Indian Change Makers in Australia. Don’t you think we need to get up and do more of It!!!!

Australia needs more change makers into the system and not just takers from the system. Australian-Indians can become a link between two countries and contribute significantly. The Australian Indians need to arise, look around, ask question, get themselves involved and become part of Australia’s and India’s journey as great democracies. Australian Indians can address leadership deficit in Australia.

India will grow as the third largest economy in the world by 2030.  Australia and India has good bi-lateral trade and investment relations and over the past decade it has become doubled and as the two economies grow closer the rate of growth will continue to rise.

Mr. Neville Joseph Roach AO a humble and shining example of honest Businessman, currently chairperson of large number of high profile organizations such as, Fujitsu Australia Ltd, Australia Indian Business Council and smart Internet. Previously he was the chairperson of the  Committee of Enquiry in to Temporary Business Migration, the National Multicultural Advisory Council and many more. He came to Australia in 1961 through New India Assurance, a Tata Group company Sydney at the time. According to him it was way challenging to initially adjust with new surrounding and to the new environment, the most dominant factor for his success was his extensive hard work and good luck. “The measure of a truly great man is the courtesy with which he treats lesser man.” Mr. Neville Joseph Roach is affine man of this saying.

The common personality trait among the people who have made a difference in the world is they were born rebels and the true example is Mr. Pankaj Oswal who was an Indian Businessman at one time and was Australia’s one of the richest Businessman with fortune of A$1 billion.  He was the Managing Director and Chairman of Perth based company Burrup Holdings Limited. Burrup Holdings Limited, a liquid ammonia production companies is one of the world’s largest liquid ammonia production companies. Pankaj was born and brought up in India and studied at Manipal Institute of Technology. After graduating from the prestigious institution, he worked for several of his father’s enterprises.

A heart that does not get restricted by external judgment and the one who believes in it’s own mission in life is the heart that eventually creates a legacy in the world. One name that comes to our mind is Sadhna Smiles, CEO, Harcourts Group Victoria previously GM of McGrath Estate agents, Neutral Bay, Mossman and Northbridge. Sadhana born to Fijian Indian parents has won many prizes for her contribution in the field. She has won Real change, winner of 2007 Price Water House Coopers Vic/Tas Franchise woman of the year award. She being the first woman in real estate to win this award and 2007 REIV award for service.

Blessed with two children Sadhna has achieved many milestones, her past credential includes titles such as Melbourne’s most prestigious name in RE industry, People and performance, Manager at Hocking Stuart and General Manager Real Estate Institute of Victoria. 

Inspite of achieving these big accolades, a humble Sadhana still believes that her real contribution towards the society is through a non-profitable organization she runs for Fijian woman and children, called Links Fiji.

We salute vision, mission and hardwork of some of the extremely talented Indians in Australia for their valuable contribution to merge the two cultures in to one with harmony and addressing the economic ties between India and Australia.

Enjoy the Rich Musical Extravaganza of A R Rahman in Melbourne on 16th February 2017

The most awaited event in Australia is coming up. Asia TOPA  in collaboration with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and CHARINDAA, Arts Centre Melbourne brings you The Music of AR Rahman.  A one night gala musical performance event at the Sydney Myer Music Bowl on Thursday 16 February 2017 which will be performed by The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra with the music icon himself as special guest performer. So let us start enjoy with Indian events in Melbourne with A R  Rehman.

A R Rahman is a film music composer, multi-instrumentalist, producer and singer from India. In the twenty years of his career with music his more than 100 million soundtracks and singles were sold worldwide. His music for Slumdog Millionaire earned him two Academy Awards in 2009, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA award.

Rahman had been an epitome in composing the music for over 130 Bollywood films most of them being super hit.  His first full composition was Roja, a film by Mani Ratnam. The film was a huge success. Rahman became well known in Bollywood and soon became the most successful composer in India.

Among his film scores and soundtracks for Bollywood classics like Bombay (1995), Dil Se ... (1998) ,Lagaan (2001) sold millions of records. The soundtrack of Lagaan (with the hit single Mitwa) accounted for sales of 3.5 million records in India. His best-selling soundtrack, however, was Bombay, of which 12 million records were sold. In 2008 he composed the music for the successful films like Ghajini (2008) and Jodhaa Akbar (2008). The film Ghajini of A.R. Murugadoss is the most yielding Bollywood film of all time (Rs. two billion).

In 2002 he composed the music for Bombay Dreams, a Bollywood themed musical in a production of Andrew Lloyd Webber. The musical, in which a young man (from the slums of Bombay) wishes to become a major Bollywood star. It was first performed in London and two years later at the Broadway Theatre in New York. Mr. Rahman won this first notoriety in the United States.

