So I have realised this is a much better way to do it, and we even have a health faucet installed in our toilet in Melbourne.

Hospitality. Selflessness. Vegetarianism. e ating with your hands. And lots more

bY KRISTEN DIAS

Our friend Nikhil picking us up from the airport. We stay with his family whenever we are in Bangalore

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Loving right now

A list of Indian Link’s current favourites

READ

And the Indian links continue at the Bookers with Perumal Murugan’s Pyre (Penguin). Longlisted for the International Booker Prize 2023, it was translated from the Tamil original Pookuzhi (Kalachuvadu Publications) by Anirudhan Vasudevan. Set in a corner of Tamil Nadu, the novel is about Kumaresan, who takes his bride Saroja to visit his family. The community is not exactly thrilled at the nuptials, because the young couple come from different sections of society…

The longlist inclusion is a wonderful win for Indian literature, for the power of translations, and for Murugan himself, who returns to writing after a self-exile at the tumultuous response to an earlier work.

LISTEN

History must be reexamined by every successive generation, rethought and discussed over again from the ever-changing perspectives of the present. So says William Dalrymple, host of the hugely successful podcast Empire which he presents alongside Anita Anand. A surprise hit since it began in August 2022, it went on for 21 episodes, starting from the East India Company, to Partition, modern nationhood for India, and the diaspora that Empire spawned (following Rishi Sunak’s rise to Prime Ministership). No.1 in the UK Apple Podcast charts, it was nominated for Podcast of the Year. Series 2 has moved on to the Ottoman Empire.

EAT

It started as an impromptu street BBQ, as the local community marked Iftar after day-long fasting. Now it’s one of Sydney’s many cultural highlights. Ramadan Nights in Lakemba, organised by the Canterbury-Bankstown Council are on until 20 April, from sundown until 3am daily. Get yourselves to Haldon Street and Railway Parade, to taste the wares of 75 street food vendors. Satay from Christmas Islands. Kashmiri chai. Taiwanese bubble tea. Turkish coffee. Malaysian Murtabak. Egyptian Kusharry. Pakistani Haleem. Lebanese Felafel. Bangladeshi Beguni. Middle Eastern desserts Knafeh and Sahlab. Jalebis. Of course you’ll line up for the renowned camel burger, and bring home a box or three of biryani.

WATCH

Looking to support brown comedians? Laugh out loud with some of the hilarious South Asian acts at the ongoing Melbourne International Comedy Festival. From homegrown heroes such as Dilruk Jayasinha and Nazeem Hussain, rising stars Suren Jayemanne and Guneet Kaur, and international names like Sonali Thakker and Anirban Dasgupta, there’s plenty of laughs to go around. Our picks? Singapore’s favourite drag comedian Kumar performing for the last time in Kumarsutra – Greatest Hits, and women comics like festival veteran Aarti Vincent doing a set in Hindi as part of Comedy Dhaba’s Shuddh Desi Comedy, also featuring Rajat Chopra and Ateev Dang.

Rajni Anand Luthra in Sydney and Lakshmi Ganapathy in Melbourne

QR code to our TikTok video

Parsis, the pioneers of cricket in India

Aminority community in India

– only about 50,000 live there now – Parsis are the pioneers of cricket in India. Being anglophiles, they were the first to learn cricket from the British and took a cricket team to tour England way back in 1886.

That was before the legendary Ranji and Duleep mesmerised Englishmen with their elegant run-making.

Originally from Iran, the Parsis (also called Zoroastrians, being followers of Prophet Zoroaster) settled in India about 1200 years ago because of religious persecution in Iran.

In all, 11 Parsis played Test matches for India from 1932 (the first ever Test India played) to 1975. In alphabetical order they are: Soli Colah, Nari Contractor, Farokh Engineer. Jehangir Irani, Rustomji Jamshedji, Kharshed Meher-Homji, Rusi Modi, Piloo Palia, Rusi Surti, Keki Tarapore and Polly Umrigar.

Three of these – Engineer, Meherhomji and Irani – were wicket-keepers.

Yes, if you’re wondering, Kharshed MeherHomji was a relative, my uncle. A daredevil batsman, he was full of fun and jokes.

From the above 11, only Contractor (aged 89 years) and Engineer (85 years) are alive. Umrigar and Contractor captained India with distinction. Handsome Farokh Engineer was a flamboyant personality, scoring runs aggressively and keeping wickets like an acrobat.

In the first two Tests against West Indies in 1961- 62, the Indian team included four Parsi

Test Cricketers: skipper Contractor, former captain Umrigar, wicket-keeper Engineer and all-rounder Surti. Four out of 11 works out at 36.36%. The percentage of Parsis (about 50,000) in India is miniscule, only about 0.000000003%. Amazing!

Jamshedji was 41 years 27 days old when he made his debut against England in the Bombay Gymkhana Test of 1933 and remains India’s

oldest Test debutant even after 90 years. The second oldest Test debutant for India was Cotar Ramaswami (40 years 39 days).

The first two Parsi cricketers to play Test cricket for India were Colah and Palia. Both were selected in the first ever Test match India played. It was against England at Lord’s in London in June 1932. Jamshedji was the third Parsi to play Test cricket.

