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All things Indian. In Australia.

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AUGUST 2025

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Independence Day Special Issue

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4 AUGUST 2025

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EDITORIAL

Walking for Gaza, calling for peace

All things Indian. In Australia.

PUBLISHER Pawan Luthra EDITOR Rajni Anand Luthra CONTRIBUTORS Torrsha Sen, Lakshmi Ganapathy, Khushee Gupta, Sruthi Sajeev, Apoorva Tandon, Harini Sridhar, Prutha Chakraborty, Sandip Hor, Minal Khona, Auntyji SALES AND MARKETING Charu Vij GRAPHIC DESIGN Shailesh Tinker

Indian Link is a monthly newspaper published in English. No material, including advertisements designed by Indian Link, may be reproduced in part or in whole without the written consent of the editor. Opinions carried in Indian Link are those of the writers and not necessarily endorsed by Indian Link. All correspondence should be addressed to:

INDIAN LINK MEDIA GROUP Level 25 / 259 George St, Sydney 2000 GPO Box 108, Sydney 2001 Ph: 02 9279-2004 Email: info@indianlink.com.au

BY PAWAN LUTHRA

S

ocial cohesion in Australia has been under strain in the past few years.

While we may celebrate our success as a multicultural nation where one in two Australians is either born overseas or has a parent who is, we are occasionally reminded of the ongoing challenge of maintaining social cohesion and harmony.

Yet each time we face it, we emerge stronger, more united than before.

The Palestine Action Group’s March for Humanity across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday 3 August was a resounding success, despite initial pushback from state politicians and a legal challenge by police. Powerful images of the Bridge, packed with people braving the rain in solidarity with those suffering in Gaza, have since captured global attention.

Estimates of the crowd range from 90,000 to 200,000. Whatever the number, one thing is clear: it was middle Australia that marched, determined to have their voices

heard and their concerns acknowledged.

From a social cohesion perspective, it’s vital to acknowledge the dual narrative here: the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and the fear and pain felt by Jewish Australians.

Two truths coexist - the inhumane captivity of hostages held by Hamas for over 670 days, and the weaponisation of starvation against Gaza’s population by Israel.

Now more than ever, we need civic solidarity — and the courage to make space for diverse voices to be heard without fear.

While the roots of the conflict trace back to the 1800s, it was on October 7, 2023, that Hamas launched a horrifying attack — killing 1,200 Israelis and abducting 250, many of them civilians and children. The massacre devastated Israeli society and left deep, lasting wounds. The heartbreak and ongoing hostage crisis cannot be ignored.

But that pain can never justify the destruction and terrorising of a civilian population, as we are witnessing in Gaza today. This is not justice - it is devastation without limit.

Over 60,000 Palestinians have been killed, including nearly 17,000 children. With aid blocked, starvation is being used as a weapon.

The numbers are harrowing: according to UNICEF, in the last three months alone,

5,000 to 6,500 children have been treated for malnutrition, and at least 28 have died from it.

What does it mean to die from malnutrition?

Starvation is a brutal, drawn-out process where the body eats itself to survive. It first burns through blood sugar and fat, then begins breaking down muscle - including the heart - for energy. Organs shut down one by one. The kidneys fail, toxins build up, and respiratory muscles waste away. The brain slows, confusion sets in, then coma.

The heartbeat grows faint. In the final days, the person is too weak to move, speak, or swallow. Pain gives way to numbness and unconsciousness. Death follows from cardiac arrest or multi-organ failure.

It’s not quiet or peaceful; it’s prolonged suffering.

And tragically, in places like Gaza, this reality is playing out daily.

Deep suffering and injustice have been experienced on all sides here - and acknowledging one does not diminish the other.

Yet, failing the littlest amongst us, speaks to a deeper break in our humanity.

That’s why the Harbour Bridge march was a moral duty — because silence isn’t neutral.

It’s complicity.

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AUGUST 2025 5

CONTENTS SPECIAL FEATURES INDEPENDENCE DAY Youth lessons from India’s Freedom movement

FUNDRAISING

Donate sports goods to Veer Tangri’s charity

MUSIC

L-FRESH The Lion is “too brown for you”

LGBTQ

Big love for A Nice Indian Boy

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PHOTO CONTEST

Winners in our #myIndianlink Independence Day Photo Contest

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20 25 COVER STORY

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MOTHER TONGUE, MOTHERLAND Words in our language that anchor us, guide us, remind us who we are

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MARK SPEAKMAN SC MP NATALIE WARD MLC Shadow Minister for Transport and Roads, Infrastructure, the Illawarra and South Coast, Deputy Leader of the NSW Liberal Party

ALISTER HENSKENS SC MP

Leader of the Opposition, NSW Liberal Leader

TINA AYYAD MP

Shadow Attorney General, Member for Wahroonga

Shadow Assistant Minister for South-Western Sydney, Health, and Youth, Member for Holsworthy

JAMES WALLACE MP

MONICA TUDEHOPE MP

Member for Hornsby

Member for Epping

JORDAN LANE MP

Shadow Assistant Minister for Transport and Roads, Multiculturalism and Infrastructure, Member for Ryde

MARK COURE MP Shadow Minister for Multiculturalism, Jobs, Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology, and South-Western Sydney, Member for Oatley

MARK HODGES MP

Shadow Assistant Minister for Western Sydney, Planning and Public Spaces, and Housing, Member for Castle Hill

RAY WILLIAMS MP

Member for Kellyville

MARK TAYLOR MP

Member for Winston Hills

Authorised by Mark Speakman MP, Parliament of NSW, 6 Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000.

AUGUST 2025 7

YOUR SAY

AUSSIE HISTORIAN LOVED MUMBAI’S SOUL Mumbaikar TORRSHA SEN on the legacy of Australian Indophile Dr. Jim Masselos, who passed in June.

Vivek Neelakantan wrote: Jim was one of the warmest academics I have ever met in my life. As a Sydney student (2009 to 2014), I would visit him periodically at his Stanmore residence. His door was always open to young students. He would offer sagely advice over cups of tea. A colossal loss to South Asian Studies.

Susanne Gervay wrote: A lifelong Indophile who left a legacy.

Sumathi Krishnan wrote: What a wonderful story.

Rajni Luthra wrote: I remember well my conversations with Jim in the late 1990s at the University of Sydney - our rooms were just a floor apart. His deep knowledge of and love for India both surprised and impressed me at the time, as I was a recent arrival to Australia. His smiles and laughter came effortlessly.

Mala Mehta OAM wrote: I too remember my conversations with Jim at the exhibitions on Indian art at the AGNSW. May he rest in peace.

Robert Aldrich wrote: I read with great interest the fine tribute to Jim Masselos - a long-time colleague at the University of Sydney, fellow historian and a dear friend – that was published in Indian Link. I have been organising a memorial commemoration of Jim’s life and work, which will be held at the University of Sydney on 8 August. We would be very happy to have you attend the gathering.

RISING FROM THE ABYSS Following Amanda Anisimova’s Wimbledon heartbreak, ANINDYA DUTTA explored how solo sport stars rebound from public failure to pursue greatness.

Vikramjit Roy wrote: Been there, and I know what Anisimova must have gone through. The whole world looks at you sympathetically or critically and you have to go to bed reliving the experience. I hope she will get back on her feet and never ever give up!! Comebacks from a position of helplessness or self-doubt or sheer self-disappointment can be tough but not impossible. Jerry Maguire, though cinematic, can be inspiring!! Best wishes to all who never give up irrespective of their failure.

Preetinder Singh wrote: The ebbs and flows oflife – both personal and professional! Two examples from cricket in recent years here. England’s Stuart Broad, whilst only a youngster, who was hit for 6 x 6 in an over by India’s Yuvraj Singh: this could have damaged him mentally, with the eyes of the world watching. Yet he bounced back to become an all-time great fast bowler for England. Again, Ben Stokes in the 2016 World Cup Final (on the cusp of victory) bowled the last over to WI’s Carlos Braithwaite, who hit four consecutive sixes. WI went on to win. Stokes was shattered, but now, barely a decade later, he’s a top all-rounder. Adversity and being at the bottom teach us resilience. I’m sure Anisimova will learn and bounce back; she’s young and this could be the making of her career.

8 AUGUST 2025

DUTY AND DISTANCE RAJNI ANAND LUTHRA on the Indian-Australian Sandwich Generation navigating multigenerational, intercontinental care.

Sue Advani wrote: Well put - I can fully relate to this situation - very much in the sandwich generation - great pressure on those who are spread between continents.

Mala Mehta OAM wrote: Absolutely, you’re spot on, having been in the sandwich generation travelling back and forth to India to look after parents.

Anu Shivaram wrote: Nice piece on the sandwich generation, covering all aspects. In-depth and insightful.

Bijinder Dugal of AASHA wrote: Fully agree - a great and inspirational article. “Diasporan communities will need to step up to better support multigenerational and intercontinental caregivers – through tangible, culturally sensitive solutions that address their unique challenges. This includes everything from creating support networks and advocacy groups, to encouraging flexible work arrangements and promoting awareness around elder care across borders. ”We seek support from community, media, politicians and organisations to join AASHA so that together we can achieve a supportive, caring community for our seniors and provide culturally appropriate care.

Neeru Saluja wrote: A very well-written, honest and insightful article about the sandwich generation. Thanks for sharing these stories that many migrants can relate to.

THIS OR THAT Our weekly ‘This or That’ is still going strong - thanks for the love! Catch up on some of last month’s most popular matchups.

• What’s more annoying: Wet socks OR Water up your sleeve? 60% of you said, wet socks. Can’t blame you – wet socks really do come with a free bad mood.

• Which moment still ambushes you at 3am: That one person you waved to, who wasn’t waving at you OR That time you told the waiter “You too” when they said “Enjoy your meal”? 95% of you picked the waiter – accidental politeness does leave a mark.

• What feels like winning the lottery: Finishing laundry and folding it on the same day OR Getting a seat on a peak-hour train with no one breathing on you? The result here was 50-50: different struggles, same sense of accomplishment!

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THANK YOU, VIR DAS! SRUTHI SAJEEV was thrilled to receive a shoutout from India’s top comedian Vir Das, following her review of his latest Netflix Special 'Fool Volume'

HOT PARTY TREND TORRSHA SEN took an in-depth look at the trending Fake Sangeet phenomenon, a lavish wedding dance party (minus the wedding) that is reshaping tradition and fuelling social media spectacles Wild Mango wrote: We just came across your feature All hail the rise of Fake Sangeet, and were pleasantly surprised (and thrilled!) to find our fake sangeet featured in it!! Thank you for the lovely mention. iDivaliciousi wrote: Wait, is this about us? Mumma, we made it to Indian Link!

