I believe that my election to the post of Chair at the India New Zealand Business Council (INZBC) as the first person of Indian Origin on September 9, 2009 was a divine ordinance.
Just the day before, praying with the Most Reverend Patrick Dunn, the Bishop of Auckland, there was a ‘surge of calls’ inside me, asking me to make a commitment to the organisation if elected as the Chairman.
By divine intervention again, Raga D’Silva, who was then running her own media company in Wellington, was elected to the post of Deputy Chair. She too was the first person of Indian Origin to occupy the post (Indian Newslink, September 15, 2009).
Connecting people and making contacts between businesses in New Zealand and India have always been the motto of the Council, since its establishment in 1988. However, I noticed a discerning difference as the members of INZBC gathered in Wellington to vote a new team into office in September 2009.
New opportunities
Apart from the realisation that India is a destination which remained somewhat apathetic among our businesses, the growing importance of the world’s largest democracy and the opportunities that the country presented to existing and emerging businesses triggered a new urge – to accept the new challenges and make the Council more relevant to the changing needs.
Arguably, the Council needed a new orientation and a new direction to move forward. The primary focus was to harness the immense potential that was inherent within the membership, establish chapters in Christchurch and Auckland and engage more closely with the New Zealand and Indian Governments, all of which necessitated a proper strategy and plan of action.
Leadership alone does not achieve results. For an organisation like the Council to grow, cooperation and support of the Executive Committee (also elected) in particular and that of the members in general is paramount.
Significant milestones
Ensuring these, the Council began to reach higher levels of credibility and reach across the portals of the two Governments, offering our knowledge and information based on ground realities and business concerns. We sought and received the partnership of a number of professional organisations in both countries and soon we were recognised as a credible, serious and representative organisation that felt the pulse of the communities in both countries.
Indian Newslink readers and the business communities are aware of the milestones that INZBC has been able to achieve over the past three-and-half years.
I pray God to give the new Chair Sunil Kaushal (ANZ Bank Head of Indian Segment), and his team the strength and blessings as they take office.
You may wonder as to why I place such strong emphasis on prayer and Divine intervention. True, each of us has faith, belief or otherwise, but I believe that faith in God gives meaning and purpose to human life, just as brotherhood of man transcends the sovereignty of nations.
INZBC has covered significant distance since September 2009. I hope to see it grow from strength to strength, maintaining its unity and sense of belonging, and more importantly its relevance and importance in the fast-changing world.
Wenceslaus Anthony was until recently Chairman of the India New Zealand Business Council. He is the Chairman & Managing Director of WAML Group Limited, based in Auckland. Read related story in this Section. Indian Newslink has been promoting the activities of the India New Zealand Business Council since 2002.