Contractor’s name is synonymous with courage. In West Indies in 1961-62, skipper Contractor very nearly became the first Test cricketer to die on the cricket pitch when a fast chucking delivery from Charlie Griffith fractured his skull during a match against Barbados. Two operations were performed in the West Indies and one at Vellore in India a few months later. The

courageous opener survived, played a few first-class matches and is still alive 62 years after the near-lethal episode.

May he complete his life century in 2034!

pArsi drEAm 11

Here’s my favourite Parsi Test cricketers dream team (all time):

In batting order: Nari Contractor, Farokh Engineer (wicket keeper), Rusi Modi, Polly Umrigar (captain), Rusi Surti, Soli Colah, Piloo Palia, Keki Tarapore, Jehangir Irani, Kharshed Meher-Homji and Rustomji Jamshedji.

Outstanding all-rounder Surti will open the bowling of this XI with Tarapore. They will be assisted by Umrigar and Modi. Jamshedji is the sole spinner of note. There are three wicket-keepers: Engineer, Irani and Meher-Homji. Engineer will keep wickets.

crickEt

on pArsi stAgE

To celebrate the centenary of the Parsis’ inaugural tour of England in 1886, and Parsis in cricket generally, the Parsi Zoroastrians in Sydney produceed a 40-minute play on Parsis in cricket in 1986. It was in both Gujarati and English. Believe it or not, actual cricket was played on the stage climaxing with an actor (played by me) hooking the legendary and bearded Dr WG Grace (played by the late Noshir Sachinwalla) for three fours in an over, the red tennis ball racing towards the startled but delighted audience.

So nostalgic. I remember it 37 years on, as if it was last week.

Kersi Meher-Homji

Nicknames in cricket

Here’s something which has been fascinating me lately – nicknames of cricketers. I’ve found a whole range – from Tiger Pataudi, Slasher Mackay, Phantom Lawry, Chappelli, Tangles Walker and Henry Lawson to Turbanator Harbhajan Singh, Afghan Mark Waugh, Dizzy Gillespie, Punter Ponting, Pigeon McGrath and Pup Clarke.

Let me start with animal nicknames for cricketers. There were three Tigers: the great Australian spin bowler Bill O’Reilly, Ernest Smith (11 Tests for England in 1910s) and Mansur Pataudi, India’s inspiring captain in the 1960s and ’70s.

England’s pace bowler Geoff Arnold had the pet name of Horse because of his initials ‘GG’ which is Cockney for horse.

England’s Albert N. Hornsby was nicknamed Monkey – and no, he was not offended. [Remember the Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symons “monkeygate” controversy in the 2008 Sydney Test?]

Hornsby had played three Tests for England from 1879 to 1884, opening the batting with WG Grace in his final Test. He was captain of the England team at the 1882 Oval Test, when the legend of Ashes was born. He had also represented England in nine Rugby Tests.

Australian spinner Bruce Yardley was Roo for his bouncing kangaroo-like approach to the wicket. Cat seems a popular nickname. The eccentric English spinner Phil Tufnell went by the pet name of Cat. Also the former West Indian captain Clive Lloyd was nicknamed Big Cat for his agility on the field.

Pup (Michael Clarke) left his paw marks on international cricket after calling it a day in 2015.

Now for some seafood platter! Digby Jephson of Cambridge University and Surrey was called Lobster while Sir Henry D.G. Leveson Gower (three Tests for England in 1909) had an unflattering nickname of Shrimp. Tall and slim Australian all-rounder Hunter Hendry (11 Tests in 1920s) was called Stork. Then there were two Australian Test cricketers in 1970s, Alan Froggy Thomson and Bruce Mule Francis.

Next up, ‘birdy’ nicknames.

The NSW medium-pacer Aaron Bird (not to be mistaken with the recent fast bowler Jackson Bird) was nicknamed Flu from Bird Flu. But it was changed as many thought it to be offensive to those affected with influenza. Birdy became a more acceptable nickname.

Joel Garner, the tall West Indian fast

bowler, was nicknamed Big Bird after a character in children’s TV show Sesame Street. Pigeon (Glenn McGrath) flew away from Test scene in 2007. Now to other nicknames.

Turbaned Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh was known as Bhajji and not surprisingly as Turbanator.

Former Australian captain and commentator Bill Lawry was nicknamed Phantom because he loved to read Phantom comic books.

India’s spinner Anil Kumble was called Jumbo because his deliveries took off with pace and bounce like a jumbo jet.

Kumble’s off-spinning contemporary, Australia’s Ashley Mallet, was contradictorily called Rowdy because he was well-mannered!

The great England all-rounder Ian Botham was nicknamed Beefy because of his large

frame. Former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie was called Dizzy after American jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie.

Batting great Rahul Dravid was nicknamed Jammy because his father Sharad worked for jam and syrup giants Kissan. The tall Indian batsman Dilip Vengsarkar was Colonel to his teammates. West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding was nicknamed Whispering Death. Why? He replied, “Umpire Dicky Bird described my run-up as whispering death.” Later, Holding titled his first autobiography Whispering Death.