Ananya Nagpal wrote: Yup, fake sangeets are a growing trend - and I’m off to one shortly here in Melbourne. But having had my own (real) sangeet five years ago, and attended plenty more of my friends’ and cousins’, I can say this with confidence: fake sangeets may be fun, but real ones - they're unforgettable.

Think about it.

The shy groom who can’t wait to get off the dance floor, while the confident bride steals the spotlight with every step. The mishmash playlist from Kajra Re to Kala Chashma, plus a rogue ‘80s track, so every generation gets a dance floor moment. Your childhood friend who swore he wouldn’t dance, and ends up doing a killer hook step. That second cousin from Indore, who you barely know, and who becomes the Belle of the Ball with her stunning outfit, graceful dance, and magnetic charm.

Costume chaos - urgent safety pin call-outs, broken shoe strap, chunnis ripped, juttis flying mid-dance.

Group pics that take 27 retakes.

The boisterous uncle who keeps charging into the cameraman’s view like it’s his personal reel. The aunties waxing nostalgic with their endless “hamare time mein…” tales, and no doubt sizing up the young women and their outfits (special focus on blouses). Your 86-year-old grandaunt who insists on singing a wedding folk song, off-key but full of heart. Or your groom’s grandaunt, ready with a dozen childhood stories from the late ‘80s you never asked for, but will cherish anyway.

The food frenzy: boisterous uncle yelling “Ek plate aur” at chaat counter; gulab jamun disappearing 3…2…1 (looking at you again, Boisterous Uncle).

That one cousin (budding lawyer, debating hero from high school and the family’s favourite MC), giving full main-character energy - introducing acts, telling jokes, but sometimes forgetting names.

And then there’s the heart of it all - the bride and groom’s families in a joyful dance-off (bless!). The surprise siblings flashmob. Your uni friends who turn up looking fabulous, some of who braved weeknight dance rehearsals (and nailed the choreography).

A childhood slideshow that hits you right there. Dad’s eyes misting up every time you look at him. Mum’s poise and grace (who can tell she was completely unhinged only three days ago).

It’s chaotic, a little loud, heartwarming. And completely irreplaceable.

And the late-night feels… when the music fades and the heels come off, the real magic lingers in the laughter, the hugs, and that one shared look that says: we’ll never forget this night.

WRONG ANSWERS ONLY What are Preity Zinta and Saif Ali Khan looking at here?

Sonu Chahal wrote: Reserve Bank announcing it is not decreasing interest rates this month.

Gidi Sho wrote: South Park new episode.

Raghu Rules wrote: Coldplay kiss cam shock.

Vimisha Jani wrote: SRK’s pay cheque.

Gurdeep Singh wrote: Gautam Gambhir smiling on Kapil Sharma Show.

WHERE IN OZ A 1,500-year-old tree with a girth of almost 50 feet, and a large, hollow trunk, which served as a temporary jail for Indigenous Australian prisoners. Where in Australia?

WHERE IN INDIA 5 million women. One temple. Zero men allowed. Where in India?

Readers Anu Shivaram, Akhil Jhingran and Jillian Abery got the right answer: Kerala (Attukal Bhagavathy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram)

Get the best of Indian Link straight in your inbox. Scan the QR code to sign up to our weekly enewsletter Reader Vimala D’Souza got the right answer: Derby WA (Baob Prison Tree) AUGUST 2025 9

COVER STORY

Mother Tongue, Motherland

Words that raised us, healed us, and remind us where we belong: across distance and time, these are the words that still speak to who we are

BY LAKSHMI GANAPATHY AND RAJNI ANAND LUTHRA

W

hat’s in a word? Sometimes, a whole world - of comfort, of connection, of memory carried gently through time.

To mark India’s 79th Independence Day, we honour the words that raised us - whispers of home, echoes of childhood, syllables that carry us forward.

They come in many tongues and from many corners, echoing across oceans and generations, surviving colonisation and migration.

No matter how far we may wander, these mother tongues anchor us softly to the motherland.

We asked our readers to share a word in their language that holds deep personal meaning. From language lovers to those reconnecting with their parents’ languages, each submission offers a glimpse into the rich and varied identities that make up our beloved India.

These are words that do more than speak: they remember.

And they return as compass and refuge.

, Melb Mondira Mukerjee Aupurbo

Mwla

(Nyishi)

Khamyeer Techi,

Syd

Mwla means thoughtfulness in Nyishi (a language spoken in Arunachal Pradesh) but it carries much more remembering kindness, holding others in your mind with care, and letting gratitude shape how you move through life. Growing up, whenever someone gave me money or gifts, my mother would softly say “Mwla to”. She was instilling in me a way of being: to remember these moments, to remember who showed me kindness, and, when I grew older, to give back. To be mwla of someone means carrying them with you - not just in memory, but in your actions. It is a quiet ethic I was raised into, and one I return to, even now.

Etihad (‫ )داحتا‬means "unity", “strength” or "solidarity".

Etihad

(Urdu)

I strongly believe in the power of Etihad as the foundation for meaningful change in society. Whether it’s through my work as a health professional, my involvement in migrant and regional community projects, or my role in research and education, I consistently strive to bring people together around shared goals.

Unity inspires collective strength; solidarity ensures that no voice goes unheard. I see myself as a connector, someone who fosters inclusive environments, bridges cultural and regional gaps, and uplifts communities by encouraging cooperation, mutual respect, and shared purpose.

d Vipra Jethwa, Sy Guru

(Bengali)

(Sanskrit)

The Bengali word apoorva or aupurbo in Bengali means rare or unique, something which cannot be described in words. For example, a beautiful picture, a natural scenic beauty, a piece of music or dance which a Bengali likes so much that they are lost for words to adequately praise it. One of my close relatives was called Aupurbo – a gentle soul who was good in looks and personality.

Recently I visited Goa and while watching the sunset on the beach, I said to myself, ‘aupurbo sundor’. I couldn’t describe the feeling of admiration better.

Guru means guide or teacher. This word is commonly used in Hinduism to refer to someone who takes us from darkness into light. In this word Gu (गु) means darkness and Ru (रु) means light. In one's spiritual journey, a Guru is essential in helping us gain liberation (moksha) by ensuring we stay on the right track - the path of righteousness. I chose this word because it plays a big role in my life! My Guru, His Holiness Param Pujya Mahant Swami Maharaj, has influenced how I live my life and who I am as a person. Due to his blessings, I am able to learn this beautiful language of Sanskrit! I managed to memorise so many texts and shlokas in Sanskrit which creates the basis of my moral compass! So my Guru is my Life.

10 AUGUST 2025

a Wagga Saba Nabi, Wagg

b

el Nilesh Gadre, M Sahya

(Marathi) The Marathi word sahya vaguely means a memory. But more than mere memory, sahya is the tender ache of longing. A soft, emotional pull towards people, places, and moments that once made life whole. It's the aroma of a mother’s cooking, the laughter echoing in childhood lanes, or the silence of a favourite hilltop at dusk. For a person living away from home, sahya isn’t just remembrance; it’s a living connection to roots, culture, and love that distance can never erase. It is both comfort and a quiet pain of belonging.

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Saanjh is a shared connection, a quiet light, a

Saanjh

(Punjabi)

, Syd Navishkar Ram Konchi

wordless bond. It’s the soft, knowing smile when a Doordarshan tune plays, or voices harmonising on “Washing Powder Nirma”. It’s sitting beside grandmother, shelling peas in silent, unspoken understanding. Saanjh is the glance across a crowded room that says more than a conversation ever could, the cultural echoes that make strangers feel like kin. The deepest connections aren’t forged in grand gestures or talks, but in the shared rhythms of everyday life - the ads, the songs, the slogans, the silences. In a world that rushes past, Saanjh slows time, letting connections take root in ordinary, sacred ways.

elb Arpita Kapoor, M

(Fiji Hindi)

Konchi means “what” or “what is?”

in Fiji Hindi - but to me, it means so much more. It’s a word I grew up hearing daily, a tiny thread connecting me to generations before me. Its roots lie in kaun (who) and cheez (thing), blended into konchi by a community of displaced Indians finding ways to understand one another. Tamil speakers, Bhojpuri speakers, Urdu speakers - all folding their languages into one another to survive, to belong. Konchi is more than a question—it’s the sound of a shared history, of resilience and identity born in exile. It reminds me where I come from.

Sanskār

Sikkimese / Mixed Northeast Indian

, Ranjita Sharma

Patachitra

(Odia)

Syd

Sanskār means values or virtues in Sikkimese culture, rooted in the diverse traditions of South Asia’s northeast. In Sikkim, a truly multicultural state where languages, faiths, and customs intertwine, sanskār is more than manners. It’s about respect, resilience, and quiet strength passed through generations. It reminds me of folded hands, shared stories, and the humility we were raised with. Though we speak many tongues, this one word connects us all. Even now, far from the mountains, sanskār guides me in how I live, work, and serve with intention and grace.

Pata means cloth or canvas and Chitra means picture or painting. So, Patachitra literally means “picture on cloth.” It is a traditional form of scroll painting from Odisha, known for its intricate details, mythological themes, and rich natural colours. Patachitra is more than just an art form - it’s a spiritual offering, and a cultural heritage that continues to thrive in villages like Raghurajpur. Jagannath culture is in our blood. During my marriage I received a Patachitra painting from my father as a gift. The fine art is also like storytelling in Aboriginal art, so whenever I roam Sydney, I'm reminded of my state and culture.

Pallavi Parida Pattanayak, Syd

Syd Preeti Thadani, Shukar

(Sindhi)

Shukar means to thank or give

gratitude. My earliest memories of my Nani are of her seated in front of Lord Ram’s picture with folded hands, saying shukar. She said shukar not only in her prayers but throughout the day - before meals, looking at a sunset or walking in the garden. Having lived through two World Wars and Partition, my nani’s resilience, positivity and grace came from her ability to give gratitude, a legacy that lives on in me. The power of gratitude is immeasurable; will you join me in saying ‘shukar’ ?

elb Ramnath Iyer, M Summa (Tamil)

Summa is very convenient, giving different meanings and emotions depending on the context.

It can mean idle, silent, casual, free, without reason; there is no equivalent word in English. As children we were told ‘summa irungo’ - meaning ‘be quiet’ if we pestered our parents. A distant relative would turn up without any reason saying ‘summa vanden’ - visiting you ‘just like that’. If we were shy to sing a song, we were encouraged with ‘summa padu’ - ‘just sing, don’t be afraid’! While buying vegetables at the market my mother would ask the vendor ‘curry leaves summa kudu’, meaning ‘give me some curry leaves free’. A versatile word indeed!

