Ravi Nyayapati
Mark your calendars! Following the success of last year’s event, the evening of Monday, June 24, 2019 will witness the Sixth Indian Newslink Sports, Community, Arts and Culture Awards 2019.
It sounds like a mouthful but there is a good reason. As the name suggests, and as pledged at the 2018 Awards Ceremony, this years’ edition sees the expansion of categories to include Arts and Culture.
The involvement from the diaspora at Sports, Community, Cultural and Art events has been more prominent than many realise. This was a revelation to many at last year’s Awards. This year, there is a commitment to recognise more and felicitate them accordingly.
In October last year, the Awards made glorious return after a two-year break.
The organisers were humbled with the overwhelming response. The 550-seat event at Alexandra Park was sold out and late enthusiasts were turned away respectfully, disappointed. The glittery night was filled with good music, a great cuisine, laughter, emotion, pride and a big fervent gathering of worthy recipients, along with their family friends. All of them shared one thing in common – to see recognition for passion, hard work and commitment.
The nature of the Awards made it a family affair, with people of all ages showing up, in their capacity as either Award winners or as family members of worthy recipients.
The support from some quarters of the community was particularly strong with reservations of up to ten tables. Such response only shows how much these Awards are appreciated and respected.
The New Zealand Central Indian Association (NZICA) are once again being the Sports section, stressing their philosophy to use the medium of sports for connecting with the next generation through respect.
At last year’s revamped return of the Awards, a promise was made to honour persons from the Culture and Arts disciplines. The time has come to honour this promise.
In addition to Sportspersons, Community Workers and Volunteers, this year’s Organising Committee invites Sportspersons, Architects, Artists, Designers, Photographers, Choreographers, Dancers, Singers, Musicians, Teachers, Organisers and all those others connected in the related disciplines to enter the Awards or be nominated.
In 2018, a total of 35 trophies were presented in the Community Awards section, in addition to the 18 Sports Awards that saw winners ranging from pre-teen age group to those in their eighties. The Guests of Honour included Blackcap Jeet Raval, Hockey New Zealand Chief Executive Manoj Daji, Members of Parliament Judith Collins, Kanwaljit Bakshi, Dr Parmjeet Parmar, Michael Wood and Priyanca Radhakrishnan.
Given the size of the Indian community in New Zealand that represent Sports, Community, Arts and Culture, this year, the Awards night will feature presentation of over one hundred trophies.
This a nationwide event and we encourage representation from all of the country.
For more information and to download forms, please visit www.inlisa.com or www.inlscac.com