Indian events in Melbourne

Together with the Finnish folk group Varttina he wrote the music for the theater production of The Lord of the Rings. Then he composed the song Raga's Dance for Vanessa Maes album Choreography.

Besides the many collaborations with Bollywood directors Rahman writings since 2006 has given music for British film projects. In 2007 he composed together with the Scottish composer Craig Armstrong music for Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Mr. A.R Rahman, however, gained worldwide fame with his music for Slumdog Millionaire, the big winner at the 81th ceremony of the Academy Awards. His soundtrack for Slumdog Millionaire has won two Oscars, the Oscar for Best Original Score and Best Original Song Oscar for the song Jai Ho. Rahman was the first Indian film composer who won an Oscar and also the first artist from India who won two Oscars.

In 2009, Rahman composed the score for the US comedy Couples Retreat Peter Billingsley (with Vince Vaughn in the lead role). It was the first American film for which he wrote the music. In 2010 he composed the music for the film 127 Hours, which was nominated for the 83th ceremony of the Academy Awards.

The Music Extravaganza of AR Rahman is a joint venture by Arts Centre Melbourne, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and CHARINDAA TOPA for Asia: Asia-Pacific Triennial of Performing Arts. CHARINDAA (Charities Through Indian Arts in Australia) promote and organize Indian Arts and Cultural events. Asia TOPA is a joint enterprise of the Sydney Myer Fund and Arts Centre Melbourne and is assisted by the Australian and Victorian Governments. The musical concert may have special compositions of AR Rahman like Cry of Rose from Roja, Theme from Lagaan, Chan Chan from Water, Mangal Pandey: The Rising Suite, Slumdog Millionaire Suite, Theme from Bombay, Changing Seasons, , 127 Hours Suite, and the very popular Jai Ho!. 

For more information visit artscentremelbourne.com.au or call 1300 182 183. You can follow Arts Centre Melbourne on facebook or on Twitter @artscentremelb. More information also available at www.theindiansun.com.au is an online magazine where you get all the latest news on Indian happening in Australia.

How Young Indians Play an Important Role in Preserving Ethnic Culture in Australia

Ethnicity is more than just a state of mind.  It is the social organization of cultural differences. It is the future of Indian ethnicity that rests on the wise shoulder of young Indian people in Australia. Till today cultural cohesion of India is promoted in Australia by maintaining strong link with extended family and giving high priority to Indian tradition for generations.

The Indian community is committed to keep alive the future of Indian ethnicity in Australia by creating awareness about Indian culture, tradition, beliefs and practices and in promoting contact with extended family, choosing life partners etc. These are all a part of the family’s roles and responsibilities among the Indian Australians.

In Australia there are encouragement for those migrants who share their culture with the mainstream culture of Australia. Australia promote the languages of migrants by way of Ethnic school. Government funding to the Multicultural Communities Council shows that Australia fully support cultural diversity in the country. Thus, the future of Indian ethnicity is in balance.

On the other hand, Indians has ability to retain, reconstitute and rejuvenate their cultural aspects  overseas by holding on to their cultural differences of race, religion, fellowship  and  language as cultural persistence. Young Indians in Australia seems to be genuine to retain their belief in Indian culture, even though the impact of Australian culture is big.

Indian Newspaper in Australia

The Indian – Australian cultural and lingual diversity is retained by the Indian newspaper in Australia published in Sydney, Melbourne and in various parts of Australia.  Indian ethnicity and diversity is preserved with the help of Indian language program on radio and television, Hindu language schools, temples etc.

Australia and Indians share a common love of cricket. Australians also love Indian spiritual influences and the practices of yoga and meditation. There is nothing short of mutual respect between the two sides and lots of Indian traditions are a part of Australian life now. Indian born Australian have helped contribute to Australian diversity and are shaping Australian cuisine and sporting tradition.

India and Australia share political, economic, security, lingual and sporting ties. Before Independence Australia and the Republic of India were both part a of British Empire and both are the members of common wealth of Nations. Cricket has emerged as a strong cultural connection because of British colonization.

What will retain Indian ethnicity is the awareness of those who call themselves Indian Australians. Their way of life is truly Indian and it depends on the way young people were raised and the very existence of India and its prospective to provide channels for revitalizing Indian values and providing the mystique that motivates the generation to regard themselves as Indians. Keeping alive links with India benefits the community. 

In spite of the influences around the respect of Indian Australians for the family and the typical traditional Indian values and an admiration for the wisdom of the older generation transmitted by parents and extended family to their children supposedly should be preserved. The surprising tenacity of Indians have retained regional, cultural identity and linguistic influences in Australia.