Laadku means someone dearly pampered, the apple

Laadku

(Gujarati)

b

el Purva Davda, M

of everyone’s eye. It comes from the root laad, meaning affection or indulgence. In Gujarati homes, laadku is soaked in warmth. You can hear the soft pride in a grandmother’s voice when she says, “Maro laadko nanu che” — “My darling is still little.” Laadku carries a hint of mischief; it’s not just about being loved but getting away with it. The word doesn’t just describe the person, it explains the relationship: one of sweet, unconditional spoiling. Even now, when I go home after months away, I am still laadku, even if I have just walked in with my own laundry and groceries.

ukkaran,

Sandhya Parapp Bris Irikkoo

(Malayalam)

Irikkoo means please sit. It’s a

welcoming word, spoken with a smile and twinkle in the eye. I’m taken 30 odd years back, to my time as a teen in Kerala visiting relatives, neighbours and friends’ places, respectfully waiting till the elders are seated — aunties, uncles, grandpas and grandmas. Then someone says irikkoo, often with the added endearment of mo-le (daughter) - irikkoo mo-le - which ushers me into their circle. This short, sweet word has heightened my awareness of whether people are seated and comfortable, and I’m eager to say irikkoo with a smile and twinkle in my eye.

AUGUST 2025 11

COVER STORY "Tlâwmngaihna" describes the spirit of sacrifice and chivalry with the utmost sense of altruism. That does not quite capture the meaning in its entirety – it is known to be an untranslatable Mizo word! Some would say it is the essence of what it means to be a Mizo, and is arguably the noblest virtue in the society. For someone, especially a young man, to not display the spirit of "tlâwmngaihna" is considered anathema and is heavily frowned upon. And so every young lad is expected to be a modern Tâitesena, a legendary warrior whose name is synonymous with this much-treasured Mizo word.

Tlâwmngaihna

(Mizo)

s

ri Noah D’Silva, B Susegad

(Konkani)

Susegad is a word that gently

captures the essence of life in my native Goa. It speaks of calm, contentment, and the quiet joy of living in the moment. For me, susegad is more than just a cultural expression; it’s a personal anchor that brings a sense of peace and nostalgia, especially during moments of stress. Whenever life feels overwhelming, I find comfort in this word - it reminds me to pause, breathe, and embrace a slower, more mindful rhythm, just like the one I grew up with back home.

Lariti (Khasi)

, Syd Cana Nongkhlaw

u, Syd Matana Pachua

Lariti means one’s own roots and heritage. In Khasi (spoken in Meghalaya), la means “one’s own” and riti means “roots” / “heritage”. This word holds the weight of ancestral memory and belonging - it speaks of our Indigenous ways of life, our philosophies, and cultural grounding. As a Khasi woman on a journey of decolonisation, reclaiming Lariti is a return to Riti - to reconnect with the knowledge, kinships, and land-based wisdom that colonial systems attempted to sever. To speak Lariti is to honour where I come from - to walk forward with rootedness, pride, and connection in the ongoing journey of reclaiming, protecting, and valuing my Indigenous identity, culture, and knowledge.

Sehanta means liking, or passion. It is a word that

Sehanta

(Maithili)

breathes depth beyond translation. To me, it is not just inspiration - it is the sacred spark that sets the soul in motion. Sehanta is the quiet pull toward purpose, the invisible thread that ties my poetry, my pursuits, and my heritage together. It reminds me of the first time my first verse on an underprivileged child moved me to tears.

It also caused my spirit to act on a desire deep hidden in my heart. Sehanta takes me home - to Mithila, to its language, its soil, and its stories - whispering that what moves us, also defines us.

el

d Narayana Rai, A Baajel

Bawli means mad - but

(Tulu)

Baajel is a beautiful word in the Tulu

language, used when a guest arrives home. The host often asks, "Baajel boda?", meaning, “Shall I offer you a drink of water?” The word carries a dual meaning: it refers both to thirst and to the water (or drink) offered to quench that thirst. I love this word because it reflects a deep-rooted tradition of hospitality in Tulu Nadu. Offering baajel is more than a gesture - it is a cultural symbol of warmth, respect, and welcoming. It reminds me of the values I grew up with, where caring for others, even in the smallest ways, is second nature.

Melb Prateek Davda, Bawli (Haryanvi)

Xewali Phool

(Assamese)

, Perth

Dr Papori Barua 12 AUGUST 2025

, Syd

Shishirendu Shri

in Haryanvi, it’s mostly used in a fun and loving way. If someone says it with a smile, it means “you silly but sweet person!” If they say it with a headshake, it means “what crazy thing are you doing now?” That’s the thing - bawli means silly, not dangerous.

Parents say it when they’re pretending to be angry, friends use it for fun. Say it quickly, and it’s more of a cheeky scolding. Either way, it feels like being lightly teased - with lots of love behind it.

Xewali Phool, known as Night-flowering Jasmine, is a delicate white flower with an orange stalk, scattered like stars beneath the tree at dawn. For me, it’s the scent of childhood. I remember tiptoeing out early in the morning with a little basket, collecting them, hands scented with its gentle fragrance. It marks the arrival of autumn and the festive season - the golden skies, and the first breeze of Durga Puja. Xewali is a feeling - of sacred silence, quiet joy, and deep-rooted tradition. Even now, the sight or scent brings back memories wrapped in tenderness and the warmth of home.

dy

ed Pranay Kumar R Yara, Adel Gelupu (Telugu)

Gelupu means winning, not just

in competition but in life. I grew up hearing phrases like gelichi choope and chesee choope — don’t talk, just win and show. It stuck with me. Gelupu isn’t about making noise. It’s about the outcome. Whether it’s exams, sports, or now in work and ambition, that word reminds me that success doesn’t need explaining. You chase it, earn it, and let results speak. For me, gelupu isn’t about beating others. It’s about proving to myself that I’m capable.

www.indianlink.com.au

Malegaalada Dinagalu

, Perth

(Kannada)

Garima Varshney Garima

Malegaalada Dinagalu means monsoon days.

Adelaide’s rainy days gently bring back childhood memories of the monsoon in my coastal hometown, where rain seemed endless. My siblings and I would walk to school beneath shared umbrellas, splashing along water filled roads. Our uniforms and books became damp, yet we found joy in lessons and play, full of innocence. When heavy rains led to power cuts, candlelight and kerosene lamps became the backdrop for studying, and Mum’s warm meals offered comfort. Celebrating Independence Day in the monsoon dressed in white, marching, shouting “Jai Hind” and “Vande Mataram,” followed by flag hoisting, music, speech, sweets - was a touching, proud moment. Those simple joys feel distant today, cherished dearly in memory.

(Hindi)

Shweta Dinakar Joshi, Adel

Jeeman means a meal in Marwari; it's an event,

Garima means dignity, but could

also mean greatness. It denotes excellent qualities and high position of a person. It could also refer to respect, expressing high regard for a person.

Taken as a whole, these meanings symbolize "prestige." Garima is also my name. As I discovered its meaning, the name began to unfold a deeper essence.

I am proud to be called by this name.

It encourages me to live a dignified life with dignified behaviour. Like my name, I aim to give dignity to everyone in a dignified manner.

Jeeman

(Marwari)

yd Harsh Bardia, S

a celebration, and a glorious feast. For me it's an emotion which connects me to my family and loved ones where we would all get together on special occasions, sit cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by a dozen different dishes, guilted into having "just one more" by the aunties until our buttons threatened to stage a protest. It's not just 'eating', it's a sacred ritual. The word captures the essence of Rajasthani hospitality: an endless supply of food, a hearty welcome, and the unspoken expectation that you'll leave feeling like a perfectly stuffed, happy sack of potatoes. It's the ultimate food experience, Marwari style.

Ema leibak manipur means Motherland Ema leibak Manipur

(Meitei Mayek, Manipuri)

ris Ashutosh Raina, B

Manipur (Ema for mother, and Leibak for land). To me, these words mean than just motherland, or where I am from. They mean belonging, love, and home. The term brings back memories of the hills, rivers, customs, and all those people who help to define who I am. I get emotional when I hear these words. Manipur is not just my place of origin; it is who I am. Ema Leibak is my land – but also my past, my soul, and my protector. She carries our history, shapes our identity, and shelters us like mother’s love.

Premila , Syd Kongbrailatpam

Maharah written in Sharada Script (Kashmiri)

Maharah is a term used to show respect, often when addressing elders, and can be loosely translated as "Respectfully...". It is used by Kashmiri Pandits/Hindus globally. "Namaskar Maharah" are the words we use to greet - irrespective of whether we are addressing a male, female, friend, parents, grandparents, youngsters or elders. It is also used to get somebody's attention too, albeit respectfully!

On another note, if we replace the last letter H with Z and make it Maharaz, the meaning of this Kashmiri word completely changes to "Groom".

yd Imna Lemdor, S Tasoli

(Ao)

Kamai

(Bhojpuri)

Jai Tiwari, Melb

Tasoli means "land of birth" in the Ao language of Nagaland.

It may be just one word, but it holds deep meaning. It’s your roots, your sense of belonging, and the comfort of always having a home.This word takes on even greater significance when you live away from home and grapple with your sense of identity. To me, Tasoli is Christmas with my grandparents, people singing in the streets, lights dotting the hills at night and beautiful sunsets. It’s a reminder of where I come from and who I am, no matter where I find myself.

Kamai means earning, but to me it’s what gives anything real value. Growing up, I’d hear my elders say, “Apne kamai ke roti sabse meetha hot ha.” This means the roti you earn yourself is the sweetest. I didn’t fully get it back then. But now, every time I save up, pay rent, that line hits different.

Kamai is pride, it's giving your 1000% by staying far away from your family and working hard to satisfy your needs. It’s also tired feet after a long shift, it’s saying I did this/earned this without owing anyone. In Bhojpuri families like mine, kamai isn’t about showing off. It’s about standing on your own feet so everyone in your family is proud of you.

d

hatt, Sy Amit Prakash B Aama (Kumauni)

Aama means grandmother - a

word filled with love, care, and gentle wisdom. I spent most of my childhood with my Aama, learning the Kumauni language, music, traditions, and vibrant festivals from her. Kumaun, the eastern part of Uttarakhand, shaped so much of who I am, and she was my guide to it all. She studied only till Year 3, yet always ensured I gave top priority to my own education. Her simple life, stories, love, and encouragement are woven into everything I am today.

AUGUST 2025 13

IndianLink

Three decades of all things Indian. In Australia.

