Prominent Indian Yoga Guru Swami Baba Ramdev did a soft launch of ‘Vedic Concept School’ and Global Hindu Association for Reform and Sustainable Communities (GHARS) – a newly formed not for profit organization aiming to unite Hindus globally.

Swami Ramdev who was in Melbourne to preside over Yoga Shivir (Camps) and to lay the foundation of a Vedic Centre organized by Arya Samaj Australia launched Vedic Concept School and GHARS amidst prominent community leaders, organsiations and parliamentarians including Consul General of India to Melbourne Mr Raj Kumar and Mrs Kaushlaya Vaghela State Member of Parliament for the Western Metropolitan region. 

The ‘Vedic Concept School’ is a relatively new concept in Australia and aims to impart Vedic education to community members and whilst GHARS wants to promote the core principles of Sanatana Dharma – One culture, Karamyogi – Self driven– Niswarth Sevabhav (Selfless), Dhairya (Patience) & Vishwas (Trust), Respect (Aadar) & Truth (Satya), Happiness (Anand) Peace (Shanti) & Satisfaction (Tripti).

“Following the core universal belief of ‘Vasudhaiv Kutumbkam’ (World is One Family), GHARS is a membership-based organization that aims to bring together Hindus and affiliated organizations globally to revive, practice and promote Vedic philosophies, values, knowledge and beliefs,” said GHARS President Mrs Monica Sharma Raizada.

Elaborating on the Vedic Concept School, Founder Mr Harpreet Bhardwaj said, “We are seeking to revive the ancient Vedic teachings and values within the community specially amongst our children through the Vedic Concept School. Character building is the main objective and we are beginning discussions with the VCE to see how to make it a part of the school curriculum in the future.”

“It is our honour to have Swami Baba Ramdev to do a pre-launch of both GHARS and Vedic Concept School in Melbourne. Our team is working on a technology platform that will cater for all the basic, spiritual and competitive needs of our members and allow them to interact, collaborate and contribute towards society and the environment in a sustainable way,” Mrs Raizada added.  

Visibly excited to launch the Vedic Concept School Baba Ramdev who is world famous for his work in ayurveda, business, politics and agriculture, left the audience spellbound and inspired with his entertaining keynote promoting the Vedic way of living.

Highlighting the importance of ‘Karma’ (hardwork), Purusharth (Practice) and ‘Yog’ (Exercise & Unity) it is hard not to acknowledge his personal rags to yogi story and his ability to engage his audience, which besides Yoga, is one of the many reasons for his popularity amongst Indians wherever they may be.

Read also: How Melbourne celebrated International Day of Yoga (in pics)

An Indian migrant father-and-son duo from Geelong, Abhay and Ishan Sinha have bagged the Regional Export Award at this year’s Australian Export Awards for their medical device
manufacturing and exporting business Care Essentials.

The Sinhas’ hard work and dedication have seen the company which once supplied reusable blankets to just one hospital, blossom into a leading manufacturer and distributor of warming devices to medical facilities in over 60 countries including the USA, UK, Germany, New Zealand, Japan, and Canada.

“My father Abhay Sinha and I purchased this business in 2011,” Ishan Sinha told Indian Link.

“At that time, it was a much smaller and business, floundering and moving towards
administration.”

The main product at Care Essentials is the Patient Warming System which includes Cocoon blankets and warming machines. These are used in operating theatres around the world for
temperature management during surgeries. They prevent and treat hypothermia, inhibit infection and quicken the recovery process after procedures.

Ishan explained that with the use of warming blankets, post-operative recovery has become faster, substantially decreasing the duration of hospital stay for patients. This helps in reducing stress on the hospital system and decreases the financial cost to the patients.

Care Essentials produces 6 types of machines and 38 different types of blankets. Ishan explained, “Each market can have different rigorous standards but since we manufacture the machines and blankets in Australia, we can be flexible to meet our customers’ needs and their jurisdictions.”

The company was nominated for the award by an employee, and Ishan admitted he was pleasantly surprised at having won.

“Given the high calibre of the competitors I was not expecting to come out ahead,” he revealed.

He acknowledged the pivotal role Austrade is playing in boosting local businesses. “Austrade has been a great help for our business. We benefit from the Free Trade Agreements in various countries we export to. We have also been the recipients of the Export Market Development Grants which allows us to attend important marketing exhibitions which are great platforms to introduce our products and sign on international
customers.”

In return, Care Essentials provides jobs for local people from Geelong and has raised the Australian profile as a manufacturer on the international stage.

The Australian Export Awards were launched in 1963 and are the longest-running business awards program in the country. This year’s event recognised excellence in thirteen categories including E-commerce, Sustainability, Technology and Innovation, and International health.

Winners were selected on the basis of their international growth, marketing and financial strategies measured against other contenders. The Australian Trade Investment Commission (Austrade) and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) typically collaborate with all the States and Territories who each run their independent export awards program. Local winners are then entered into the national awards which are supported by leading corporations, industry groups, and export facilitators. Co-presented by Austrade and Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the Parliament House, the awards were held in Canberra on 3 December.

The Sinhas’ arrived in this country from India twenty years ago. Ishan disclosed that his company employs 20 people in Australia and a 100 in India. His company’s revenue is currently growing at 30% and exports account for 65% of total revenue.

Ending on a reflective note, he offered a word of advice to his community. “We come from a culture that places a lot of importance on education and encourages hard work. Australia is full of opportunities for anyone willing to work hard.”

It is quite clear that Ishan practises what he preaches.

Read also: Meenakshi Baveja wins at NSW Nursing Awards 2019

Volunteers from the Gurdwara Siri Guru Nanak Darbar have been honoured this year in the 2019 Vic Premier’s Volunteer Champions Awards.

They won the volunteer award in the Teamwork category, for their team of ten volunteers including Madhu Bhatia, Navpreet Dhanoa, Ramandeep Kang, Harjinder Kaur, Harjit (Ravneet) Kaur, Brijai Parikh, Randeep Saini, Avtar Singh, Manjinder Singh, and Ramneet Kaur Walia.
These Sevadaars (volunteers) were among 57 other compassionate individuals who were honoured at a ceremony at the Governor’s House on 1 Dec.

The Premier’s Volunteer Champions Award is presented to community members who have exhibited unwavering passion, commitment, and dedication to assisting their community.
In their short history, the Siri Guru Nanak Darbar has generously aided others through their programs and volunteer work.

“We spread a very simple message of love, respect, and compassion,” said Harpreet Kandra, a Sevadaar who is part of the Officer Gurughar.

“Our Gurughar is based on Guru Nanak’s principle of humanism,” he explained to Indian Link.

“We aim to build a culture that connects people with his 550-year-old teachings,
which continues to remain valid today.”

The recipients of the volunteer award were praised for going beyond their mandate in this place of worship (Gurdwara).

“Our volunteers are the backbone and foundation pillars of the Officer Gurughar,” stated Mr. Kandra.

“They dedicate many hours into volunteering, despite their jobs and busy lives.” Since January 2019, the group has showcased how ‘sharing and caring can win hearts’, by forging friendships with over 20 organisations to promote community wellbeing.

Some collaborators include Need for Feed, Ahmadia Muslim Association, Cardinia Environment Coalition, Living and Learning Movement, Cardinia Shire Council and several others.

Their work with culturally and linguistically diverse groups and Cardinia’s interfaith and Casey’s multifaith networks have also helped to promote social cohesion within their community.

