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Venkat Raman
Auckland, June 17, 2022
Hayma Malini and Yugendran (winners of a Culture Award) with Phil Goff, Mahesh Amrute and Tejinder Singh at the Awards function held on August 2, 2021
About 45 achievers in sports, community, arts and culture will be honoured at the Eighth Annual Indian Newslink Sports, Community, Arts and Culture Awards scheduled to be held on Monday, June 20, 2022 from 6 pm at Mahatma Gandhi Centre in Auckland.
A few tickets for the programme, priced at $69 per person or a table seating ten persons at $690 (inclusive of GST) are available. For more information, please call 021-836528.
Email: venkat@indiannewslink.co.nz
Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities Priyanca Radhakrishnan, Auckland Mayor Phil Goff, Police Commissioner Andrew Coster, Members of Parliament (Labour and National), Mayoral candidates Leo Molly and Gary Brown, corporate and community leaders will be among those attending the event.
Legal Associates (Barristers and Solicitors), a South Auckland firm is the Title Sponsor of the Eighth Annual Indian Newslink Sports, Community, Arts and Culture Awards, while Link2 Group, Kripa Financial Solutions, 0800Rachna, Radio Tarana, Universal Granite and Marble Limited, Space Designers Limited, Aishwarya Entertainments Limited, Humm FM, New Zealand Indian Central Association (NZICA) and Auckland Indian Association (AIA) are among the Sponsors.
The entertainment segment features Chenda Melam, a series of percussion instruments performed by Rhythm 425 of Kerala, a traditional dance performed by the New Zealand Sri Lanka Dance Studio, The Wonder Girls, Rhythm Dance Academy and Anuradha’s School of Indian Dances.
The Awards Programme, open to people of South Asian origin, including people of Indian origin- people from India, Fiji and other parts of the world- Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan and Nepali is the only programme of its kind to be held in New Zealand.
Arvinder Kaur and Junoo Abhishek Sharma will be the Masters of Ceremonies.
The growing importance of people of Indian origin in various Sports encouraged us to launch the Indian Newslink Indian Sports Awards in 2012. These Awards were the first of its type for the Indian community in New Zealand.
For the past 23 years, Indian Newslink has been reporting the achievements of our sports personalities in a number of fields, including Soccer, Cricket, Tennis, Netball, Hockey, Golf, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Boxing and Kabaddi. While some of them have risen to the national level by playing international matches and tournaments, until 2012, there was no avenue to celebrate the achievements of many others as a community.
People of Indian origin have also excelled in community and social services, arts and culture, thus prompting us to extend this Programme to the Indian Newslink Sports, Community, Arts and Culture Awards.
Acknowledging the growing presence of people from various countries of the Indian Sub-Continent and centres of the Indian Diaspora, Indian Newslink has widened the participation of its Awards Programme to include people of Indian, Fijian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan and Nepali origin.
As in the past, the Sports segment is being organised and managed by NZICA and its former President Bhikhu Bhana. Five sports legends who have brought fame to New Zealand will be honoured at the event.
Forty-Six Awards to as many deserving persons and institutions will be awarded this year. With our Business Awards now in its Thirteenth year, our Lecture in its Twelfth year, and our Sports, Community, Arts and Culture Awards in its Eighth year, we are hopeful of covering almost all people of South Asian and Fijian origin in New Zealand.
Artistes of the New Zealand Sri Lanka Dance Studio performing at the Awards function held on August 2, 2021
Special Commemoration Awards
In its 23 years of service, Indian Newslink has carried thousands of success stories and reported on the progress of people. This publication also remembers with humility and respect, business and community leaders who have been shining examples of philanthropy, business acumen, service to the people and academic excellence. In homage to their inspiring leadership, Indian Newslink has established Special Commemoration Awards.
There will be a few this year at the Eighth Annual Indian Newslink Sports, Community, Arts and Culture Awards Presentation Ceremony.
Raman (Ray) Ranchhod Award
Raman (Ray) Ranchhod: Raman Ranchhod was an icon of the Indian community, who was a visionary leader, known for compassion and care. As well as establishing highly successful business ventures in New Zealand and Australia, Mr Ranchhod left us at a time when we probably needed him most. We think of him with respect and love at our Sports, Community, Arts and Culture and Business Awards.
Wenceslaus Anthony Special Commemoration Award
The whole world seemed to mourn the sudden and tragic death of Wenceslaus Anthony four years ago; for in less than 60 years, he endeared himself to almost everyone he met- that is thousands of men, women and children. His services to the Church and various communities and people went beyond religious boundaries and he is remembered, often with tears. Indian Newslink has set up a Special Commemoration Award in his memory.
Dr Robert Lateef Khan (Senior) Award
Indian Newslink was fortunate to have the love and care of the late Dr Robert Lateef Khan, who, until his departure on March 8, 2018, was a great patron. Since its launch in November 1999, until he retired to settle down in Auckland, he looked after our distribution in Palmerston North. As Senior Lecturer (Management) of Massey University and as our friend, he raised the debate on goodness among humans through love and care. He believed that individual talent can be harnessed for the collective benefit provided that such talent was allowed to flourish freely. He believed in self-dependence, self-governance and self-discipline.
Ravin Lal Special Commemoration Award
The late Ravin Lal, Founder and Publisher of Indian Newslink was a maverick media personality. He launched this newspaper to investigate, interrogate and fearlessly report on men, women and matters, without fear or favour. He sold the business in 2015 after 16 years of nursing his baby into adolescence, hoping to spend time pursuing his only passion in life, namely fishing. But fate had a different design, not that Ravin cared. We have instituted an Award in his honour and take pride in presenting it to people who have excelled in various fields.
Indian Newslink Special Commemoration Award
In addition to the above, Indian Newslink has its own Commemoration Award presented to individuals or institutions that pursue excellence in their activities.
Pictures by Narendra Bedekar, Creative Eye Fotographics