14 AUGUST 2025

Proudly honoured with 31 media awards, including four-time recognition as Best Publication. www.indianlink.com.au

AUGUST 2025 15

Heirs Anthony Albanese Prime Minister

Richard Marles Deputy Prime Minister

Penny Wong Minister for Foreign Affairs

to resistance Andrew Giles Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, and Multicultural Affairs

Jenny McAllister Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy

Mark Dreyfus KC Attorney-General

Jerome Laxale Member for Bennelong

Freedom then, activism now: Youth lessons from India’s fight Authorised P Erickson, ALP 5/9 Sydney Ave, Barton ACT 2600 for Independence

BY KHUSHEE GUPTA Clare O’Neil Minister Home its Affairs s Indiafor celebrates 78th year and Cyber Security of hard-fought independence, the

A

echoes of its freedom struggle continue to resonate, especially for a younger generation navigating a rapidly changing world. The ideals that fuelled India’s liberation - resistance, unity, civil disobedience, and the power of collective voice, offer timeless lessons.

Today’s youth faces new battles: climate Sally Sitou change, Memberinequality, for Reid misinformation, threats to democratic values and our basic human rights. But by revisiting the courage and ideals of freedom fighters, we can reimagine what protest, revolution, and responsibility look like in a modern context. Here’s what we’ve learned and how we’re carrying that spirit forward.

Sakshi Thakur OAM (Social entrepreneur)

I

ndia has fought many battles, which were never perfect; lives were lost, people were hurt, and the trauma still lingers as we try to ‘decolonise’ and return to an Indian way of living. Despite the imperfections, past revolutions had one thing in common - clarity of purpose.

People fought for the country, for their children, and for future generations.

Today, the wars are different yet the same - genocide, poverty, discrimination, violence, inequities. Many call this our Kalyug. Unlike past revolutions, today our courage feels dimmed. Fear and ego have often turned us into bystanders, too cautious to speak up or do anything.

Recently, I have been inspired by controversial feminist writers of their time, Ismat Chugtai and Saadat Hasan Manto, who unapologetically used their writing to fight for social movements regardless of how much backlash they received. People like them chose to keep fighting ‘the good fight,’ even at the cost of their ego, status, relationships and family. It is this unwavering courage and conviction that I believe our generation has so much to learn from. While Chugtai and Manto were both writers, they taught me that everyone has strengths and passions that they can use as mediums to unapologetically fight for a purpose.

I found my medium through our social enterprise, Sewing the Seeds, which is centred around advocating and supporting women rights and social and economic equity through business. In addition to that, we prioritise educating the world about India’s sustainable textile practices through our work and ‘decolonise’ some of our ways of being through business.

I think what we can learn from the past 16 AUGUST 2025

Kabir Singh (Actor and chef)

leaders who fought the good fight, is that we don't have to be in the army to fight a war. That every medium and effort counts when it comes from a place of inner strength, resilience and pure intentions.

The moment we let fear and ego take over, we have lost all wars.

G

rowing up as an Indian-Australian, I believe our generation can draw strength from the courage and conviction of India’s freedom fighters. They were cut from a different cloth.

Take Bhagat Singh, who famously said, “They may kill me, but they cannot kill my ideas. They can crush my body, but they will not be able to crush my spirit.” In his image, we too must find the fearlessness to stand on the right side of justice - whether it’s for refugees, mental health, or equality. The revolution then was for freedom from oppression; ours is for dignity, inclusion, and truth in a world still learning to listen.

www.indianlink.com.au

Anthony Albanese Prime Minister

Richard Marles Jasmine Kaur Deputy Prime Minister Babbar

Bhavninder Sanghera

Penny Wong Mark Dreyfus KC Minister for Foreign Affairs Attorney-General (Influencer and stylist)

Clare O’Neil Minister for Home Affairs and Cyber Security

(Poet and writer)

We once marched for freedom.

Seventy-eight years on, do we truly have it?

Andrew Giles

W

hat strikes me most about India’s freedom struggle is how resistance took so Jerome many shapes, Jenny McAllister Laxalefrom silent defiance to bold rebellion, from Minister for Assistant Minister for Member for Bennelong They jailedImmigration, Faiz for spinning khadi to writing poetry.

Yes, Citizenship, Climate Change and Energy his verses it was about overthrowing colonial and Multicultural Affairs but his words still breathe rule, but it was also about reclaiming louder than prison walls. identity, dignity, and the power to choose who you are in the world. That, Today, they troll to me, is the legacy I hold Authorised P Erickson, ALP 5/9 Sydney Ave, Barton ACTclosest.

2600 Samay for a joke, As someone who works in fashion ban Kamra for a punchline, and self-expression, I see clear echoes threaten Ranveer for a clip of that fight in the way our generation taken out of context. uses personal style, storytelling, As if fear can silence a and digital platforms to challenge generation raised on WiFi norms. Our activism often begins with and wit. visibility, taking up space in industries that weren’t built for us, honouring our But remember roots while redefining what success, Shiv wrote in fire, beauty, or freedom looks like today.

Amrita loved in rebellion, we inherit resistance.

For me, the revolution lies in Bulleh Shah danced ownership, owning our narrative, through bans.

And like Rahat Indori our image, our worth. Just like the reminded us, freedom fighters stood tall in their We come from poets who “Hindustan kisike baap ka truth, even when the world didn’t bled ink before ink thodi hai.” value them, we too are learning was allowed.

This voice is ours. to stand unapologetically in ours.

We don’t inherit silence, It’s time to take it back.

Radhika Mudaliyar

Whether it’s through a bold outfit, a brave conversation, or showing up authentically online, our generation is proving that expression is resistance.

The movement then was about reclaiming a nation. The movement now is about reclaiming ourselves.

Anmol Malhotra (Software Engineer)

(Actor)

I

ndian freedom fighters relied greatly on art and music in their pursuit of a greater hope for humanity. As an artist belonging to the current generation of the international Indian diaspora I greatly believe in the transformative and resilient power of art in the face of challenging and rapidly changing times. Our generation would benefit from paying closer attention to the power of something that slowly and defiantly changes the face of the earth as art will always be a more earnest and lasting force than the greed for accumulation - something that will consistently feed the core of our humanity and hold up a mirror to what we lack as a people.

Sally Sitou Member for Reid

I

Indian freedom fighters had championed the power of art through their poetry and song that is inseparable from our beings even 78 years later.

ndia’s struggle against British colonisation gave the world Mahatma Gandhi and his philosophy of Satyagraha, loosely translated as “clinging to the truth.” Gandhi described it as “firmness for a good cause,” a guiding principle behind landmark movements like Non-Cooperation and Quit India, rooted in non-violent resistance and peaceful protest.

What can we learn from this today, as we continue to fight for our rights?

Lead with moral courage: Gandhi showed that true leadership is rooted in principle, not power. He led by example, holding himself to the same standards he expected of others. Today, acting with integrity and moral clarity remains essential, even when it’s difficult.

Build unity for lasting change: Gandhi mobilised a diverse nation by appealing to shared values, uniting people across class, religion, and region. The same is true today: progress depends on inclusive movements built on solidarity.

Stay consistent: Never give up. Change

takes time, but persistence is power.

Today, we have a powerful tool Gandhi didn’t: technology. Protest no longer needs to be confined to the streets digital platforms now amplify voices, mobilise support, and drive change in ways unimaginable then.

One wonders: what might Gandhi have done with tech, to shape the paths to justice?

AUGUST 2025 17

FUNDRAISING BY LAKSHMI GANAPATHY

T

en-year-old Aaryaveer (Veer) Tangri remembers the moment when what he knew about sport changed.

On a trip to India in 2020, he noticed the kids around him playing his favourite game cricket, albeit with broken bats and worn shoes.

“It made me sad because they had talent, but they didn’t have the same equipment,” he recalls. “I felt it’s a bit unfair to them because they can’t do anything about it.

Every kid should be able to play with the same privileges and the same fairness, no matter where they are or how much money they have.”

Instead of simply filing this away as a life lesson, Veer was determined to take action – an ambition that blossomed into his very own charity, Golden Wickets.

“I asked my parents, can you give them my old cricket stuff? And then I thought, what if we collect other kids’ gear as well, it would become bigger – that’s how Golden Wickets got started,” he remembers.

These days, Golden Wickets collects all sorts of sporting equipment – from soccer balls to boxing gloves – giving them a second life with underprivileged youth in Australia and India.

As the name of his charity suggests, Veer hopes to stand behind the less fortunate peers he helps.

“Wickets are basically the thing behind you when you’re batting – and they’re golden so that [means] the kids that we’re helping feel special,” he explains about the name Golden Wickets.

Past donation drives have involved visiting Asylum Seekers to play sports, cooking meals for the homeless and collaborating with Indian NGOs. Last year, he collected 100 football boots for a club in Haryana, sourcing them from boys at his school – and personally handcleaning each pair. The bag they carried to India was so full, it ripped!

Veer’s mother Richa still remembers the grateful words of the boys who received the boots.

“Veer means ‘strong’ – they said ‘Aap ka naam bhi Veer, aur aap ka kaam bhi veer.’ [You are Veer by name and be deed],” Richa says.

He also shared his ninth birthday with children from the slums of Delhi, enjoying samosas, cake and games of cricket and badminton together.

“I wanted to celebrate with them because they probably don’t celebrate their birthday with a party; we can make them feel special on this occasion,” Veer says of the idea.

“There were lots of smiles. Everyone was really enjoying it, especially how we had lots of food, because they don’t often get fresh food and water.”

Of course, this kind of compassionate problem solving isn’t unusual for Veer, according to Richa. An avid fan of Rubik’s cubes, maths, and chess, she says her son is a precocious talent with a heart of gold.

“I saw [this in] him growing up – if he has a chocolate and somebody else wants it, he’s just going to give it to them. He would not even think twice,” Richa enthuses.

Some people are simply wired to want others to be happy, she says, and Veer has

18 AUGUST 2025

Golden Wickets, golden heart

Meet Veer Tangri, 10, who has founded a charity donating used sporting gear to less fortunate children. that quality in abundance. “His mind never shuts down – he’s always wanting to do something. He’s a pleasure to have.”

Of course, Veer’s greatest passion is cricket, and when he’s not playing advanced matches or walking his dog Bails (yes, another nod to his cricket obsession), he’s poring over the gameplay of his heroes Kohli and Tendulkar.

When a birthday party invite once clashed with a cricket game, his choice was clear. “I said to my dad, “You tell me, do I want to go for the game, or do I want to go to the party?’ Everyone knows I’m a big cricket fan!”