Through this strong engagement and collaboration, the group has undertaken several community-based activities. They have previously provided free meals to BlazeAid volunteers, collected donations for Bunyip bushfire relief, organised warm clothing collection for needy homeless people, planted over 650 trees on the property of the temple, organised prayers for families effected by tragedies and much more.

Currently, the group is working alongside the Cardinia Shire Council on a Christmas hamper initiative to provide essentials to those in the community who need it most during this upcoming festive season.

The charitable acts of these volunteers have had substantial impacts on the wider community. As other organisations approach the Officer Sikh Gurughar to collaborate on many initiatives, the group is able to enlighten community members with a better understanding of the Sikh and Indian culture.

Six different primary schools reached out recently to collaborate and develop social justice programs, in an effort to enhance and create awareness within young children.
The group also explores the concept of how discrimination can be tackled through racial awareness. For Harpreet, one of the greatest impacts has been that Sikh members of the community have become more accepted by others.

“We are no longer considered aliens with our turbans and beards,” he said. Of course, he remembered his Sangat (congregation) in his thank you message: “Congratulations to all the Sevadars and Sangat. This is a great achievement to have within the first year of our Gurughar.”

The Officer Gurdwara successfully overcame hurdles to be launched as a place of worship, with the all-clear given mid-last year. That at its foundation, the Sikh banner was raised alongside Australian and Aboriginal flags, was but a harbinger of things to come. With its agenda of social programs, the gurudwara is well and truly making a place for itself in the south-eastern region.

Visit the Gurdwara (on Thursday evenings or Sunday mornings) to volunteer, enjoy a vegetarian meal, take a tour of the facility and contribute suggestions for a harmonious Cardinia Shire.

Riya Kiran

Read also: Kartarpur Corridor painting connects Australia, UK, India, and Pakistan

Applications are now open for the new Indian Community Infrastructure Fund as part of the Victorian Government promise to support Victoria’s Indian diaspora to enhance and upgrade their places of worship (temples, gurdwaras, mosques) community facilities. 

In October 2018, Premier Daniel Andrews announced more than $3 million in funding under a new 2019-20 Indian Community Infrastructure Fund.

Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Richard Wynne said, “Victoria is one of the most successful multicultural societies in the world, and we pride ourselves on building a state where everyone belongs, feels accepted and can freely participate.”

“The new Indian Community Infrastructure Fund aim is to support Victoria’s vibrant Indian diaspora to come together, to preserve, celebrate, and share their culture and traditions with the wider Victoria – encouraging greater intercultural connectivity for all Victorians.”

Under the Fund community groups can apply for one grant under the following categories:

• Small grant between $10,000 to $100,000
• Large grant between $100,001 to $500,000.

Projects that will be considered for funding under the small grant category include:

• Painting, tiling or completing structural repairs such as roofing, plumbing or flooring works
• Kitchens or bathroom upgrades
• Renovations or internal remodelling of facilities to improve accessibility or create new rooms
• Non-electronic security upgrades
• Constructing outdoor areas such as children’s playground, gardens, pergolas   
• Installing heating and cooling systems
• Installation sustainable solutions such as solar panels or water tanks.

Construction of new temples, places of worship or community centres will be considered for funding under the large grant category.

For those wanting to know more, they need to contact multicultural.infrastructure@dpc.gov.au and to apply for the Multicultural Community Infrastructure Fund go to: www.vic.gov.au/indian-community-infrastructure-fund.

Applications close 20 February 2020.

The 169,000 Indian-born people living in Victoria according to the 2016 Census are the largest Indian diaspora in Australia.

Read also: 2020: Will PM Morrison’s visit bring clearer vision for India-Australia?

Some Relaxation on the re-issuance of OCI card

The holders of the Overseas Citizens of India or OCI cards, who are either below 20 years or above 50 years of age and have renewed their passports, can continue their travel to India till June 30, subject to them carrying both the old and new passports along with OCI card, according to an official notification issued on Tuesday.

The Indian-Americans supported this move after a large number of OCI cardholders in the last few months complained that they were being subject to harassment by both the immigration authorities and airline officials in implementing a little-known provision of the OCI, which were not being enforced so far.

The Indian-Americans have complained that they were not aware that every time an OCI cardholder below the age of 20 and above the age of 50 years renew their passport they have to apply for renewable of OCI card too.

“No one knows about this provision. We were being told that OCI card is for life. This created massive inconvenience to many OCI cardholders in particular those with children and senior citizens.

Guidelines for the OCI card holders:

1. The OCI card has to be re issued each time a new passport is acquired by the cardholder up to the age of 20.
2. The OCI card has to be re issued once a new passport is acquired by the cardholder after completing 50 years of age.
3. Re issuance of OCI card is not required each time the passport id re issued to the card holder between 21 and 50 yrs of age.
4. Till 30^th June 2020, Indian government has given relaxation to all the OCI card holder to travel on the strength of his/her existing OCI card bearing old passport no. subject to the condition that with the new passport.

The notification asserted that the instructions regarding re-issuance of OCI card on renewal of passport or on attaining the specified age is a requirement expected to be timely complied by OCI cardholders

The Prime Minister and all the Commonwealth public service leaders are permanently offering their at least 20 working days paid leave, or 28 calendar days, for Volunteer Fire Fightering effort.

More than 150,000 staff working for the Australian Public Service around the country will be able to access the additional 20 working days’ leave, which can be extended if individuals apply for more.

“They’re not all in Canberra. They’re in Adelaide, they’re on the Gold Coast, they’re over in Western Australia. They’re down in my home community in the Sutherland Shire in southern Sydney,” Mr Morrison said.

“We’re helping get more boots on the ground and giving people who’ve been out there for weeks some relief,” the Prime Minister said.

“We’ve also already deployed our Defence Forces to assist with logistics, fire mapping and even meals and accommodation, already nearly $23 million in disaster recovery payments has flowed to affected families and businesses with more to come, and we’ve boosted our support for water bombing planes and helicopters by $11 million.

“My Ministers and I are in constant contact with our state and territory counterparts and fire chiefs and we stand ready to deliver whatever extra help they ask of us.”

Australian government is committed to act responsibly on climate change, avoiding extreme responses and getting the balance right.

Bushfires have tested us but Australia will prevail, said the PM, he added, That’s the promise we made to Australians and I intend to keep it.

It’s always fun to experiment with breakfast and make it healthy especially if you’re cooking for the family. But If you are tired of traditional breakfast, then bring some twist in it, you can always mix things up by throwing in a few non-desi ingredients. Chef Vijesh Modi, Sr. Sous Chef, The Deltin, Daman shares lip-smacking recipes for the morning.

Ragi Waffles

Ingredients
Eggs 3
Jaggery 2 tbsp
Finger millet flour 1/2 cup
Grated coconut 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder 1 pinch
Cinnamon powder 1 pinch
Fresh cream 1/2 cup
Milk 1/2 cup
Butter for Greasing
Maple Syrup for Garnish
Chocolate sauce for Garnish
Almonds for Garnish
Pistachios for Garnish

Method

• Take eggs in a bowl add Jaggery and whisk them well.
• Add finger millet flour, fresh cream, coconut, cardamom, cinnamon and milk.
• Mix well to prepare a creamy batter.
• Grease the electric waffle maker with butter.
• Pour the batter in the moulds on the waffle maker.
• Toast it for seven to eight minutes.
• Transfer the waffles to a plate.
• Garnish with some maple syrup and grated coconut.