Ricky Ponting is nicknamed Punter as he loves to bet. Not on cricket matches, I may add! In Tasmania, where he grew up, greyhound racing is a gambling sport which young Ponting loved to indulge in.

Steve Waugh was known as Tugga which is a pun on ‘tug of war’. He was also called Iceman because he was at his best when under pressure. Aussie quickie Stuart Clark was called Sarfraz as his bowling style reminded many of Pakistan’s paceman Sarfraz Nawaz.

Shane Warne had several nicknames. He was called Suicide Blonde by his teammate Greg Matthews after rock group INXS’s big hit song Suicide Blonde. Warne was also called Hollywood for his exciting lifestyle and good looks.

I’ll end with my favourite cricket nickname: Pakistan’s big hitter Shahid Afridi was named Boom Boom because he went boom boom when batting aggressively!

Kersi

Meher-Homji

The first Parsi cricket team, 1886

Three Tigers: Pataudi, Smith and O’Reilly

cricket dream come true

balance of being born in India and going back to India regularly, but having been raised in Australia, has helped with my cricket. It’s given me the Indian extreme of passion for the game, but with the Aussie grit and grind”.

honours truly began when he and some friends formed an Over-40s Masters team for the Strathfield Cricket Club.

For the vast majority of cricketers, the dream of representing their country disappears almost as quickly as it begins, with most international cricketers having already been earmarked for greatness by the time they have entered their late teens. But for 44-year-old Sydneysider Danny Batra, it’s a dream that has just been fulfilled, through his recent selection for the Australian Over-40s international men’s team. Having recently returned from a tour of New Zealand, and with an Over-40s World Cup looming in Pakistan in September, Danny’s story is evidence that it’s never too late to chase the dream.

Born in India, and as the son of cricketfanatic parents, it is no surprise that cricket runs in Danny’s blood. That love affair only blossomed further once he and his family moved to Australia in 1984, and soon enough, Danny was playing representative cricket, modelling his game on childhood heroes such as Sachin Tendulkar and Steve Waugh. It’s a duality that Danny wouldn’t trade in for anything.

“I’ve been blessed to have both cultures embedded in me,” says Danny. “I think the

But, even for Danny, who works as an IT structure manager for Australia’s largest private property developer, the significant time commitment for cricket became too much at one point, forcing him to give up competitive Saturday cricket. But Danny kept in touch with cricket through Last Man Stands (LMS), a globally popular format of T20 cricket that concludes in just two hours. “[LMS] got me out there playing cricket, and from there, I just kept my body and mind fit. Diet is a big thing as well – you can’t be eating rubbish all the time!”

While Danny boasts a nearly unparalleled LMS record – with a Bradmanesque average of 100 at a strike rate of 163, and nearly 250 wickets to boot – his journey to international

The team has dominated the competition, having won two premierships in a row and, even more impressively, remaining undefeated to date in the last two seasons. It’s a ride that has seen Danny rewarded for his performances with selection in state, national, and ultimately, the inaugural Australian Over-40s side.

It’s a moment that neither Danny, nor his two sons, aged 8 and 10, will ever forget. “When we found out, they were ecstatic,” says Danny. “My eldest is an absolute cricket fanatic, he’s playing representative cricket at the moment. He was over the moon. It just showed him it’s never too late – you can always represent your country at whatever age. Age doesn’t matter, just give it your best – that’s what I want to pass on my boys.”

The first assignment as an Australian

international representative came on a recent tour of New Zealand, where Danny played against former international cricketers Hamish and James Marshall, the latter being Danny’s first international wicket. But even in that moment, Danny was struck by what he enjoys most about Masters cricket: the camaraderie. “When James got out and went off the field, he went across and started playing with my kids, giving them tips on their game. It’s that side that you don’t see of international cricketers, they still give so much back to the game,” recalls Danny.

A strong performance in New Zealand has further strengthened Danny’s credentials as a key member of the Australian side, with just 6 months to go until the inaugural Over-40s World Cup scheduled to kick off in Karachi, Pakistan. To Danny, it’s a destination that brings excitement but also a sense of the unknown. “Being Indian, you hear about rivalries in India v Pakistan matches, but Pakistan is a sport and cricketloving nation, just like India. I’m excited to go there and play there. It’s a country you probably wouldn’t normally make plans to visit, but this coming up on the radar makes it exciting,” says Danny.

With all international Masters matches streamed live on YouTube, we’ll be seeing a lot of Danny Batra in this World Cup year –and it’s safe to say, bowlers will be seeing a lot of him too.

Danny Batra is part of the inaugural Australian Over-40s cricket team, which will be playing the World cup in Pakistan

RITAM MITRA

Danny boasts a nearly unparalleled Last Man Standing record – with a Bradmanesque average of 100 at a strike rate of 163, and nearly 250 wickets to boot

#DesiButNotDesi

a hole in my pocket.”

The food that she ate the first few months lacked fibre and the basic nutrients that she was so used to – her typical diet growing up had consisted of vegetables, roti or rice, lentils, salad, and yogurt, and meat perhaps once a week.

newfound love and respect for Indian food. I have not looked back since.”