Juggling a registered charity with school and sporting commitments is not an easy balance, however.

“Sometimes I have to pick something over the other,” says Veer. “I have to plan

my time really well; school comes first. My parents help a lot [with Golden Wickets] as well so I can find time, and I do most of my donation drives in the school holidays or the weekends.”

His astuteness and kindness have garnered attention from the NSW Legislative Council Hansard, where MP for Hornsby James Wallace officially recognised him, and from his school King’s in Parramatta, where he received the headmaster’s award.

“I couldn’t believe it. I felt a bit nervous,” Veer says of his parliamentary debut. “I don’t do Golden Wickets for awards. I just do it to make underprivileged kids feel happy.”

Equally, he’s an inspiration to his peers, who have wanted to volunteer with Veer or start their own charities.

“If you want to start a charity, start small and gradually get bigger. You can change someone’s day with just a cricket bat or soccer ball,” Veer advises.

He says running Golden Wickets has taught him to appreciate small acts of kindness.

“I think I have learnt how to be caring towards other people, and how many people are underprivileged – I thought it would only be a handful of people in Australia and India. But there are even more people with a passion for sport,” Veer reflects.

“It’s not just the cricket bat [we give them].

They feel better because they know you are helping them without them doing anything [in return]; they feel special and cared for, and like that people are thinking of them.”

Read more about Veer’s charity on goldenwickets.org

www.indianlink.com.au

routine check-up and, though asymptomatic, was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Thanks to early detection and immediate treatment, Suhrid is now cancer-free. “Life is too short to take for granted,” he told the Ball audience this year. A proud father and grandfather, he credits the event with saving his life.

Another guest at the Melbourne Ball MHAB's first foray outside Sydney in 2024 - also caught prostate cancer early after hearing the Ball’s message.

Want a clean bill of health?

Saving lives,

one ball at a time

Since their launch in 2016, this couple’s fundraising balls have been blending elegance with impact, encouraging men to take their health seriously.

BY PRUTHA CHAKRABORTY

O

ne night, Vik Bhandari received the kind of phone call every migrant dreads - the one that comes in the middle of the night from across the world. His father had collapsed and was rushed to hospital.

“I will always remember that dreaded journey back to the UK, not knowing when I arrive 24 hours later if dad would still be alive,” Vik recalls.

His father had suffered a stroke, caused by undiagnosed high cholesterol. “He thought he was fit and healthy, but without having a regular check-up he was unaware that his cholesterol levels were dangerously high. In fact, it nearly killed him!”

That life-changing experience was the seed of something bigger. Today, Vik and his wife Bhavisha are the force behind the Men’s Health Awareness Ball (MHAB), a community-driven black-tie fundraiser that held its seventh edition in Sydney in June, raising an impressive $273,000 for the early detection charity 25 STAY ALIVE. The total amount raised by the movement now stands at $760,500, with the Bhandaris aiming to cross the $1 million mark by the Ball’s 10th edition.

Bhavisha told Indian Link, “Men usually put work and responsibilities ahead of their own well-being, brushing aside concerns with phrases like ‘I’m too busy’ or ‘I’ll deal with it later’.”

Vik was no different until his dad’s stroke, she said, adding: “This Ball serves as a powerful reminder that prioritising health is not just necessary - it’s lifechanging!”

The health clock is ticking

Launched in 2016, MHAB encourages men, from all backgrounds and age groups, to prioritise their health. The Ball is a call to action for men to: schedule regular health check-ups; know their numbers (cholesterol, blood pressure, sugar levels); understand family medical history; act early when symptoms arise, and build a trusting relationship with their GP. “Initially we started off raising funds for larger, well-known charities, but now we try to support the smaller ones where the funds raised makes a real difference,” Vik highlighted.

“All funds raised go directly to the charity.

We are all volunteers and there are no salary costs or other overheads,” Bhavisha clarified.

And the impact has been real!

One attendee, Suhrid Sheth, a longtime supporter and sponsor, was moved by the message of early action. He went in for a

The charity partner this year, 25 STAY ALIVE, emphasises early intervention from the age of 25.

“25 is the new 40,” Vik noted, underscoring how younger demographics now face serious health issues. Mental health, too, is rising on their agenda.

“Our next Ball may focus entirely on mental health or eating disorders,” Bhavisha revealed.

The Bhandaris have already collaborated with The Secret Burden, an organisation tackling eating disorders in men.

In just two years, the Ball has seen a demographic shift. Initially attracting professionals aged 40-65, the 2025 edition welcomed a surge of 20- and 30-somethings, indicating growing awareness among younger generations.

The plan now is to expand nationally, with Melbourne set for its second edition in June 2026, and interest building in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and Adelaide.

The couple also hopes to reach more South Asian men, who, they say, are even more reluctant to engage with preventative healthcare.

“Indian men are less proactive,” Vik highlighted.

Yet the growing attendance and lifesaving diagnoses following the Balls suggest that the event is prompting important conversations among men about their health.

“We could not have done this Ball without the support of all the volunteers, many of whom are young professionals - engineers, doctors, civil servants, etc., from our Indian community,” Bhavisha shared.

The couple now awaits the next event, urging more corporates to sponsor a table.

Melbourne, are you listening?

The Ball is a call to action for men to: schedule regular health check-ups; understand family history; act early when symptoms arise, build a trusting relationship with their GP.

Bhavisha and Vik Bhandari (centre), with their dads AUGUST 2025 19

THE QUIET SYMPHONY OF CO BY TORRSHA SEN

W

hat makes a photograph linger in the mind? Is it the technique, the framing, the light? Or is it something more elusive - an emotion caught mid-flight, a truth that quietly reveals itself long after the shutter clicks?

The two winning entries of Indian Link’s #myIndianlink Independence Day Photo Contest this year remind us that great photography is often about seeing the extraordinary in the everyday. For winners Rajesh Dhar and Monojit Dutta, who take home $200

20 AUGUST 2025

and $150 respectively as prize money, photography is not just a hobby or profession; it’s a way of bearing witness to India's layered, lived experience.

Who is the creator here, the artist, or the Ultimate Artist, he is working upon?

Rajesh Dhar’s photograph is about divine connection. Taken in Kumartuli - the artisan district of Kolkata famed for its clay idol makers - Dhar frames a sculptor from the back, intently painting the delicate fingers of a towering Durga idol. The idol itself, only partially finished, exudes presence even in its incompletion. Framed between blue tarpaulin and diffused light, the moment is sanctified and still.

“For me, this photo is all about hope,” Rajesh

says. “India is often called the land of spirituality, and this frame reflects that. I call this image ‘Hands of God’ because the idol maker is not merely shaping clay. He is shaping faith. And faith, real faith, doesn’t discriminate. It belongs to all.”

Rajesh is no stranger to acclaim. A graduate of the Government College of Art and Craft in Kolkata, he is a graphic designer by profession and a photographer by heart. His works have been published and exhibited in the UK, Poland, Singapore, South Korea, Italy, Australia, and beyond. But he remains grounded in what drew him to the lens in the first place - the people of India.

“I travel across rural India to capture its festivals, faiths, and life in general,” he says. “Through my images, I try to portray both the merits and the follies of human beings. In Kumartuli, I saw not just

craftsmanship but the every What makes ‘Hands of G sculptor himself is almost a turned, his face unseen. “T explains. “The divine is fac devotion. It’s not about him creating, and what that cre

A commute, a ca a connection

If Rajesh Dhar’s photograp Monojit Dutta’s image is ab Twenty-four-year-old Monoj Howrah who commutes da during one such routine mo frame that would go on to w

www.indianlink.com.au

#MYINDIANLINK Rajesh Dhar’s Hands of God Monojit Dutta’s Echoes of us

Rajesh Dhar

ONNECTION

yday magic of belief.”

God’ special is how the anonymous, his back That’s intentional,” Rajesh celess, and so is the m. It’s about what he’s eation means to millions.”

amera,

ph is about divine devotion, bout human warmth. jit is a schoolteacher from aily to Kolkata. It was oment that he spotted the win hearts.

In his black-and-white photograph ‘Echoes of Us,’ there’s a quiet moment of connection between a senior couple. Behind them, a film poster crackles with more youthful, romantic energy. It’s a powerful contrast - the sepia-toned wisdom of age brushing up against the glossy idealism of pop culture. Monojit, who usually prefers a Nikon Z50 and 18-55mm lens, captured this with his Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

“I was just waiting at the bus stop when I noticed this connection,” he says. “It was such a fleeting but intimate moment. Two generations acknowledging each other, sharing space and warmth in the middle of chaos.”

For Monojit, photography remains his true passion. “India is full of such moments if you choose to look,” he reflects. “In a world increasingly consumed by digital distractions, real-life connection

Monojit Dutta

Images that celebrate the ties that bind us - to each other, and to something higher - win this year's #myIndianlink Photography Contest. still thrives here between family, friends, and even strangers. That’s what I tried to show.”

It’s also the first time Monojit has submitted his work for a photography contest. “I never expected to win. It’s given me so much confidence. I’m absolutely ecstatic.”

A shared vision of India

While Rajesh and Monojit stand at different points in their photographic journeys, one at the threshold, the other with a legacy of accolades, they are united by a shared sensitivity.

Their frames both evoke deep emotional truths: that India, in all its chaos and contradictions, still thrives on human connection and spiritual resilience.

These images also offer a more nuanced narrative.

They show us a country where generations share benches and buses, where artists sculpt the divine in tarpaulin-lined alleys, and where faith and empathy coexist, quietly but powerfully.

The Independence Day theme for Indian Link’s photo contest, like every year, was simple: What’s your feel of India? Out of 141 entries that capture in frames humans, rivers, prayer, monuments, celebrations, the Tiranga, all have offered answers far more vivid than words can tell. Their photographs speak not just of a nation, but of its heartbeat.

And in doing so, they remind us: sometimes, to see India clearly, all you need is a camera, a quiet moment, and the courage to feel.

See the shortlisted entries overleaf.

AUGUST 2025 21

#MYINDIANLINK

Pranab Basak

AJ

Pinkesh Bhati

Raju Das

Saurav Das

Apu Das

Pranab Basak

22 AUGUST 2025

Joydeep Mukherjee

Sanjay Joshi

Pinkesh Bhati

www.indianlink.com.au

AUGUST 2025 23

T ’ N DTOA LK BACK Season 2

Scan

24 AUGUST 2025

to li

sten

www.indianlink.com.au

MUSIC

No Lie isn’t just a lament - it’s a tribute to the invisible yet vital labour of newly arrived migrants, those whose work often goes unseen - the taxi drivers, security guards, cleaners, delivery workers and so many others.