Cranberry Khandvi with Home-made Cheese Stuffing

Ingredients
Gram flour 1/2 cup
Yogurt 1/2 cup
Cranberry juice 1/2 cup
Red chilli powder 1 – 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

For stuffing
Cottage cheese 2 tbsp
Freshly grated coconut2 tbsp
Sugar 1 – 2 tsp
Green chilli 1 nos.
Corriander leaves
Sesame seeds 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste for tadka
Cooking oil 1/2 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Asafoetida 1 pinch
Green chilli 1 nos. for Garnishing
Corriander leaves few sprigs chopped
Freshly grated coconut 1 tsp

Method

• To begin making Cranberry Flavoured Stuffed Khandvi, in a mixing bowl, combine the paneer, along with fresh coconut, sugar, green chilli, cilantro, sesame seeds and salt to taste.
• In a mixing bowl, combine besan, yogurt, Cranberry juice, red chilli powder and salt to taste.
• Using a whisk, mix well to form a smooth batter.
• Rest it for about 20-25 minutes. After this cook the mixture in a pan and stir constantly so that no lumps are formed. Cook it till it becomes really thick and soft.
• Once it is very thick, spread just a little on the kitchen counter to check the batter is ready or not). If you are able to roll it than the batter is ready. If not, then cook it for some more time.
• Once the batter is ready, spread it on the kitchen counter or on the greased inverted Thali. Spread into a thin layer using a bowl or a palette knife.
• Once it is cool, cut it into strips. Once it is done spread the stuffing mixture all over the khandvi and roll them tightly.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, chopped green chillies and asafoetida.
• When they splutter, pour it over the Cranberry flavoured khandvi. Garnish it with chopped cilantro and grated coconut.

These were the recipes with some healthy twist and gave a contemporary look to the traditional one.

• https://www.indianlink.com.au/holiday-traditional-sweet-treats/

Amidst all the celebration of Christmas and New Year, the most dangerous fires on Monday were in the state of Victoria. People in the town woke up to thick smoke and pale, orange skies. But as the fires drew closer, the sky turned red.

Around 1,000 people live there, but the population swells at Christmas, as Australians head to the coast to enjoy their holidays. About 30,000 residents and tourists were urged to flee East Gippsland – a popular holiday region – but evacuations were later deemed too risky as fires encroached on major roads.

How bad are the blazes in Victoria?

Scorching temperatures, strong winds and thunderstorms created dangerous conditions in Victoria on Monday.

In East Gippsland, three fires burning near the towns of Bruthen, Buchan and Bonang rapidly expanded as temperatures soared to the mid-40Cs.

Officials said the wind-driven blazes were “racing” towards the coast, and had moved faster than predicted. Residents in northern Melbourne were told to “act immediately to survive” as firefighters struggled to battle an out-of-control fire.

Officials said the fire in Bundoora, some 16km (10 miles) north of Melbourne city centre, was “threatening homes and lives”. “The safest option is to take shelter indoors immediately. It is too late to leave,” Victoria Emergency said.

The fire, which reportedly damaged homes in the area, was later downgraded from the emergency level.Other emergency warnings remained in place for several fires in the state, with some urged to evacuate.

“We have had a challenging day in Victoria,” said Andrew Crisp, the state’s emergency management commissioner.He said the huge blazes had produced their own weather systems from smoke columns “punching into the atmosphere 14km high”. “There’s lightning coming out of these columns. It is unpredictable [and] it’s dangerous out there,” he said.

Similar fire-generated thunderstorms – or pyrocumulonimbus – were also recorded in NSW.

Lightning strikes in dry, drought-affected forests have the potential to quickly become fires that threaten lives and homes.

Dry lightning sparked at least 70 new fires in the region in the past 24 hours, officials said.

A 250km (155-mile) stretch of the Princes Highway, east of Bairnsdale, was closed on Monday.

On Sunday, Mr Crisp urged people in the region – about 280km (175 miles) east of Melbourne – to “get out”, but confirmed on Monday that many people had remained in the region.

Elsewhere in the state, a major New Year’s Eve music festival has been cancelled after organisers said the bushfire threat was too dangerous.

Some 9,000 people had already been camping at the Falls Festival in Lorne.

Access is by a single track, meaning it would not be possible for festival-goers to evacuate quickly.

“We are gutted to make this call but the safety of our patrons, artists and staff is our main priority,” said organiser Jessica Ducrou.

Across Australia, the fires have destroyed at least four million hectares (9.9m acres) in five states since September.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appeared to confirm Scott Morrison‘s planned trip to India has been cancelled.

In a statement issued hours after the Australian Prime Minister said he was “inclined” to cancel his trip to India scheduled for later this month, Mr Modi said he looked forward to welcoming Mr Morrison to India at a time to be confirmed.

“Prime Minister Modi conveyed his heartfelt condolences on behalf of all Indians and on his own behalf on the damage to life and property in Australia due to severe and prolonged bushfires,” the statement said.

“He also offered India’s unstinted support to Australia and the Australian people, who are bravely facing this unprecedented natural calamity.”

“Expressing his satisfaction at the progress in bilateral relations in recent years, Prime Minister Modi reiterated India’s commitment to strengthen its strategic partnership with Australia. He stated that to this end, he looked forward to welcoming the Prime Minister of Australia in India on a State Visit at the earliest mutual convenience.”

Earlier on Friday, Mr Morrison said his trip, which was aimed at bolstering Australia’s defence ties with Chinese rivals Japan and India was, was all but off.

“I’m inclined not to proceed on that visit. There are issues I need to resolve formally when working through issues of that nature. That is my inclination on that issue,” Mr Morrison told reporters.

The confirmation from India suggests Mr Morrison will also formally cancel his trip to Japan amid fierce criticism of his response to the bushfire emergency.

Mr Morrison has flagged the role of the Defence Force would become “greater and greater” in the days ahead through air evacuations, engineering support, accommodation and evacuation centres.

“We’ll be running that on a daily basis on a very close watch. And I think Australians can be confident of that being the case,” he said.

Adelaide’s newest parents Nisha Wadhwa and Deepak Bajaj started the New Year with a bundle of joy in their hands, newborn baby Analiya.

Born in the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Analiya is the first baby to be born on New Year’s Day in Adelaide, weighing 2 kilos and 900 grams at birth. After a long two-hour wait for the anxious parents, a Caesarean was performed by the doctors to successfully bring baby Analiya into 2020 at the stroke of 12:29am.

Born 14 days premature, Analiya is the first baby of parents Nisha and Deepak who consider her their lucky charm. Nisha told Indian Link, “Babies are special for all parents. My husband and I feel blessed by Maa Chintapurni, for having given us Analiya on this date, the first baby born in Adelaide this year. Everyone is so happy on the arrival of the baby. We are getting lots of wishes and blessings.”

Nisha arrived in Adelaide in 2016 from India for her tertiary education and took a Masters degree in IT Enterprise Management from the University of South Australia. Both Deepak and Nisha work as food process workers in Adelaide Poultry for a living. Now Nisha wants to devote her full concentration on baby Analiya.

Although there were some complications during labour, both baby Analiya and mother Nisha are doing well. Due to a C-section Nisha will have to stay in the hospital for a few more days before she is discharged to return home.

Analiya’s proud parents shared their joy and excitement with grandparents from India who made a special visit to welcome their newly arrived granddaughter. They plan to stay and help Nisha and take care of the family. Upon asking how the grandparents feel Nisha said “They are so happy. As I am a single child of my parents, after my birth, they have this bundle of joy after 30 years as a granddaughter.”