Soon, with the right diet, she found her health returning to normal. “And this somehow set me on a path to discovering my roots, my food, and my culture.”

Today the Sydney-based Kalra’s passion project is much more than a blog. Reinvented as The Modern Desi Co, it is an e-commerce site where people can book experiences with her. These take the form of pop up dinners, and quite successfully, cooking classes.

When IT professional Bhavna

Kalra moved to Perth from India in 2010, she missed all the comforts of home, including fresh nutritious home-cooked food.

“I was shocked at how expensive and terrible Indian food was over here,” she recalls. “There was no option either to order a meal from someone without burning

“In Australia I just stopped eating all that, and I guess my body rebelled in ways that were not pleasant.”

Diagnosed with symptoms of listlessness and lack of energy, her doctor advised to “eat the food you grew up eating”, thus setting her on a culinary journey.

“So I started to cook, learn, document, and feed others, and in that process, found a

A blog was the natural next step.

“It was originally intended merely to document recipes, but when I started to learn more about where the recipes were coming from, I began to share my memories about them.”

An early MA in English literature no doubt came in handy, as readers began to respond favourably.

Bhavna Kalra’s Beetroot and Ricotta Burfi

Ingredients

n 2 large beetroots

n 250 g fresh ricotta

n 1-litre full-fat milk

n 1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

n 3 tbsp sugar

n 1 tsp cardamom powder

n A few almond flakes, pistachio dust, and extra ghee for garnishing

Method

n Boil or roast the beetroot and then peel off the skin and grate.

n Heat ghee in a pan and add the beetroot. Let it cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure it doesn't stick to the pan. Turn off the heat.

n Heat milk in a big pan on a low flame. Once it comes to a boil, add the ricotta and stir gently. Simmer this for 10 minutes.

n Add the beetroot and let the mixture cook till the milk has completely evaporated.

n Keep stirring to ensure that the mixture doesn't burn and stick to the pan.

n Add the sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved completely. Add the cardamom powder and mix well.

n Grease a pan with a little bit of ghee and pour the beetroot mixture in. Generously sprinkle the almond flakes and pistachio dust on top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

n Cut into squares at the time of serving or break it into big chunks and serve it in dessert glasses sprinkled with pistachio dust and fairy floss.

“In these experiences, I’m trying to break the stereotypes and show Australians that Indian food is more than Butter Chicken and Naan.”

As a desi girl as heart, her recipes are Indian, but with a substantial local Aussie influence, such as Kali Gajar Ka Halwa reinvented as Black Carrot Fudge, or the recipe she shares with us here.

How moving to Australia gave this Mumbai girl a fresh perspective to Indian food bY PRUTHA CHAKRABORTY

Cooking class

Bhavna Kalra

Historic Newcastle

The nation’s second-oldest city is home to industry as well as natural surrounds, and an evolving food and beverage scene

SANDIP HOR

My recent visit to the coal city Newcastle for a relaxing weekend escape turned out to be an exciting dip into history when I learned it’s not only Australia’s second oldest city, but also the home of the nation’s oldest port.

I felt immediately connected with the city after knowing that the first Australian export was from this harbour in 1799 and that too to Bengal, my mother state in India, shipping coal.

I picked up these actualities while chatting with a local history enthusiast at Fort Scratchley. The fort was built in 1882 as a coastal defence installation to shield the domain against a possible Russian attack. I gathered that the land, first explored in 1797 by Lieutenant John Shortland, was named Coal River, then Kingstown and finally Newcastle after England’s coal-port of the very same name.

Newcastle started its journey as a penal colony and soon gained a reputation as a ‘hellhole’ - the most dangerous convicts were sent there to dig in the coal mines, the region being very rich in underground reserves of the black diamond. However, this continued until 1822 and after the removal of the last convicts in 1823, the town was freed from the infamous influence of the penal law.

Convict history rises above ground at the Convict Lumber Yard which was once an enclosed arena to store convict-produced coal, timber and lime. The site was the subject of an extensive archaeological dig between 1989 and 1992, resulting in the discovery of hundreds of artefacts dating back to the first days of the Newcastle penal settlement. There are information panels erected around the

trAvEl notEBook

Getting There Easy to go by road along the Pacific Highway. Alternatively, there are regular trains from Sydney’s Central station to Newcastle Interchange. Buses and light rail are available for getting around locally.

Accommodation Dotted on the iconic Honeysuckle promenade, the 180-room Rydges Newcastle (www.rydges.com) is the ideal destination to take this lively city head on.

Dining No shortage of multi-cuisine restaurants in the city, the elegant Wharf 350 at the Rydges Newcastle is an excellent choice to try modern Australian cuisine.If Indian food is in mind, the Punjab Pavilion Indian Restaurant on Hunter Street in the heart of the city is a good choice.

More Info Visit www.visitnsw.com

site, detailing aspects of the harsh convict life.

After ending its penal life, Newcastle began to acquire the aspect of a typical Australian pioneer settlement, and a steady flow of free settlers poured into the hinterland. The abundant availability of coal and port facilities made the town progress industrially which led Aussie giant BHP to build their massive steelworks here in 1935 and operated it for the next 84 years.