‘‘…too brown for you’’ L-FRESH The LION’s latest hit highlights the immigrant struggle, and uplifts with a message of unity and resilience BY KHUSHEE GUPTA

S

outh-West Sydney rapper and social activist L-FRESH The LION is no stranger to weaving powerful messages through music.Yet with his latest single No Lie, released in July, he goes even deeper, marrying a personal family story with a call for collective resistance.

“I’mma paint a picture that’s too brown for you to see.” That’s the key line from L-FRESH the LION's new song, No Lie, a track that refuses to dilute itself for mainstream comfort. Instead, it celebrates the unfiltered strength and beauty of South Asian day-to-day life, a life often ignored, stereotyped, or reduced to roles of servitude in the public imagination.

The track is backed by a music video featuring none other than L-FRESH’s father as its central character. “I will show a representation of my family story through my dad… but it’s not the representation,” he says.

In fact, that’s why the rapper, born Sukhdeep Singh Bhogal put out a call for community video submissions.

“I wanted to open it up to the whole South Asian diaspora,” he says. “Even though we’re all so different, we all deal with the same stereotypes. We all deal with the same invisibility.”

Known for blending Sikh philosophy with hip hop, he has long used his art to speak up against racism, identity erasure, and systemic discrimination. Born and raised in Liverpool, NSW, L-FRESH

grew up speaking Punjabi at home and experiencing what it means to have an identity that mainstream Australia often only sees as a cab driver, a 7-Eleven clerk, or a call centre worker.

“The song was born from a sense of frustration,” he says. “Having to always combat stereotypes, having to constantly educate people or deal with racism and hate that many others, especially my peers in the scene, wouldn’t have to experience.”

But No Lie isn’t just a lament. It’s a tribute to the invisible yet vital labour of newly arrived migrants, those whose work often goes unseen - the taxi drivers, security guards, cleaners, delivery workers and so many others. “That energy around hustle and establishing yourself… they’re doing it with the future in mind, setting foundations for the next generations,” L-FRESH says.

“That’s something so honourable.”

His respect for community elders, especially his father, shines through the video. But what elevates this project further is its refusal to centre just one story. From the start, No Lie was conceived as a multi-voice anthem, stitched together with footage submitted by people from all over the South Asian diaspora. “I got some amazing submissions,” he shares.

“People from different parts of India, different countries… just showing their lives, their pride, their resistance.”

This isn’t the first time L-FRESH has made music with a mission. As a former Youth Week ambassador, the founder of the Village Studio (a music and arts space for creatives in Western Sydney), and a consistent presence at anti-racism campaigns and panels, he’s made a name for himself not just as a performer but as a

change-maker. He’s previously toured with Talib Kweli and Nas, and his 2020 album South West was widely praised for its bold take on identity and belonging.

With No Lie, L-FRESH the LION continues that legacy, this time with even more vulnerability, more personal storytelling, and a broader reach. It’s a rallying cry to make the invisible visible, to celebrate what’s been ignored, and to push back against a world that too often asks people like him to tone it down.

“I wanted to speak to the spirit that is common within our communities,” he says.

“And I wanted to showcase that - in all its strength, its frustration, and its beauty.”

Happy 79th Independence Day! Wishing all in our community a happy and safe independence day.

Scan to fill out my community survey

WARREN KIRBY MEMBER FOR RIVERSTONE riverstone@parliament.nsw.gov.au

WarrenKirbyMP

warrenkirbymp

AUTHORISED BY WARREN KIRBY MP. FUNDED USING PARLIAMENTARY ENTITLEMENTS.

AUGUST 2025 25

INDIAN LINK LOVES

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READ

WATCH

Literary superstar Amitav Ghosh’s latest masterpiece, Wild Fictions, is a pastiche of the themes explored in his earlier work. What emerges is a stunning, cerebral series of observations and insights in the form of essays and conversational pieces. Threading these seemingly disparate pieces on literature, climate change and language are the themes which concern him most: imperial violence and colonialism. To read this collection is to see the work of Ghosh the novelist, Ghosh the essayist as well as Ghosh the journalist. Will it take several nights to get through this book? Sure. Is it worth the effort? Definitely.

A neurospicy teen on screen? Tanvi the Great by Anupam Kher is a celebration of neurodivergence and individuality. The film is anchored by a young girl’s quest to follow the footsteps of her late father and join the Indian army. Self-confident and impossibly stubborn, Tanvi doesn’t view her autism as a barrier, it’s others who do.

What makes the film stand out is not that it rails against naysayers but that it shines a light on the kindness in everyone. If you have a thing for feel-good movies, then this is a must watch.

LISTEN

EAT

She’s bringing her Indian roots to RnB, and the music gods, i.e. SZA have given a stamp of approval to her work. Bengaluru-based musician Mary Ann Alexander may be young, but her artistic voice can be heard loud and clear. High chances are that you’ve come across her song in at least one reel. The airy, easy going Lovey Dovey has found its way in the background of fit checks and romantic expressions of love on Insta. Her latest, Round 2, demonstrates her strong vocals, her storytelling ability and signals that she’s an artist to watch.

If you haven’t been up to date with the latest on MasterChef, then you probably missed Depinder’s gobsmacking prawn sukka dish. The spicy prawn sukka is an oldie but a goodie that’s well worth a revisit. And if you consider yourself something of a connoisseur, why not attempt the dish in its entirety, complete with a mango pachadi and banana balloon bread, AKA Mangalore buns? It may seem like a strange combo, but the bread itself is not only easy to make, but provides a much-needed sweetness. Think it’s something you can crack in under three hours?

WRITTEN BY SRUTHI SAJEEV 26 AUGUST 2025

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with Lakshmi Ganapathy SAAVNI KRISHNAN is a Melbourne-based chef who was named 2024 Young Chef of the Year by The Age Good Food Guide. Having worked at top restaurants Manze and Etta’s, she currently co-runs pop-up restaurant ‘Saadi’ with her husband Sriram Aditya, serving Indian food with a modern Australian twist.

You’re making a name reinventing classic Indian cuisine with Australian produce. How do you arrive at some of your wilder pairings like Idly, trout and kohlrabi?

We start off with a quite traditional idea - for example, idly with gunpowder (spicy powder) - then we're like, how can we ‘Saadi’ it? In Goa you eat poi (bread) with fish curry, so we thought, what if we do idly with a flaked fish that's local to Victoria, like Goulburn River trout. We mixed the trout with the gunpowder and then when we tasted it, we felt it needs something - kohlrabi was in season, and the dish needed some acid, so we pickled the kohlrabi, and that's how we formed the dish. So, it starts with a basic idea that's quite traditional, and then we build on it and see what happens.

We don't want to box food into a category. We want to see what else we can do with traditional food without changing the core of the dish.

As someone who makes food for work, how do you then view the food you have to make outside of work?

At home it's pretty basic - we just see whatever we have in the fridge and make a quick dinner. Usually, we don't eat dinners after we finish work, so that’s a weekend affair and [even then] we eat simple dishes like daal or rice or what you’d usually eat in India.

Because we work in the kitchen throughout the week, we want to hang out with friends [when we eat at home] and we make it into an occasion, like a potluck.

I think the focus [at Saadi] is to educate people that there's more to Indian food, whereas what we eat at home is the usual stuff you get at restaurants. [At home] we eat for nourishment but [at

Saadi] we want to nourish people in another way.

You once had an interest in botany before pursuing culinary arts. Does this interest still influence your dishes?

I wanted to be a botanist and then I realised that I don't have green thumbs, and I kill all my plants! Maybe it’s because I was interested in botany that I

want to do seasonal food and more vegetarian forward [dishes]. I think that's subconsciously why most of the food on the menu is predominantly vegetarian and seasonal. I’ve never thought about it.

What’s something you’re currently listening to/reading/ playing/watching?

Because I’m so busy with the [Saadi] residency, I'm just rewatching Brooklyn Nine Nine on Netflix. After work, I just switch off and watch something funny.

I’ve also been going through books to get ideas for the next menu. There's this book that has all the menus that were served to the Mughals and the emperors.

I can't remember the name of the book, but it's a book full of menus. It's quite interesting to see how they ate in those times.

What’s a word that you like in a South Asian language, and what does it mean?

Related to food, I like the word ‘swaad’ [‘taste’ in Hindi].

It's like, just go with the flow, do it how you feel, instinctive, you know?

And finally: Soan Papdi or Papdi Chaat?

You know those big Haldiram’s Soan Papdi boxes? I'm not joking, I can sit down and eat the whole box. Soan Papdi is my weakness! Papdi Chaat is fine, but I can't eat more than eight or ten of those.

I saw a video on how Soan Papdi is made, it's so labour intensive! Even though machines make it now, the original art is so AUGUST 2025 27 interesting.

LGBTQ+

Big fat Indian weddings for all The importance of films like A Nice Indian Boy BY SANJAY ALAPAKKAM

D

espite it being nearly eight years after marriage equality became the law of the land in Australia, the concept of Indian weddings between same-sex partners are yet to truly pierce the psyche of the diaspora in our adopted homeland. I’ve previously shared with Indian Link that acceptance of LGBTIQ+ people within our communities often lags behind. One reason may be that our ideas of what’s “acceptable” in Indian culture are frozen in time - shaped by the norms at the point of migration, whether in 1990 or 2010 - even as India herself continues to evolve.

It is against this backdrop that A Nice Indian Boy feels like a breath of fresh air.

Adapted from the play of the same name by Madhuri Shekar, the film was directed by Roshan Sethi, starring his real-life partner Karan Soni, and Jonathan Groff. The opening scene focuses on Naveen Gavaskar (Soni) sitting alone at a table at his sister’s wedding to a picture-perfect Indian man.

While the celebration unfolds, Naveen is pining away for a wedding just like that – for a nice Indian boy of his own. This is a familiar, heart-tugging feeling for many Indian-Australians regardless of whether we are gay or straight, particularly as we grew up on “NRI” love stories in films such as Kal Ho Naa Ho or Dil Chahta Hai.

28 AUGUST 2025

The film adopts a familiar rom-com format which is fairly accessible and family friendly whilst telling a slightly different story, but one that can help nudge forward our collective consciousness.

Naveen is a typical Indian guy who was raised in the West, and he’s a doctor, a little highly strung, with a doting mother and a somewhat reserved father. The fact that Naveen is gay is known to his family, but the tangible result of it, in the form of a male partner and implications it carries for collectivist communities like ours, is yet to be seen.

Naveen’s longing for a life partner carries into his daily life as he talks about his dating life at the hospital with his colleague and best friend Paul, and even while he prays to Lord Ganesh at the temple.