Interestingly, this is not the first time the family has had a New Year baby. Thrilled grandmother Kanta Rani Bajaj shares the same birthday (1st January) as baby Analiya. The celebrations will be tripled for the family as they plan to have a big party next year when Analiya turns one.

As for now, Analiya’s Chacha and Chachi (uncle and aunt) have something special planned when their niece comes home. This will surely be a New Year to remember for the whole family.

‘I am because We are’ is a strong message for all generations, and the Sangam Kala Group Australia (SKGA Inc.) celebrates this theme through their annual events by bringing diverse multicultural communities under one entertaining platform. Their 2019 Sawan Multicultural
Spring Festival (SMSF) was held at the Clayton Community Centre to wrap up an eventful year and bring in good tidings for the new one.

“We organise SMSF every year to continue our efforts of promoting cultural diversity, community harmony and intercultural awareness by supporting State Government of
Victoria’s initiative of spreading the power of significance of multiculturalism through Creative Arts and Performing Art,” said Festival Director Nawal Moudgil. This was the
5th year for this popular springtime festivity attracting hundreds of performers from Indian, Indigenous, Nepalese, Greek, Spanish and Russian communities in Australia.

At the SMSF people could dance, sing, socialise, enjoy an upbeat lesson or listen to uplifting music. Sessions in Hindi, Sanskrit, yoga, arts and meditation for spiritual and mental health-wellbeing were on offer, along with food stalls, henna and commercial stalls. An array of choreographed performances was presented indoors and outdoors. Long established local dance companies and exciting multicultural groups showcased their talent in multidisciplinary arts.

Appreciating the talent of all the children who performed MP Matt Fregon said, “Our future is bright in the hands of such talented kids. In order to continue to grow, our children need a solid ground, and traditions, particularly our performing arts, are part of that solid foundation for our children”. The Minister thanked the organisers for inviting him and encouraged the participants to continue their artistic pursuits.“It’s a pleasure to work with such highly motivated, disciplined and creative people,” gushed Nawal, explaining his own motivation behind holding the festival. “From traditional to contemporary we embrace every genre and celebrate the spirit of multi ethnic communities. They have never failed to inspire and excite our audience.” “Though worlds apart, there are many similarities in styles and concepts and we celebrate all those unifying qualities,” he continued. Nawal heads SKGA an independent, incorporated not-for-profit association formed in 2002. The aim and objective of SKGA Inc. is to preserve and promote Indian and diverse music, dance, film, languages, drama and related performing and creative arts, cultural activities including spiritual, multicultural and Bollywood entertainment to people of all origins in multicultural Australia.

The Festival’s target audience mostly responded in a favourable manner. Drawing on the local communities’ attention to multiculturalism the festival built a positive image attracting sponsorships and stalls from Victorian Multicultural Commission, Victorian State Government, City of Monash, SIMDA Cultural Group, Clayton Clarinda Leadership Group, City of Kingston, Monash Youth and Family Services.

In his speech chief guest MP Meng Heang Tak endorsed SKGA’s message of cross-cultural awareness as well as fostering intercultural relationships, community contribution and mutual respect. MCs and moderators Anu Sood, Maria Sarmas Papoulias and Navika Moudgil kept the busy schedule rolling smoothly. From 10 am to 6 pm there was something to see and do for all age making it an exhausting yet fun-filled day.

With fires still raging in parts of Australia the bushfire event is far from over but the generosity and support from the people continues to pour in. The Indian community recently got together to donate nearly $200,000 to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal in a fundraiser organised by Luckee Kohli and Sanjoo Kohli of the Australian Strategy Group. Premier Daniel Andrews attended the event that was held in Mulgrave. “We are very grateful that the Premier could attend the event and the community had an opportunity to personally present him with the receipts,” said the host Luckee Kohli. “We must do things in a united fashion and keep helping our home state of Vitoria, our Premier Daniel Andrews and all the people in need, especially those affected by the devastating bushfire tragedy,” he said. The event was organised under short notice yet received overwhelming support from friends, family, businesses and community organisations. People dug deep to donate collectively or individually and the proceeds went directly to the Bushfire appeal. According to the Kohlis their aim is to try and fundraise a significantly substantial amount as the pledges and donations continue to come in. “Thank you to the diverse Indian community for coming together as proud Victorians to support those who are doing it very very tough,” said the Premier once everyone had the opportunity to hand him their receipts and pose for photographs.

The Sri Durga Temple alone donated $25,000 on behalf of Victoria’s Hindu community. The premier spoke about a series of common threads between the diverse groups within the Indian community. According to him family, friendship, hard work, the importance of education and the importance of looking after those who are less fortunate are common to all Indians Speaking on the aftermath of the bushfire tragedy, he said, “There are many people who have lost everything and it will take months, perhaps years for them to rebuild. We have never seen the fire season start so ferociously before. We already have a fire ground bigger than we have perhaps ever seen, certainly at this time, so early in the fire season. 1.3 hectares of land has been burnt out, hundreds of homes, thousands of cattle, fencing, shedding and tragically we have had three people lose their lives in the bushfires.”

“We send our love and best wishes to their families and best wishes to our staff, volunteers, emergency services and defence forces who are doing everything they can to save lives and property and get us through this very difficult time,” he said in his brief speech before rushing back to where the fires were still raging. He acknowledged the big bodies like the temples, gurudwaras, organisations and individuals for their donations. “I can’t believe how proud I am today,” said the Premier. “Victoria has the largest Indian community in our country and now there will be simply no doubt that Victoria has the best Indian community.”

When people were still reeling with the shock of the recent bushfires, this Indian real estate entrepreneur was already on the way to help.

“Your availability is more important than your ability.” Inspired by these words from his gurumai Sant Nirankari Mandal Aust Inc’s Volunteers Incharge, Sunny Duggal jumped straight into action to drive supplies of food and other amenities to the affected areas of Sale, Bairnsdale, Orbost Mallacoota and Lakes Entrance.

“What started as a single trip to drop off some urgently required milk, water, cereal, toothbrushes etc, became a full-on movement with the support of some wonderful people and organisations,” Sunny told Indian Link as he described his experience.

He has been delivering supplies in Bairnsdale Fire Relief Crisis Centre, Freemasons Hall Bairnsdale, Masonic Hall Lakes Entrance and Desi Grill Indian Restaurant. Sunny was supported by multiple organisations like the Sant Nirankari Mission, Mental Health Foundation Australia, Global Organisation for Divinity, (Namadwaar Melbourne) and Indian Australian Community Cooperation Inc (IACC). He visited the bushfire-affected areas with the assistance of other volunteers like Bhagyanathan Authimoorthi, Anchal Mahajan Meshram, Varan Freestone, Vasan Srinivasan, YakshSharma. Praveen Kumar, Vinit Gora, Narinder Kheri, Sarabjit Singh, Deep Dhir, Adarsh Kumar, DK Tuli, Kamal Rai, Mandeep Dhami, Amit Singh and Philip Tan. Sunny’s wife and children also pitched in.

“It was like driving into a war zone,” said Sunny delving into the details. “It was straight after New Years and the weather was bad; there was so much burnt land and property with ashes and smoke everywhere within sight. People were waiting for someone to come and drop off much needed basic necessities at that time. Initially I just took a car and trailer load, then someone offered their truck, another offered more supplies and before we knew it we had a hall full of essentials,” he said. Moved by the spirit of the people Sunny described an incident when he was driving past a place near Nowa Nowa in Gippsland. A lady came to collect some groceries she required urgently. He observed how she collected only one of each item that was necessary despite the fact that the local grocery store had burnt down.