I got to witness some of the excitement, colour, drama and noise associated with the steel-making process when I watched a dramatic audio-visual program at the Newcastle Museum. The Museum is a great place to know the stories of both ordinary and extraordinary Newcastle through its collections, exhibitions, and audience engagement programs. While browsing through the exhibits I saw a big display of memorabilia from Arnott’s and learnt the legendary Australian biscuit manufacturer started their journey from Newcastle in 1865 when Scotsman William Arnott opened his first factory here. It was surely an impressive

discovery for me. Equally interesting was to see some old tram cars which I learnt rattled along the streets from 1887 until 1950 as an efficient mode of public transportation.

Located only 160km north of Sydney and just over two hours by road or rail, Newcastle is fast emerging as an ideal escape for

Sydneysiders and visitors alike to have a short break from the big city life. Its main drawcard is that there is something for everyone, intriguing history being just one from the long list of attractions. Other rewarding things to do and see range from appreciating the beauty of old colonial buildings like the City Hall, Customs House and the Newcastle Cathedral, enjoying art at the Newcastle Art Gallery or performing arts at the 1450-seat Civic Theatre, and exploring the port which is the world’s largest coal shipping harbour. Newcastle also offers you the opportunity to get totally immersed in nature.

Its beautiful coastline is a natural playground enhanced by several parklands edging the coastline. Perched on the hillside overlooking the sea, the Victorian-era King Edward Park is worth visiting to enjoy breathtaking views of how impressively the city meets the sea.

At its heart, Newcastle is a beach town, and as expected, there is an abundance of sandy stretches to choose from.

The crowd pullers are Merewether Beach, Newcastle Beach and Nobby’s Beach. All the beaches are good for surfing, swimming and variety of water sports. Adjacent to some of the beaches are the famous Ocean Baths which are natural swimming pools where anyone can have a dip in the ocean waters.

Many visit Newcastle also for its food and wine scene. They are never disappointed as the city is home to many quality restaurants and bars, some popular ones located on Darby Street and Honeysuckle and Harbour precincts. Their presence makes the nation’s second-oldest city into a musttry destination for connoisseurs of gourmet food and rare quality wines, Hunter Valley - the nation’s well known wine belt - tucked not too far from the city.

bY

Anzac Memorial Walk

Biscuit history

Newcastle Harbour

Fort Scratchley

Newcastle Cathedral

Light rail

Tramcar of yore

Worth waiting for? You decide!

What’s on SUHAYLA SHARIf ’s watchlist this April

Gum R aah (in cinemas)

Aditya Roy Kapur is bringing double the trouble in this Hindi whodunit. Mrunal Thakur is a cop on the chase for a murderer, unaware that two of her suspects share the same face. Get your magnifying glasses ready as this case looks like a complicated one.

Release Date: 7 april

Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan (in cinemas)

As they say – sabki aan, sabki shaan, sabka ek Bhaijaan. Salman Khan doesn’t seem to be slowing down with his next Hindi release already making waves, just like the wig he appears to don for this role. With South stars Pooja Hegde and Venkatesh joining him on this one, let’s see if Bhaijaan can pull off another blockbuster.

Release Date: 21 april

MATRIMONIALS

SEEKING BRIDES

Seeking a professionally qualified settled match for Sydney-based, never married, Aus citizen, Hindu, Punjabi Khatri 48, 6', athletic built man. He is a project manager with an engineering background and is working in a reputed organisation. Please contact ausind26@gmail.com

SEEKING GROOMS

Seeking professionally qualified, issueless match (working professional, not self-employed) from Australia for ’88born 5’’3’’ Hindu Punjabi girl (divorced, issueless), working with a government organisation in Sydney. Must have AUS

PR, non-smoker and preferably teetotaler. Email:matrimonial.ml@gmail.com

South Indian parents seeking Roman Catholic grooms of age 32-35, for their daughter, working full time, age 31, Australian citizen. PR and citizens are preferred. Work visa and working student visa holders will be considered. Contact Ashok on 0409463819, email anthonyashok@yahoo.com. Sydney residents only.

Seeking a professionally qualified settled match for Sydney based, never married Auscitizen, Hindu, Punjabi Khatri 49,

Cita D el (Prime Video)

Our Desi Girl Priyanka Chopra Jonas seems to have ditched the sarees for science fiction action sequences. This high-octane American series will see Chopra Jonas alongside Richard Madden as the critically acclaimed Russo Brothers bring to you a rollercoaster OTT experience.

Release Date: 28 april

5'3" slim, fair, attractive girl. Girl is a postgraduate and is working on a good position in a government organisation. Please contact at ausind26@gmail.com

Seeking a businessman or a professionally qualified settled match (only PR or citizen) for a South Australia-based, never married, permanent resident, Hindu, Punjabi, Khatri, 37 years old, 5 feet 2 inches, fair, slim girl. She did her postgraduation in Australia and is currently working full time in a government organisation. Please contact matrimonial.nu@gmail.com

Ju B ilee (Prime Video)

Step back in time to 1947 Bombay when the stars of the Indian Talkies began to sparkle, Aparshakti Khurana and Aditi Rao Hydari lead an ensemble in this Hindi period-drama series where aspiring artists are poetically tied together as dreamers.