Enter: Jay (Groff) Jay, a white man, walks into the temple and Naveen’s blown away – 1. A white guy in a temple?, and 2. He’s dashing! The men meet again at the hospital, where Jay is taking headshot photos for the staff, and the chemistry is enough to make one melt.

This leads to a trip to the movies, where they watch DDLJ. One thing leads to another, and our lovers are now facing comedically presented but realistic barriers to marriage, which they eventually overcome to have their own big fat Indian wedding.

The film reflects the fundamental truth that the journey of love is a universal experience that transcends sexual orientation, just as many films from Indira to Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gham to Veer Zaara to Two States and many more have shown us. It can transcend caste, class, religion, nationality, language, culture and any other label that we are born into.

A Nice Indian Boy also shows us that compassion for another person and the willingness to grow and learn with them are key concepts that are important for any relationship, whether romantic (as with our protagonists, Naveen’s parents or Arundhati and her ex-husband) or between a person and their family.

These pillars are important in driving home the importance of the family unit standing up for one another and ensuring their collective pursuit of happiness (in this case, marrying a partner of the same sex), and balancing rather than undermining this with the need for connection with their wider community.

A Nice Indian Boy strikes the right mix in adopting a familiar rom-com format which is fairly accessible and family friendly whilst telling a slightly different story, but one I hope can help nudge forward our collective consciousness.

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AUGUST 2025 29

WANDERLUST

Ellora Caves

The Indosphere reawakens India’s ancient cave temples reclaim their place in the world’s cultural imagination

TRAVEL NOTEBOOK Getting There One option is to fly Qantas (www.qantas.com) via Sydney and Bengaluru to Pune and then by road or rail to Aurangabad and Mumbai.

Stay Sayaji Hotel, Pune (www.sayajihotels.com), Ambassador Ajanta Hotel, Aurangabad (www.ambassador-hotels.com) and Chateau Windsor Hotel, Mumbai (www.chateauwindsor.com).

India Tour Operator Check Eastbound Group (www.eastboundgroup.com) for on-ground assistance.

30 AUGUST 2025

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Bodhisattvas Padmapani and Vajrapani: both, along with the ethereal Flying Apsara in Cave No. 17, are regarded as iconic masterpieces in the global history of art.

The stunning array of Ajanta paintings primarily illustrates the life of the Buddha and recounts fables from the Jataka tales - stories of his previous incarnations. Beyond Buddhist themes, many paintings depict courtly scenes, moments from everyday life, portraits of striking men and women, and graceful, sensuous court dancers known as apsaras.

In one cave, I came across a remarkable painting that featured international figures - Persians, Romans, and Egyptians - distinguishable by their unique attire, hairstyles, and skin tones. Their presence is a vivid reminder that India, even in that era, was far from isolated. It was a cosmopolitan civilisation, connected to the world through the spread of Buddhism and flourishing trade along the legendary Silk Route.

Ajanta Caves

The caves at Ellora

BY SANDIP HOR

I

ndia was once the heart of the ancient world, claims Scottish historian William Dalrymple in The Golden Road, his sweeping tribute to the subcontinent’s long-forgotten global influence.

Dalrymple writes that India’s immense cultural and spiritual influence radiated outward well before the birth of Christ, flourishing for over a thousand years - until shifting tides in the 10th century saw the rise of Islamic empires and, later, European dominance.

Scholars have referred to this expansive Indian influence as the “Indosphere”, a cultural and civilisational sphere that originated in the Indian subcontinent and spread across Southeast, East, and Central Asia, as well as parts of the Middle East and Africa.

On a recent journey through Western India, I encountered striking remnants of the ‘Indosphere’- from the ancient cave temples of Bhaja near Pune, Ajanta and Ellora near Aurangabad, and Elephanta Island off the coast of Mumbai. These sacred spaces echo the aesthetic brilliance of Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions - each rich in symbolism and ingenuity that Dalrymple eloquently explores in his latest work.

Except Bhaja, the other three are listed by UNESCO as World Heritage sites and well known in the tourism sector.

Ajanta Caves

Located some 100 km from Aurangabad, Ajanta comprises 30 rock-cut caves excavated between the 3rd century BCE and the 6th century CE. Each cave is a treasure trove of extraordinary artworks - paintings and sculptures - that are widely regarded by art connoisseurs as among the greatest artistic achievements of human civilisation.

Following the traditions of Buddhist monastic architecture, the caves were designed either as chaityas (prayer halls) or viharas (monastic residences where monks lived, studied, and meditated). Both types were lavishly adorned with intricate murals, carvings, and statues, including monumental depictions of the Buddha in various postures - sitting, standing, and reclining.

Unfortunately, like Cambodia’s Angkor Wat and Indonesia’s Borobudur, the cave temples of Ajanta were abandoned around the 8th

Unlike the caves at Ajanta, which were carved into a sheer rock face, the Ellora caves near Aurangabad are spread along a 2-kilometre-long ridge. Excavated between the 6th and 9th centuries CE, they feature not only Buddhist architecture but also an impressive array of Hindu and Jain temples and monasteries. Most visitors explore both Ajanta and Ellora - not to compare, but to satisfy their artistic curiosity and appreciation for India’s diverse spiritual heritage.

The Kailasa Temple in Cave No. 16 is the crown jewel of Ellora. Covering twice the area of the Parthenon in Athens, this 8th-century CE Hindu shrine is hailed by architectural scholars as a timeless engineering marvel - remarkable for its scale, intricate design, and technical brilliance.

Recognised as the world’s largest monolithic temple, it is richly adorned with sculpted panels that depict scenes from the Indian epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

From an art aficionado’s perspective,

both cave sites command equal admiration.

Ajanta is celebrated for its exquisite wall paintings, while Ellora captivates with its monumental sculptures, especially the striking depictions of the Hindu god Shiva and his consort Parvati. One thing is certain though: Ajanta’s natural setting, nestled deep within a horseshoe-shaped gorge, is far more dramatic and evocative than that of Ellora.

Elephanta Caves

A major attraction of Mumbai is Elephanta Island, home to 7th-century rock-cut temples located about an hour by boat from the waterfront near the Gateway of India and the iconic Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. A magnificent shrine to Lord Shiva and a testament to ancient Hindu cave culture, the island features seven caves filled with intricately carved temples, statues, and mythological imagery. This remarkable ensemble stands as a unique testament to a once-flourishing civilisation that has long since disappeared.

Bhaja Caves

I hadn’t heard of the cave architecture in Bhaja village until I came across it in Dalrymple’s most recent book. He notes that this cluster of 22 rock-cut caves, dating back to the 2nd century BCE, represents one of the earliest examples of Buddhist architecture in the world. Unlike the more famous sites, the Bhaja Caves remain relatively unknown.

So when I arrived, I had the rare privilege of experiencing their beauty in near solitude.

Remarkably, the main shrine has remained almost intact, standing much as it did over two millennia ago.

During my recent travels through India, I was deeply impressed by the country’s progress across nearly every aspect of daily life - from the economy and infrastructure to technology, digitisation, and healthcare.

The ripple effects of this growth are being felt globally, leading me to wonder: is the once-lost ‘Indosphere’ now making a powerful return?

Elephanta Caves

century CE, as Buddhism began to decline in India and across parts of Asia. Hidden deep within the forests of the Western Ghats, they remained lost to the world for centuries - until 1819, when a British Army officer, Captain John Smith, stumbled upon them during a hunting expedition.

Under the careful narration of heritage guide Shankar, I reached Cave No. 1, a vihara. I was instantly mesmerised by the sheer volume of artwork within its spacious, pillared hall, dominated by a magnificent carved figure of the Buddha in a seated position. Exploring this ensemble of art was a visual and intellectual feast. With Shankar’s help, I was able to spot the famed images of

Bhaja Caves

AUGUST 2025 31

ENTERTAINMENT

cineTALK

Worth waiting for?

You decide!

After a blockbuster July and a wave of delays, these under-the-radar August releases might just surprise you, writes KHUSHEE GUPTA

SON OF SARDAAR 2 (In cinemas)

BAKAITI (Zee5)

Presented by Ajay Devgn Films, this film’s stakes are higher, the punches are harder, and the laughs are louder. In a world where honour meets hilarity and tradition clashes with chaos, our sardaar returns bigger, bolder, and more unpredictable than ever. With family feuds, wild twists, and fullon desi action, it is a rollercoaster of emotions, masti, and pure Punjabi madness.

Releasing 1 August

This comedy show follows the Kataria family as they navigate a tough financial patch. At the heart of it all is Naina, the daughter who suddenly has to share her room with her younger brother Bharat – sparking everyday sibling clashes and the chaos of a typical desi family. Starring Sheeba Chadha, the show is expected to be a light watch that you can watch with your whole family.

Releasing 1 August

DHADAK 2 (In cinemas) Centred around the love story of a dalit boy and an upper caste girl, Dharma Productions is bringing the second installment of a searing romantic drama about identity, power, and the cost of love in the world we live in. Starring Tripti Dimri and Siddhant Chaturvedi, the film is expected to leave a mark on both their careers.

Releasing 1 August

MATRIMONIALS Pre-painted

Lowest Price Roof Restoration / Painting Available

SEEKING GROOM Indian-origin, professionally qualified, issueless match (working professional, not selfemployed) from Australia for ’88-born 5’3" Hindu Punjabi girl (divorced, issueless), working with a government organisation in Sydney. Must have Aus PR, and be a non-smoker and preferably teetotaller. Email biodata with photos, parents’ contact details to: matrimonial. ml@gmail.com

32 AUGUST 2025

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VASH LEVEL 2 (In cinemas) COOLIE (In cinemas) An upcoming Tamil-language action thriller featuring Rajinikanth, Nagarjuna and Shruti Haasan in key roles, bringing together leading names from South Indian cinema. While plot details remain under wraps, it is expected to combine action and drama in Lokesh Kanagaraj’s signature style.

Releasing 2 August

SAARE JAHAN SE ACCHA (Netflix) An Indian spy faces off against a rival agent across the border in a tense battle of intelligence and strategy. Starring Pratik Gandhi, Sunny Hinduja, and Suhail Nayyar, the film follows their high-stakes game to outmaneuver each other and sabotage a nuclear program, where every move carries serious consequences.

Releasing 13 August

The sequel to its predecessor of the same name, this Gujarati-language drama thriller immediately catches attention with its unsettling and eerie atmosphere. The visuals are haunting, filled with shadows and mysterious figures, while the soundtrack adds a layer of suspense that keeps viewers on edge. This glimpse into the film suggests a deeper, darker narrative that builds on the tension and intrigue of the first installment.