“She could have easily taken the whole lot if she wanted but she only took what she needed and left the rest of others who may need it more than her,” Sunny recounted. “I was touched by her grace and dignity under such difficult times.”According to him people who had lost everything were also helping him and other volunteers.

Sunny recalled how during one of the trips his heart was warmed by the look of pure joy in a little boy’s eyes when he saw the bottles of water that were being distributed. That family and many others had ash sneak into their drinking water and taps, leaving it far from potable.

Initially, with no previous bushfire experience, Sunny did not know what to expect nor did he know what exactly needed to be done – he just felt compelled to help. “We live here in this beautiful country and spend so much time and money on ourselves. It’s times like these that we get an opportunity to give back to the community. So instead of going on our annual year-end holidays we stayed back to help. ”For this 2009 Knox City Volunteer of the Year Awardee, volunteering has always had a real and positive effect.

Kudos to this man for his tireless efforts.

Bhavi Nagar

90.20

Taylors Lakes Secondary College

Anavi Chandhok

96.6

Glen Waverley Secondary College

Manav Singh

99.20

Melbourne High School

With your VCE now done and dusted, you’ve probably had much opportunity to look back at it all with some wisdom. What did you learn about yourself in the VCE year?

Bhavi: The most significant thing I have learnt is how to cope with increasing stress and learning to balance between five or more subjects effectively without burning yourself out. Studying in small and manageable chunks was very effective for me than studying non-stop! Another thing I learnt is to not underestimate yourself and your ability to do well – it all comes down to individual hard work and motivation.

Anavi: Throughout the year I had certain study score expectations for each of my subjects. I was pleasantly surprised when I realised that the subjects that I had self-claimed as my ‘bottom two subjects’ all year actually turned out to be some of my highest study scores. Through this experience I have learnt that with hard work and persistence I can achieve the goals I have set for myself, despite the bumps in the road I may face. 

Manav: I learned to control my nerves and be able to prepare in advance. This included not being too stressed about the end-of-year exams and being able to stay in the moment.

What were your expectations going into the VCE year? How did reality compare?

Bhavi: Frankly speaking, my expectations were very very low. I was expecting a pretty average ATAR like around the 75-ish range so I was definitely shocked when I saw a 90.2. I also only needed a 75 for the course I wanted to enter so I was really ecstatic as I can now pursue the career I am really passionate about. Guess all that overthinking and catastrophic thinking was for nothing!

Anavi: The VCE year is notorious for being the most taxing and hectic year for students, it is also known for having the best school based events. While the formal and muck-up day lived up to its hype, the academic side of VCE was not as difficult to endure as one may think. Sure there are weeks where you have 3 SACs consecutively and so are almost drowning in practice papers, but what many students fail to acknowledge is that these SACs are not just given out of the blue. The subject timetable is given at the start of the year and so we are given sufficient time to prepare a plan for tackling the dreaded ‘hell week’. I was also pleasantly surprised at the extent that teachers would go to provide one-on-one help (including staying back two hours after school!). VCE is definitely difficult but the reality is that so many resources are available to students that the workload truly is easy to manage, if you play your cards right.

Manav: I expected the VCE year to be extremely competitive, almost as if it was every student for themselves, seeing that the ATAR is a number concretely ranking the whole cohort. I found instead that the VCE year was one of the best years because instead of being individual we got closer as we worked together to get through the tough year and as a result it became more of a group effort, which I didn’t expect.

What was your studying technique?

Bhavi: It differed based on the subject. For humanities/content based subjects such as Legal Studies, etc, I wrote notes and I did lots of practice questions relating to the area of study/dot point I was studying. I reviewed content every week (i.e. every Friday night I would just flick through my notes or do some questions for each of my subjects) and consistently did this throughout the year. I wasn’t productive at all at school as the environment was just so disruptive and I procrastinated a lot so studying at home was probably the most effective for me. For LOTE based subjects, it was mostly skilled based so I just exposed myself as much to the language as possible (i.e. via music, etc) while doing other subjects. Italian was probably the most fun subject for me as it was just so chill, less content heavy and mainly consisted of doing grammar practice, having convos with teacher in the language, watching Italian movies and just enjoying the language. For English, I just wrote a billion essays/plans and asked my teacher for feedback as soon as I did them. There’s no other way around it. And I also read my books/texts inside out and didn’t leave everything to the last minute. I honestly used to procrastinate and disregard English so much as I hated it with a passion and also as I was very bad at it but I still got a reasonably high score (which I am still surprised about). So, don’t neglect English, and seek advice/help ASAP if you struggle with it or don’t have motivation for it.

Anavi: For more content heavy subjects like Psychology, English and Chemistry I created an extensive set of notes addressing each individual point in the study design. I tried to complete these notes one week prior to the SAC date. Following that I would do as many practice questions as possible while simultaneously reading and consolidating the information in my notes every night.

For more practical subjects like Methods and Further I completed the workbook questions assigned by my teachers to learn the basic knowledge first. I then further prepared by completing many practice questions from exams/past SAC’s until the SAC date.

I often found that a week was not enough to self-learn content especially if the SAC was on 3-5 chapters, hence I also listened intently in class to ensure I wasn’t missing out on any useful tips and tricks.

Manav: I always made sure I was ahead of the ball – I was either reading on ahead or at least pre-reading the textbook before going to class. This way instead of learning a topic in class for the first time I was revising what I had already learnt which gave me opportunities to consolidate what I learnt through test settings like practice exams.

Social media now plays a big part in the lives of many VCE students. Did you find Facebook groups such as the VCE Discussion Space helpful?

Bhavi: I actually didn’t even know about the VCE Discussion space throughout the year! I literally just joined now like 2 weeks ago. But I wish I had known about this it way before my exams so I could’ve gained other students’ advice/insight into Year 12, see how others are going/approaching SACS/exams or to simply vent out my rage and hatred we all have towards that one subject (in my case, English).

Anavi: Throughout the year I had a love/hate relationship with VCE Discussion Space. The comedic aspects of the page (especially after the GAT) were definitely entertaining, and the general posts complaining about VCE helped me realise that I was not alone in the journey. Despite the page being mostly a comedic outlet, closer to exams people started posting their high SAC grades and predicted study scores which definitely heightened the competitive atmosphere of VCE. My general advice would be to take the posts in VCE Discussion Space lightly, and use other resources like the forums on atarnotes.com for more academic discussions.

Manav: The Discussion Space did offer some help; there were others there you could talk to and they understood what you were going through as it was happening to them as well. It also had different resources and information that I wouldn’t have had if I wasn’t on the page. However, I found the most help from the group chats that we made for our different study groups and subjects.

What extra-curricular activities or hobbies helped you maintain a balance between work and play?

Bhavi: Listening to music especially during study helped me to de-stress. I also danced to songs in front of the TV and went out for walks with my parents every now and then as a way to get out of my room and just surround myself with nature. I also drew a lot and just overall spent a lot of time with my family and friends. In order to succeed in VCE, you don’t need to sacrifice everything and study 24/7, it’s essential to take out time for yourself and do things you genuinely enjoy

Anavi: Throughout Year 12, I maintained my part-time job at KMart. While a part-time job as well as the heavy load of VCE seems daunting for many students, I found that my short shifts every week gave me a good break after countless hours of studying at my desk. I also continued watching TV and socialising with friends, which I believe was the essential reason I did not experience the dreaded ‘burn out’ like many other students I know.

Manav: Part of the Melbourne High School is its extensive club program where there would always be something for everyone. If not, you could just start one. One of the clubs I enjoyed particularly was photography club where we shot many of the school events which was always fun. In terms of outside of school, I played tennis consistently either with my family or friends.