Release Date: 7 april

i n D ian m at C hma K in G s eason 3 ( n etflix)

Welcome back, Sima Aunty! With a fresh batch of South Asian bachelors and bachelorettes, audiences can now rejoice as their favourite guilty pleasure series returns. Hopefully this season we can expect to see more love stories than lacklustre small talk.

Release Date: 21 april

e s Jahano Doo R Kitte Chal Jin D iye (in cinemas)

This Punjabi drama release promises to tug your heartstrings with a raw look into the lives of Indians living abroad. The upcoming film will showcase several stories of Punjabi immigrants and how their struggles overseas scale against their hopes and dreams.

Release Date: 7 april

Polite so C iety (in cinemas)

Strap in because you’ve been invited to a desi wedding where the stunts are more important than the suits and sarees. This refreshing British action comedy follows the story of Ria Khan who has been tasked with saving her sister from in-laws that aren’t who they seem to be.

Release Date: 27 april

Chen G iz (in cinemas)

As Indian cinema continues to tell the stories of crime dons, Kolkata is next on the map with the chronicles of Chengiz. Bengali star Jeet takes on the role of an underworld kingpin who rules the streets of 1970s Kolkata with a journey that looks to be far from that of royalty.

Release Date: 21 april

RaVansu R a (in cinemas)

Crime thrillers continue to stream their way into Indian cinema with this Telugu film starring the ‘Mass Maharaja’ Ravi Teja. Looking to be a psychological action release, be prepared to venture into a gritty crime underbelly where ‘heroes don’t exist’.

Release Date: 7 april

i n Real loV e (netflix)

In a world where creating connections has never been easier, is real love now only limited to likes and latenight texts? Check out this upcoming reality series that sees couples having to navigate a new realm of relationships, having to turn iMessages into ‘I love you’.

Release Date: 6 april

a nnih Dea m azaa K a i (in cinemas)

Looks like Ammy Virk’s next will be a laughter riot as this Punjabi film could be the perfect Friday night flick. Virk joins a star-cast ensemble who promise a rib-tickling release that will bring the family together.

Release Date: 21 april

au G ust 16 1947 (in cinemas)

Presenting Tamil cinema’s take on India’s journey towards Independence, this riveting period-drama release will captivate those who seek to celebrate the story of a nation. For those who loved RRR, it looks like this Tamil historical epic produced by AR Murugadoss will be the perfect weekend watch.

Release Date: 7 april

Ba D Boy (in cinemas)

When the classic ‘good girl meets bad boy’ story gets told by fresh faces, can audiences expect a twist in the tale? With newcomers Namashi Chakraborty and Amrin, renowned filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi marks his rom com return with this Hindi release.

Release Date: 28 april

t ooth Pa Ri: When loV e Bites (netflix)

Get your fangs ready as Hindi cinema gets to show us what happens when a dentist falls in love with a vampire. This unique mystical tale looks to be a cute yet creepy watch and could be the perfect addition to a Saturday Scream fest.

Release Date: 20 april

dEAr Auntyji

Assalamaaleikum. We live on a very large property, and keep some chickens, sheep and three cats. My brother lives next door, and generally we all get along quite well. but recently Auntyji, I experienced a situation and would like your opinion on this. The lafda is this. We had six chickens, and one red rooster with black tail feathers. He used to be the boss of all the chickens - and sometimes when the chickens would peck at each other or not share food, he would come running, making this funny korook korook kook sound and he would peck the chickens until they behaved again. My grandchildren called the rooster Golu Matolu, Goles for short. Now my brother would always eye the rooster, and say things like, I feel like murga ka tarkari today. Or, that looks ready for my handi - it’s time to halal him. This is all Fiji-speak for saying that he wanted to eat the roosterbecause for us Fiji folk rooster curry is a delicacy. In any case, Golu Matolu has gone missing for over two weeks. I want to ask my brother if he decided to make good on his promise of halaling the murga but it’s roza mahina and I don’t want to create problems. My second issue is that the murgis are now behaving even worse than before. They have no one to control them. They peck each other noisily, and one of them has even started behaving like a rooster, by trying to crow and controlling the other chickens. What do I do, Auntyji?

ruling the roost(er)

Auntyji sAys

This is the wackiest story I have come across - and this too, in the month of Ramadan. I don’t even know where to start - because in this month of abstinence, it is gunaah for me to say anything even remotely controversial. but I suppose that I must remain authentic to my true nature, because that is how my creator has made me.

So your murga has gone rafoo chakar. Koi baat nai - let’s just assume he’s taking a break from looking after his brood of quarrelsome murgiyaan. It can be hard work, looking after a bunch of chooks who think it’s perfectly acceptable to behave like a collective of goondas after a bad batch of lassi during Holi. So go and buy yourself another murga. Don’t bother asking your brother about the missing . It’s the month of Ramadan, so let uy another murga and hope that he is able to control all the murgiyaan - because after a week or two of freedom, the murgis might have decided that they don’t want a murga lording over them after all, especially if one of the murgis now identifies murga and can fulfil this role to exemplary standards.