Releasing 27 August

CHAL MERA PUTT 4 (In cinemas) This Punjabi film tells the story of a group of immigrant friends living in the UK, each trying to make a living while sending support to their families back home.

Their ordinary lives take an unexpected turn when they stumble upon a bag containing a million pounds.

The film offers a light-hearted take on friendship, survival, and the unpredictable twists that come with chasing a better life abroad. Something every Indian living in Australia can relate to.

Releasing 4 August

WAR 2 (In cinemas) Another action thriller that continues the highoctane legacy of the YRF Spy Universe and brings together two of Bollywood’s biggest stars, Hrithik Roshan reprising his role as elite spy Kabir, and Telugu superstar N. T. Rama Rao Jr. in a powerful new role. Directed by Ayan Mukerji, the film also stars Kiara Advani in her first action role.

Releasing 14 August

ARABIA KADALI (Prime Video) A group of fishermen from two rival villages see their everyday tensions escalate after they accidentally drift into international waters. What starts as a routine fishing trip turns into a fight for survival when they are imprisoned in a foreign jail. This Telugu film explores how shared hardship forces them to confront old rivalries, question long-held divides, and find solidarity in the most unexpected of places.

Releasing 8 August

HEER EXPRESS (In cinemas) As the name suggests, the film is about a girl called Heer, a spirited young woman navigating love and family challenges.With experienced actors like Ashutosh Rana, Sanjay Mishra, and Gulshan Grover in supporting roles, the film explores complex relationships and personal growth within a family drama setting.

Releasing 8 August

PARAM SUNDARI (In cinemas) Dinesh Vijan presents Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor in a sweeping romance that brings together two worlds, two cultures, and two hearts. North meets South in Kerala's picturesque backwaters but their cultural differences spark a hilarious and chaotic romance, full of twists and turns.

Releasing 29 August

HRIDAYAPOORVAM (In cinemas) A Malayalam drama that explores themes of love, loss, and reconciliation within a family. The story delves into the emotional journeys of its characters as they confront past mistakes and attempt to rebuild fragile relationships. With a focus on heartfelt storytelling and grounded performances, the film captures the complexities of human bonds and the power of forgiveness in healing old wounds.

Releasing 18 August AUGUST 2025 33

MEDIA GROUP

Diwali Art Competition DESIGN

INDIAN LINK’S DIWALI CARD WIN

PRIZES!

TWO categories: Kids up to 7 years, and Kids 8-12 years.

WIN book vouchers valued at $75 and $50 in both categories.

PLUS: The winning entry will be designed into Indian Link’s Diwali cards for the year 2025.

Colour in or paint the pattern presented here. Photocopy the pattern if you need to.

Send in your work, along with your name, age, address and phone number, to:

Indian Link, GPO Box 108, Sydney 2001 Last date for submission 3 October 2025 For more details, ring the Indian Link office on 1800 015 847, or email editor@indianlink.com.au Winners will be announced on Indian Link’s social media channels

34 AUGUST 2025

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FORETELL

AUGUST 2025

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.

ARIES

TAURUS

TAROT GEMINI

CANCER

MARCH 21 - APRIL 19

APRIL 20 - MAY 20

MAY 21 - JUNE 20

JUNE 21 - JULY 20

Threes suggest group dynamics, and with Wands as your card this month, the focus is on action. Those dating will make a decision regarding the relationship. Travel for work will be successful. The self-employed will do exceedingly well this month. Any negative feelings of fear or wariness toward others will blow away on their own. Focus on partnerships that are more in tune with your goals. You will successfully transform your ideas into reality.

A month of dualities - as you may face dilemmas and multiple options to choose from, in your work or personal life. A situation that seemed unfavourable will become a blessing in disguise. Rejection is redirection, and it's usually for the better. A rocky marriage could make you feel trapped. Money comes in through multiple sources for the self-employed. If you’ve been selfisolating, the hibernation will end soon.

Divine intervention is guiding you this August so believe in the higher powers.

Doing the right thing on all fronts, while not staying rigid, will be your focus this month. Structuring what needs order, whether family relations, work or finances should be a priority. Singles will prefer to be alone than compromise.

Work related travel could be on the anvil. Expect hurdles in your work life.

Watch your health for colds or lung infections. Be determined and work with integrity for best results. Declutter your mind, so what really matters can take its place. Practice detachment.

Some of you might be feeling constrained at work but the feeling is temporary. If a relationship feels like a dead end, it is time to move on.

Whatever your problems this month, more than action, you need clarity of thought to deal with them. Be careful around gizmos and electrical equipment to prevent accidents.

Finances remain stable, despite your worries. The self-employed will get a new business idea or order literally on a platter. Walk away from arguments.

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

JULY 21 - AUG 22

AUG 23 - SEP 22

SEP 23 - OCT 22

OCT 23 - NOV 21

You draw the card for Scorpio, making your birthday month more intense. Some of you may want to do more meaningful work that makes a difference. Singles might meet someone interesting, possibly in their neighbourhood. A house for sale will not get sold. Avoid travelling this month. You can expect a lot of socialising this month. Keep your calm during arguments with family members to avoid matters getting worse. If losing weight, see a doctor without delay.

The knight represents fast moving energy, in the realm of thoughts. A long-standing situation could change suddenly. Singles will meet someone where there is an intense mutual attraction. Good news on the work front can be expected. Someone you know could fall sick. The self-employed may meet someone who leads to an opportunity for increased business. You will walk away from someone or something that can’t be trusted. Visualise your goals for best results. Luck is on your side.

A good month with possible announcements of an engagement or a pregnancy in the family. Singles will have many eligible partners interested in them. Work could be monotonous so try and add some fun to your life. Extra funds will come in through a new source.

If you feel tired and run down, take a break without feeling guilty. Some of you may think of new and creative ideas for work. Wait out whatever you are going through right now; things will improve.

The justice card indicates a return of balance to your life. Legal matters could go in your favour, or you may sell your home and relocate. Singles will want a deep relationship rather than settle for a superficial one. Avoid letting colleagues push your buttons with their criticism.

A bad marriage could be heading for a divorce. Expenses could be high so spend carefully. Clarity of thought will lead to course correction. A karmic cycle ends, and another one begins.

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS JAN 20 - FEB 18

PISCES

FEB 19 - MARCH 20

Expect a change in lifestyle due to various factors. A rocky relationship could end, or you may want to move jobs or cities. Reunions and time with friends bring joy. There could be a loss of job or income. What you believed to be a lost cause could revive and flourish again. You will have to rise from the ashes like a phoenix for best results. What doesn’t serve your higher purpose needs to be dropped.

A major arcana indicates pre-destined events. You need to shed an oftrepeated pattern, let go of something major you have been holding on to or life will teach you the lesson again, this time, not very kindly. Work on your faith and let the universe resolve what is hurting you. An increase in finances for the self-employed and those in a job. Avoid feelings of being a martyr as it could make matters worse in a relationship.

You focus on situations where you feel restricted or stuck, but someone might help you change the outcome here. Feelings of detachment stem from a sense of despondency so try and focus on the positives. Anxiety could lead to exhaustion. Good tidings regarding money are on the anvil. Those who are dating might see a change in the relationship for the better. Be constructive with your work and don’t take on more than you can handle.

A cycle ends and a new one awaits the dreamy Pisceans. An ex might make a comeback into your life, but you may not want them this time round. Make changes at work for it to excite you again. A decision will be made that will change things in some part of your life. Watch out for mood swings due to suppressed emotions. A family member could be the cause of irritation in your life. Accept what is happening as preordained.

NOV 22 - DEC 21

DEC 22 - JAN 19

AUGUST 2025 35

BACKCHAT

Soup-eriority Complex DEAR AUNTY JI I consider myself a loving and supportive father and husband - but from time to time, I do feel my family doesn’t quite appreciate the effort I put in.

Let me explain. My wife has a demanding job, so I’ve taken charge of the cooking at home.

And because I love soup, I make a hearty, nutritious, and downright delicious soup every week. It’s usually our main meal for dinner, and lunch the next day.

But alas, my family does not share my enthusiasm for soup.

They’ll have a token spoon or two, then pretend to forget it exists by lunchtime. Frankly, I think this is just ungrateful behaviour.

I’ve explained to them, very reasonably, that soup is good for them. They nod, say “true, true,” and then proceed to ignore it like it’s last year’s Diwali mithai.

My wife now says I shouldn’t cook something the whole family doesn’t enjoy. But I say - what about me? I love soup.

Doesn’t my happiness count on the weekly menu?

36 AUGUST 2025

ASK AUNTYJI Do you have a question for Auntyji?

Email it to info@indianlink.com.au

Mind you, these aren’t any old soups. These are New York Times recipes. Thousands of people across the world vouch for their deliciousness!

When I go to the pub and sip my Coopers Pale Ale, I tell my friends about my family’s antisoup stance - and they all agree: the disrespect is real.

So, what’s a soup-loving man to do?

AUNTYJI SAYS You pathar dil insaan. What kind of family man insists on serving food nobody wants to eat? You live in the land of abundance, and judging by your pub lifestyle, clearly you can afford to cook food your family actually enjoys. Arre matlabi aadmi, are you seriously so selfish that you only make what you like? And this you call “loving and supportive”?

Listen, you khudgarz - if you went to the pub and they served you Carlton Draught instead of your precious Coopers, would you happily drink that? No? Then why torture your family like this?

A loving person cooks meals that fill the home with joy, not resentment.

Your clever wife has gently advised you to make food everyone likes, so why are you punishing your poor family over your obsession with hot liquid?

And your friends? Useless. As kam akal as you - because instead of making you realise the bewakufi of your ways, they are nurturing your selfishness. Instead of telling you to stop this madness, they’re cheering you on like soup warriors.

Stop with the soup. Your family is not in jail. Only a paagal kabootar serves a starter as a main course.

Get some sense, silly man. Do the right thing. Of course, you can still make soup - just make it for yourself.

Preferably mushroom.

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AUGUST 2025 37

38 AUGUST 2025

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AUGUST 2025 39

NEW B EGINNINGS

L AND COMING SOON

Welcome to Everdene, Mulgoa, a new Mirvac master planned community in the heart of Western Sydney with land lots from 300m2 to 700m2. Close in proximity to major local amenities with the perfect amount of nature to unwind at the end of the day, Everdene will become a community in the Nepean for family and friends to explore, relax and grow.

REGISTER NOW E V E R D E N E . M I RVA C . C O M

40 AUGUST AUGUST 2025 2025

www.indianlink.com.au MELBOURNE EDITION