What would you have done differently, overall?

Bhavi: Procrastinate less and scroll less through my social media. Ask more questions to my teachers and seek feedback whenever possible which was really hard for me as I was a quiet student. I also wished I put in more effort for English and did more practice exams instead of merely memorising/revising notes.

Anavi: While I am quite content with my academic and personal achievements during my VCE years, there are definitely some pitfalls I could have avoided throughout the year that would have made my journey to a 96.6 ATAR easier. Reading and writing notes for the first few chapters of my Psychology and Chemistry textbook in the holidays prior to the commencement of Year 12 would have been a major head-start in terms of preparation (and would have saved me hours later on while preparing for SACs). Another change I would make is repeatedly consolidating Unit-3 knowledge while learning Unit-4. This is mostly to minimise the frustration I felt towards the end of the year when I had to painstakingly relearn some mathematical concepts taught in Unit-3 methods which I had mastered in term 1 prior to the SAC and forgotten by the October holidays.

Manav: Maybe utilise the extra time I had as a result of doing the extension study, because it gave me twice the free periods that I would have had without it. I could also have considered maybe participating in more of the clubs at my school to diversify myself.

What would your advice to future final year students be?

Bhavi: Study SMART, not HARD. It’s a common misconception that you have to study 24/7 and sacrifice everything to achieve good grades and get a good ATAR. No! Refrain from this mindset as it can be very detrimental to your physical and mental health and wellbeing. Also, maintain a good and healthy mindset. Year 12 is not the end of the world. While in hindsight exams may seem like the most important thing in the world, it’s not the ‘be all end all’ if you don’t achieve the ATAR/score you want. There are a whole lot of pathways available to get into your dream course/career so don’t overstress/overthink Year 12. Even if you get a poor SAC mark/ATAR, you gave it your best shot and honestly that’s enough as the ATAR doesn’t define you or determine your future success – it’s just a NUMBER! Another advice is to identify and focus on your weaknesses as soon as possible, don’t just mindlessly do questions on topics you are strong at (just to please yourself); challenge yourself and try those harder questions that puzzle you, that’s the only way you are going to grow and improve! Final tip is to never underestimate the power of practice exams – and the earlier and more you do, the better!

Anavi: Be kind to yourself. There were so many times in the year where I made (in hindsight) very unrealistic study timetables for the week detailing exactly how much I will get done in a day. Then when I fell behind on my study schedule I often felt horrible and frustrated with myself and my procrastination, but every single time I always managed to make it through and get a SAC score I was proud of. It is a given in VCE that at times you will feel inferior but it is important to remind yourself that you are trying your hardest and in the end you may end up surprising even yourself at how well you do!

Manav: Yes, VCE can be a stressful time and at times it will be difficult. That’s why it is important to be part of study groups to get help and support whenever you need it. It is also good to know that despite how long it seems, time really does go by quickly and soon exams will just spring up and it is important to know that and be prepared for it.

Favourite quote from a teacher?

Bhavi: ‘Practice makes perfect’. Also, ‘Work smart, not hard’.

Anavi: The best is yet to come.

Describe your VCE in three words.

Bhavi: Challenging, rewarding and memorable

Anavi: Exhausting yet rewarding

Manav: Stressful, time flies

What’s Happening This Week!

Movies in Melbourne this weekend

Pati Patni Aur Woh

Tamil

Enai Noki Paayum Thota

Punjabi

https://eventcinemas.com.au
https://www.hoyts.com.au/movies
https://villagecinemas.com.au/movies

EVENTS

                                                               FOOD

DALicious: The Ultimate India Grain
Tue 17 Dec (4.30pm-6.30pm) Foodie Trails presents food consultant and writer Rushina Munshaw-Ghildiyal showcasing the Indian staple Dal from around India, in this catered event. Venue: The District Docklands, The Star Room (Under the Melbourne Star)
Details www.foodietrails.com.au/events/dalicioustheultimateindiangrain or
call 0410 369 72

To add your notice, email media@indianlink.com.au

Crowds, excitement, cheers, a nail-biting final match of ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 on International Women’s Day …… and not to forget, an amazing Katy Perry performance! Live at the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground.

If you want to WIN all of this, all you need to do is enter your details in the form below.

Also, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Youtube for the lucky draw!

You never know you might be caught on the international camera too!

Entries close on 7th March 2020

Writer, political commentator and media personality Jamila Rizvi is the proud recipient of the 2020 Victoria Award for Excellence in Women’s Leadership, in recognition of her advocacy, amplification, support and sponsorship of women in all facets of her career.

The nation-wide awards are instituted by Women & Leadership Australia, which aims to develop female leaders and support the increased presence of women in business and community leadership roles.

“It’s a really lovely piece of recognition for the work that I have been doing,” said Jamila as she shared her story with Indian Link.

In her columns for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, her podcasts for Nine (Future Women), her interview-based event series Tea With Jam and Clare and in her frequent appearances on radio and television, the 34-year-old has carved a niche for herself as a commentator on women’s affairs.

Both warmth and strength define her work as she addresses issues that women should feel outraged or proud about, issues that they should support more or experience more, and women’s perspectives that all leaders, indeed the community at large, should consider more.

Her Twitter bio says it all:  Without Hermione, Harry dies in book one.

On International Women’s Day, we put to her that there have been years of advocacy on the equality of women, and while certain indicators may have seen progress, overall, society seems to be taking its time to respond. Are Australians slow on the uptake of the equality agenda?

“Australia has traditionally been a conservative electorate and we are resistant and wary of change,” observed Jamila. “In that regard the progressive movement can find it hard to forge a place in Australian society.”

At the same time, Jamila allows that Australians are deeply egalitarian, with their belief in a ‘fair go’. “Most people here believe that if you are given opportunities to work hard and you take them, you deserve the same success as anyone else – no matter who you are, what your background, gender or sexual preference is,” she remarked.

“I know this is a contrasting, almost contradictory way of describing the electorate; nonetheless, Australians are complex people. We can hold those two contradictory positions,” she said with a smile.

Another contradiction in recent times is that the term feminism is becoming unpopular, with some women choosing not to identify themselves as ‘feminists’.

“I don’t think there has ever been a point in history where the vast majority of population have embraced that word, and that says something about our community,” said Jamila.

She finds it hard that the world continues to be concerned about a movement that has equality at its core.

“Feminism is about the economic, social and political equality of women with men, not a radical concept at all. We haven’t achieved it yet, while some countries are getting closer than others and some countries are moving backwards from where they were,” she explained.

“For me that movement remains incredibly important and until I genuinely believe that women hold an equal part in the society as men, it’s not a movement that I will give up on,” she concluded with conviction.

In her first book Not Just Lucky Jamila articulated the many challenges women continue to face in the workforce and the societal forces that shape our attitudes at work.

What are the main things that will catalyse the change?

“I always hoped that the election of the first woman Prime Minister would be a catalyst for positive change,” replied Jamila. “At that time, I was hopeful that Julia Gillard’s presence in the top job would normalise women as leaders in the community but sadly the country had the opposite reaction.”

Issues like equitable pay, representation of women in politics and lack of inclusion of diverse perspectives have all been on the equality agenda, but they continue to simmer on the boilerplate. For many ‘regular’ women, the basic issue about safety within their own homes is still a cause for concern. (The story of Hannah Clarke, the Queensland woman who was killed by her husband only days ago, is fresh in our minds.)