And your second option? Well, Eid is coming up, and no doubt you will have to ensure a feast. So maybe you can halal all the murgi for an Eid dawat. Everyone knows that murgi ki tarkari is essential for Eid. Problem solved. No murga, no murgi, and no shaitaani temptation for bade bhaiya either. Win win. Eid Mubarak!

Banks boot this book out

appeared as far back as the 1750s. The personalised version - with customer’s name - came in 1811. Only people with sizeable assets getting this privilege, it would have been a status symbol back then.

Recently I received a letter from two banks, differing in texts but essentially conveying the same news. No April Fool’s prank.

They are chucking out cheque books from their suit of services - which are declining with each passing day, inversely proportional to their rising profits.

Most millennials perhaps don’t even know what a cheque book is. Google it, kids, to learn what one looks like and how it moves money. But that’s not going to help you to fathom the great delight this little book brought to people of my generation, even though it is lately having a chequered career.

The cheque book, in its heyday, made the world go round. It originated in London, evolving from letters written to banks by creditors to make payments on their behalf, to third parties. It took its name from the word exchequer, meaning government treasury.

The early cheque book, bearing the issuing bank’s name and other brief details,

The first time I ever saw one was in the 1960s, when a relative from the US had a Chase Manhattan checkbook with his name on every leaf. Innocently, or rather ignorantly, I figured he was a topnotch client of that Rockefeller-controlled money pit.

Even as late as the 1970s when I left India, I had not seen cheque books with customers’ names pre-printed.

I don’t know if Indian banks now lure customers with personalised ones. It may be too late to turn a new leaf as the handy book may soon go the way as dodo.

Will the appearance of the term ‘cheque book’ in common parlance continue?

People with ‘fat cheque books’ for instance are viewed as wielding unchecked influence over people in power. The death of cheque books will herald the demise of pet phrases like ‘cheque book journalism’ and ‘the cheque is in the mail’, a well-worn line used when reminded of unpaid bills. (Now the mail service itself is facing The Last Post.)

Oddly enough, while cheque books are walking out the check-out into oblivion, in India, trumpeted as digital nirvana, some firms are trying to take us backwards, linking in time to the dark ages. Recently I received a message from a share registry firm to send them an ‘original cancelled cheque leaf’ to transfer a small parcel of shares to electronic format. How many people in this digital era safe-keep a cancelled cheque! Even after a whole year this firm hasn’t completed a process that should take minutes. The official slogan “doing business in India is easy” sounds

more hollow than honest.

Our banks’ move to bounce cheque books out after shepherding customers to net banking, highlighting its speed and security, has a sinister motive. Printing and posting personalised cheque books to thousands of customers must be costing them heaps. Now all those savings will become bonus for the big boys (and girls) – you can bank on it.

How many customers realise the much-lauded online banking costs them a bundle? In order to indulge in this exercise, one has to have a computer and/or a mobile phone costing a few hundreds, and an internet connection of $ 50-100 a month. Those preferring hard copies, fearing computer crashes, need a printer, ink cartridges, paper etc, draining a few more hundreds. Even if you mail out many bills a month by cheques, it may cost a fraction of the on-line assault. Those who pay only a few bills every quarter like council rates and utilities, can’t avoid this burden since cash is no more welcome and, with cheque books ceasing, electronic entrapment is inescapable.

So folks, we’re all checkmated.

The cheque book is soon to become extinct – and not everyone is happy

bY LP AYER

April 2023

bY MINAL KHONA

Minal Khona has been reading tarot cards for the last two decades. She uses her intuition and connect with the cards mostly to help people.

TAROT

You could find yourself torn between two tempting options at work or in your personal life. You will have to take action or decide on the best way forward in these situations. For the self-employed, new options open up which will bring money from a different source. Some of you may be feeling stuck in a rocky marriage. What looked like a lost proposition will actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Go beyond the superficial to feel blessed.

A good month as emotional abundance takes centre stage. An unexpected meeting with someone will change your destiny. Trips may have to be postponed. Work sees ups and downs but the money will come. Things could get intense while discussing the health of a parent. Those prone to moodiness could experience highs and lows. Delayed funds will arrive soon. Focus your energy on areas that give you satisfaction. What you want will come to you; just not in the form you imagined.

A lot of emotional spring cleaning can occur as you work on your issues with self-love, healing and spiritual growth. This is because you realise you can only change yourself. Work keeps you busy but expect conflict with colleagues over paperwork. If work is too much, you might look for something less stressful. A new beginning is foretold so a marriage or pregnancy could occur. An upsetting situation could occur regarding a pet or a family member. Avoid binge eating or drinking.

A time to plan and focus on your next career move; no other area of your life is more important right now. An estranged ex could try to win you back. Singles should be careful; they could meet someone who is already married. Selfemployed should look at the minutest details before signing legal documents. A reconciliation with a family member is on the cards. Increase your intake of high energy foods. Profits and income are on the rise. Proceed methodically with every move.