“Well, we are talking about domestic violence a bit more,” Jamila mused. “It is no longer a family issue to be worked out within homes. There is a shift happening in that space – unfortunately that shift hasn’t yet helped the number of women who are being hurt and until that starts to happen we haven’t got anywhere.”

She went on, “About equal pay, external factors play a huge role – like childcare, paid parental leave. Those are things that absolutely need to be on the Government’s agenda. They are certainly not on the current Government’s agenda.”

Hope, though, characteristically springs eternal in Jamila’s world. “I do a lot of work with corporates, government and not-for-profit organisations and we talk constantly about recruiting, retaining and promoting more women – including women of colour. Corporate Australia particularly is finally beginning to sit up and take notice. Research has told us definitively that increased gender and cultural diversity makes a better workforce, and people are finally understanding the value of gender diversity,” she said happily.

Jamila worked as a youth political advisor in the Rudd and Gillard Governments and was witness at close quarters to the rise and fall of Julia Gillard. When asked how far Australia is from getting another woman Prime Minister, she was quick to reply.

“I don’t see an Australian woman leading a political party at least for another decade, and it breaks my heart to say that,” said Jamila. “Politics in this country has been incredibly exclusionary. It has been dominated by white men for most of Australia’s modern history. However, things are changing and now there are more powerful women role models right from local councils through to Federal levels.”

The issue, of course, is to inspire more women to take up politics. Jamila encourages everyone, particularly migrant women who may be interested in public office, to have a go, cut their teeth, get involved and volunteer. “I want my Parliament and representatives to look like my community, a melting pot of cultures, religions and people.”

Given her own Islamic background, Jamila was vocal about the vulnerability that Muslims over the world are feeling currently.

“Personally I find it quite heartbreaking when I consider the way that the Australian Muslim community have been made to feel like outsiders over the past 20 years or so,” she revealed. “I have never met a more inclusive and engaging and kind segment of the Australian community as the Australian Muslims. These are truly good people being blamed for the actions of a tiny minority. Kudos to the Muslim community for the fact that despite being the subject of really intense discrimination at times, they continue to be committed Australians, warm neighbours and wonderful friends.”

Keen to learn more about her connection with contemporary India, we asked Jamila about the current spate of religious violence in India, to which she replied diplomatically.

“I won’t pretend to be an expert in this space at all. India has been a country that has been plagued by violence between different religious groups throughout its history. I hope this resolves as quickly as possible and one day we reach a stage where India recognises that this is a country with many different faiths where we can coexist with one another.”

Politics, media, commentary and broadcasting – Jamila has been involved in a variety of communication fields. Which of these wields the most power when it comes to advocating gender parity?

“Television remains the most powerful medium at this point in time,” she replied after some thought. “Of course, it may be a different story five years down the track. Digital is becoming increasingly powerful and younger people are increasingly turning to different mediums for communication, discussion and political discourse but at the moment in Australia, the majority of the population tends to turn to TV. It remains the single fastest way to create waves on a big scale throughout the country.”

“Having said that, one of the powerful things about the Internet has been the democratisation of political and public discussion. The Internet is available to everybody and voices that aren’t heard as often in the mainstream media, like women – particularly women of colour, for example Indian women – the Internet has been an incredible gift for voices that have been kept out of mainstream media.”

Jamila comes from mixed parentage; her father is Indian and mother Australian. Her father was born in Lucknow, UP as the youngest of four children. His family migrated to Australia in 1965 when he was seven years old and settled in Canberra.

“My parents met in Canberra where they still live,” shared Jamila. “I grew up in a typically Aussie household as my dad had spent most of his childhood in Australia and my mum was Australian. Our Indian connections were through our grandparents, cousins and extended family. It’s because of them the link with India became really strong and unsurprisingly was cemented with delicious food.”

Is it true that Jamila’s grandfather decided to study in Australia rather than Yale because Australia had cricket?

“I have heard a few versions of that story,” laughed Jamila. “One is that he decided to migrate here because he liked cricket; the other one is he asked my dad, who was the youngest, where they should go and he apparently said he wanted to go to Australia because he wanted to see a kangaroo. Who knows what the actual truth was!”

Her own marriage is interracial and she finds it an ongoing challenge, especially for her little boy Rafi who has blue eyes and long blonde hair and very fair complexion. She takes pains to make sure that he is culturally aware of where he comes from and what his cultural background is.

“My husband is Australian of German heritage and we travelled to India a couple of years ago for his first visit there,” she revealed. “To me, it was very significant to take him to see my family. We did the same thing the year prior where we visited Germany. To be aware of our roots is an important part of reconciling our own person and also the kind of person we want our little boy to be.”

On the professional front, a third book is now in the pipeline.

She laughed aloud when asked about the progress of her new work Broken Brains, aimed at anyone who has been diagnosed with illness and their loved ones. Apparently a huge amount of work is still to be done as it needed copious research with lots of first hand interviews, and time spent in universities, hospitals and research labs, as well as with psychologists.

“I have finally drawn a line for myself to end the research and start some writing so hopefully there will be some more words soon,” said the feisty Jamila, who is currently waging her own battle with brain tumour.

She has successfully undergone a second round of brain surgery and is ‘feeling the best she has been in the last two and a half years’.

Her candid writing on her own medical issues have won her even more fans. (“I lie on top of a made-up hospital bed in the neurosurgery ward, after giving what felt like a litre of blood to the pathologists. I am not getting under the sheet. I am not putting on a hospital gown. They are acts of acquiescence and I refuse to be sick again. I refuse,” she wrote this year)

The latest award must surely have come as welcome respite.

“It is really nice to be applauded, and incredibly humbling. But this does not change what I am doing or trying to do. I have very clear goals in mind for the next few years around my work in gender equality, mental health and multiculturalism and I will keep going down that path regardless.”

READ ALSO: Australia Day Awards 2020: Tasneem Chopra, OAM

Mandhana’s disappointing T20 World Cup – that saw her manage a top score of 17 in four innings – continued as India sunk to 99 all out and an 85-run loss in their first Women’s T20 World Cup Final.

Teen sensation Verma was visibly distraught to only manage two with the bat having dropped Alyssa Healy on nine, with Mandhana asking for the teenager to be given time to lick her wounds.

“Shafali and I were standing almost together when we were receiving our medals. She was in tears,” said Mandhana.

“I told her she had to be really proud of the kind of campaign she’d had. When I played my first World Cup at the age of 16, I couldn’t hit the ball 20 per cent of what she can hit.

“She has to be really proud of the way she played, but she was upset with the way she got out.

“She’s thinking already how she can be better. She should be left alone, that’s the most I can tell her.

“This is a time to introspect. Failure teaches you a lot more than success. The team needs to be left alone and think of how we can be better in the next few years.”

A sluggish start with the ball and in the field undermined India’s attempts to overhaul the four-time champions in their own backyard with the support of a 86,174 crowd at the MCG.

Shafali was far from the only guilty party when it came to grassing chances with Rajeshwari Gayakwad dropping Beth Mooney in single figures and fielding errors ensued from the likes of Poonam Yadav.

India can reflect on their best performance at a Women’s T20 World Cup, building on a semi-final appearance in the Caribbean back in 2018.

In 1992 Meena’s wedding was lavish, long and attended by hundreds. Fast forward to 2020 and her daughter Sheena’s nuptials were the polar opposite. The bride, groom, celebrant, Sheena’s elder sister and brother-in-law were the only ones in attendance. The rest of the family including Meena and her husband – the bride’s father – witnessed the wedding on Skype.

An Indian wedding with just five people? Shock! Horror! How was it even possible? That’s how many people we would expect not to turn up at the event. Seriously, that is how many people generally go to choose the bridal lehnga (traditional wedding outfit) between all the siblings, aunties and cousins.

Sheena, unfortunately, had no such luxury. One year of preparations, detailed planning, multiple shopping trips to India and hundreds of RSVP came to a naught with the Federal Government restrictions on limiting the numbers at weddings to 5. The decision was made, recently, to ramp up efforts to control community transmissions of the dreaded COVID virus.

With that one announcement Sheena’s dream wedding turned into a nightmare. “I was so upset I cried all night,” said Meena as she recounted her experience to Indian Link. “My heart went out to Sheena as I know how much blood and sweat went into the planning. Yet I was amazed at how she took everything in her stride. I know she was hurting but she stood firm in her decision not to cancel or postpone her wedding yet abide by the new regulations.”

“This is a classic case of circumstances beyond our control,” Meena added. “We are yet to be reimbursed the deposits paid to the venue, florist, photographer and caterer, and our insurance has refused to cover anything, but our daughter is the happiest person in town as she got to marry the man she loves.”

Vandana Rammi Chhabra echoed similar sentiments. Her son’s wedding was scheduled in the first week of May. They decided to postpone all the wedding events to a future undecided date in the wake of the new restrictions.

“The young couple have been very resilient through this difficult time,” Vandana said. “My husband is a medical professional and he predicted the restrictions in advance based on his experience and observation of other affected countries.”

Her son maintained that everybody’s health and wellbeing was far more important, and the community needs to be safe. He did not wish to expose his wedding guests to even the smallest chance of contamination.

Vandana confessed that initially she was like a child who wants the moon. She had seen the effort put in by her children – Dave and Chandan and though she knew they had made the right decision, her heart found it difficult to come to terms with it all.

In any case cancellation was not an option for them as the venue was not willing to consider a refund, however, most of the providers were willing to work with them in future once the curve flattens.

“I know it’s not going to be easy to coordinate everything again and work around availability and dates of the vendors and venues, but I am now relieved that we came to the conclusion quickly to postpone everything till things settle and restrictions are lifted,” said Rammi optimistically.

In Karan Gandhok’s daughter’s wedding both postponement and cancellation were totally ruled out. “In our culture it is considered inauspicious to cancel a wedding and even if there is a death in the family, the wedding still goes ahead,” explained Karan.

Karan found out on the morning of his daughter’s sangeet ceremony that the opulent venue they had chosen was unable to host the 400 guests that were to attend due to phase two restrictions. He had to change the venue to another on the same day and restrict the numbers to 100.

“A year of planning, shopping, setting the theme and dancing rehearsals all went belly up in a second,” recalled Karan. “It’s funny how we Indians believe in accepting our destiny, but during weddings and funerals we tend to get very emotional.”

According to him his generation was raised on stories of great-grandparents living in trenches during wartime and grandparents suffering during the partition. The recent COVID restrictions are certainly not the end of the world.

“If you put it in perspective, this is nothing in comparison to those difficult times. All the Government is asking us to do is to stay at home and be safe. I agree people’s plans got thrown out of the window but at least we now have a story to tell our own grandchildren. This is a wedding no one will forget ever,” he said philosophically.

Karan’s family decided to go ahead with the wedding but with smaller numbers and do away with the reception at altogether. The bride and groom intend to celebrate their first anniversary exactly as they had planned their reception. Karan’s mother and brother, who were here to attend the wedding from overseas, are now stranded indefinitely in Australia due to travel bans and flight cancelations.

Archana Shridhar, who recently postponed her daughter Pallavi’s wedding that was to be held in the end of March, agrees with Karan. “It is definitely not the end of the world and we all need to keep our spirits up and find solutions rather than wallow in sadness,” she said.

Archana’s daughter and son-in-law have exchanged their wows in a civil ceremony with only two witnesses as per current restrictions but the family intends to continue the celebrations with a traditional wedding ceremony when it is safe to hold one with all their guests in attendance.

“What’s a wedding without people – we have postponed our plans and we will do it when we can have all our friends and family attend,” she said with conviction.

She is very proud of how her children have handled the situation and the strength they have shown despite their disappointment. She sent an email to all her guests to keep the economy ticking and supporting the vendors and small businesses that are affected at various levels by event cancelations.

Karan seconds Archana’s opinion wholeheartedly. According to him the bigger casualties after all this will be businesses and bankruptcies will be the norm. “Small businesses rely on deposits as their cash flow and we need to support them and ensure that we bring the community spirit back. We have to reboot the economy and at the same time be prepared for the effects of COVID that are likely to last for a long time,” he said in conclusion.

If you’ve been paranoid about touching that door handle in these COVID-19 days – or that lift button or ATM touchpad – there’s now a solution in sight.

Muthu Vignesh Vellayappan, a PhD student in Engineering at Monash University, has invented a device to keep your hands free when you are out and about.

The hand-held device he calls ‘Safety Key’ attaches to door handles and helps you twist them open, so that your fingers make no contact with the surface at all.

“The coronavirus is known to stick around for a few days on steel and plastic surfaces,” Muthu told Indian Link.  “While we all practise recommended hygiene procedures and social distancing, the Safety Key can go a long way in stopping the spread of the virus.”

He recommends that you use the device – no larger than a mobile phone – every time you go out, and at your last destination, give it a good wash with regular soap as you wash your own hands.

The cost to produce it? Less than a dollar.

Best of all, if you are interested in owning one, the inventor will send you the specs to create your own.

“The Safety Key is 3-D printed using PLA, a low-cost polymer that is as easily obtainable as it is durable,” Muthu revealed. “If you have access to a 3-D printer, I will send you the G-code to create one for yourself.”

Two copies can be created in a matter of two hours.

The idea for the Safety Key struck Muthu in early March as the COVID scare had just set in, and he saw viral videos of people sneezing and spitting on door handles and inside lifts (allegedly to spread the virus deliberately).

“I wondered if there was a way in which we avoid touching surfaces like door handles, light switches, toilet flushes and hand dryer machines,” he described. “I designed an early model and ran it past my supervisor Prof. Neil Cameron, head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Monash Uni. He encouraged me to continue.”

Muthu designed a few models. “The first one could only open door handles of a particular thickness, and so that had to change clearly. It was also somewhat large in size. With repeated modifications and optimizing, I came up with a design that was satisfactory.”

The entire process from woe to go, took about three weeks.

He printed off 15 copies and gave them out to staff and fellow students to test.

The feedback was encouraging.

Putting the word out on LinkedIn, Muthu began to see interest, such as from Griffith University.

“I’m particularly keen to have COVID front-liners like health workers and security personnel use the device.”

So he’s not looking to patent it?

“The patenting process will take 2-3 months. The impact has to be immediate. The need of the hour is to minimise the transmission of the virus. So I’ve decided to go public with it.”

There is at least one other hands-free device that has been produced recently but it requires the use of the forearm to push the door open and is not portable.

“The design of the Safety Key could be used to make a die for injection moulding,” Muthu observed. “This could easily help in mass production, at very low cost.”

The Madurai lad finished his Bachelor’s degree in India and completed a Masters’ degree in Malaysia before joining Monash in 2017. He is currently months away from finishing his PhD that is based on the design and development of heart patches to replace heart cells damaged in a heart attack.

In 2018 he had won the Audience Choice Award at the nation-wide science communication contest FameLab, describing his PhD to a lay audience.

Video: A simple key to open doors safely