The card for Pisces is drawn, making Leos a tad dreamy or moody. You could take up a creative hobby. Work and meetings keep you busy. If you have started dating recently, progress will be slow. Single women might find someone they are seeing emotionally immature in case they are considering getting serious. Communication is the focus on all fronts this month – at work and in life. Don’t let others’ emotions impact you. Problems with your knees or legs are indicated.

The card for Virgo is drawn, making the September born even more finicky this month. Some of you could be heartbroken over a failed relationship or separation. At work, the recognition you deserve is coming your way. A family member could get very sick; watch your own health too. Money owed to you will be a while coming. A new avenue or paradigm shift is foretold. Stay detached till you find the right course of action.

The card drawn indicates that some of your thoughts will soon transition to action. You could face a dilemma within due to suppressed thoughts and emotions. Singles will be too preoccupied for romance. Assert yourself where you can and should. At work, a finished project brings profits; speak your mind with courage and you could get that raise or promotion you seek. A chance meeting could trigger introspection on your life’s goals. Any legal battle over money will go in your favour.

Some long-standing issue in your work or personal life could suddenly take a turn. Several short and happy trips are foretold. Work is good and you could get a promotion. An overall feeling of positivity is a sign of good things to come. Debts will be repaid and more money is on the way. The selfemployed could get a new opportunity to try out something new which is a chance to learn or gain experience. Trust your intuition.

You could find yourself at a crossroads in various aspects of your life right now. Any stress due to these is temporary. Singles will meet that special one with whom they have an instant connection. A wish at work will be fulfilled even before you voice it, but you may have to deal with some unpleasant situations or colleagues. Pay attention to your intuition and dreams, they have a message. Wait for signs from the universe for matters to sort themselves out.

Singles could be overwhelmed with an intense and life-changing love affair. Good news on the career front is expected through a promotion or raise. The self-employed could get increased queries regarding their services. Those in a relationship could face trust issues. Someone you know could fall seriously ill. A new venture can bring substantial financial gains. You will start living in a state of surrender to the universe. In matters of love or career, luck is on your side this month.

New beginnings are in store as things come together on the work and personal front. For the self-employed, a boost of finances could see you buying something expensive. A lighthearted mood is a refreshing change from the Aquarian habit of overthinking. Some of you may give yourselves a makeover. If you have been sick, you will recover. A new opportunity or a new relationship could come your way. Be positive about the future and indulge in retail therapy without worrying about money.

Some of you may be feeling stuck in your current situation. Things could get difficult due to some upheavals in your relationship. Keep the channel of communication open to resolve problems. A project that is not taking off needs a different approach. Stress could cause aches and pains. Expenses equal income this month so you may want to avoid overspending. If experiencing inner conflicts and emotional mood swings, they will soon be a thing of the past. A positive change is right around the corner, be patient.

At a glittering event at the Siri Fort Auditorium in Delhi late in February, world-renowned Spiritual Master and internationally recognized best-selling author, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj along with Hon’ble Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, and Petroleum and Natural Gas. launched the illuminating book Abode of Light (Manzil-eNoor).

Thousands of spiritual seekers from India and abroad attended.

The book is the English translation of ninety-six verses penned in Urdu by the great poet-saint Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj, in praise of Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj and his teachings. This was published to commemorate the 500th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj and won the Urdu Academy Award for poetry.

“It gives me immense joy to release this book Abode of Light, which shares Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj’s message, so everyone can find the Light within leading to peace, happiness, divine love and unity,” Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj said. “The teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji brought Light into the lives of many, turning them to being spiritually uplifted. Guru Nanak Dev Ji was indeed an Abode of Light.”

Quoting a few verses from the book, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj expounded that Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj’s divine love and Light illuminated millions and showed them the path of God-realization.

Abode of Light

Sant

He added, “Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj has done tremendous work in translating this book and has succeeded in bringing the message of Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj to a larger audience. The sagacity, wisdom and humility of poet-saint Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj’s work has been honored by Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj.”

The event culminated on a beautiful note as Sant Rajinder Singh Ji came among the audience members and signed many copies of the book.

“Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj wanted us to truly recognise ourselves and lead a life of Oneness with God. He gave the profound message of gender equality and honest living, which we must imbibe in our lives. It is my prayer that the grace of Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj be with each of us, and this book brings light into the lives of everyone worldwide,” he said.

Shri Hardeep Singh Puri congratulated Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj for the “commendable work” saying that the “book touches the core of

one’s sensibilities”.

“I consider it as a deep privilege to now having become a part of this book's journey, which underlines the universal applicability of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s message. The book containing 96 verses is inspired by the eternal and divine message of peace, oneness, sewa and coexistence preached by Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj.The Urdu language verses are translated in English with transliteration in Devnagari and Roman scripts making it easy for all to read and understand.”

Sant Rajinder Singh Ji is the head of non-profit organisation, Science of Spirituality and is internationally recognised for teaching meditation to millions, through meditation seminars, books, DVDs, audiobooks, articles, appearances on TV, radio, and Internet broadcasts and social media. His books include Detox the Mind, Meditation as Medication for the Soul, and Inner and Outer Peace through Meditation.

More information www.sos.org; www.sos.org/aus/australia