And entrants, entertainers and many others underscore it
Venkat Raman
Having organised the Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards for eleven years, we take stock with pride and acknowledge that the Project, unique and inimitable as it is, has grown in stature because of a number of unconditional contributors.
The most significant among these have been our fiercely Independent Panel of Judges, our friendly and supportive Sponsors, and most important of all, our enthusiastic entrants, nominees and people who offer professional and expert advice to participants.
Our ebullient team
There are of course scores of others, our entertainers, the musical band (‘Gurus of Groove’) that we created in 2008 putting together varied talent, our graphic designers, photographers, printers, professionals who provide high quality audio-visual services, our Masters of Ceremonies, our Front of House people and of course our dedicated, extremely hard working and competent staff.
Each of them has given in no less a measure in promoting and taking our Business Awards to the height of popularity that it has reached today.
Our Judges
When we requested Chad Wilkie, a taxation and business consultancy expert to create a Panel of Judges in 2008, he readily accepted and has successfully led a team of eight (sometimes ten) highly-respected professionals from various fields of activity, capable of judging the variety of entries that they receive every year.
This year’s panel comprised Chad Wilkie (Chair), Nevil Gibson (Editor-at-Large, The National Business Review), Steve Corbett (Director Commercialisation, AUT), Tony Bacon (M2M Consultant), Chip Dawson (Managing Director, International Business Management Limited), Ray Knight (Managing Director, Tree Knights), Mike Skilling (Management Consultant) and Maria Taylor (Consultant).
After distinguished services as Chair for eleven years, Mr Wilkie has expressed his desire to retire. We express our gratitude to him and wish him continued health and happiness.
Our Sponsors
Sponsors form the single most important aspect of our Awards Programme and are in fact the heart and soul of it. For a newspaper that is not owned by wealthy people who can underwrite all expenses, every dollar must be earned before it can be spent.
We are extremely thankful to our Sponsors of the Eleventh Annual Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards 2018. Among them are The Rainbow Corner Group of Companies (Title Sponsors- Rrahul Dosshi and Bhavini Doshii), The Fiji Consulate General and Trade Commission of Australia and New Zealand based in Sydney (Major Support Sponsor- Zarak Khan), 2degrees Mobile Limited, AIA New Zealand, Charles Pandey Group of Hotels (Hotel Grand Windsor), Link2 Services Limited, Singapore Airlines, PIC Insurance Brokers, Manukau Institute of Technology, Oaks Property Management, SmartPayroll, Alexandra Park, Mercury Printz, Radio Tarana and our Support Sponsor, the New Zealand Human Rights Commission.
We hope to have their continued patronage in the years to come.
Our Graphic Designer, Printer and Webmaster
Indian Newslink was the first point of contact for Narendra Bedekar in 2003 as he migrated to New Zealand with his young family. We have been working together since then; Naren has been our exclusive photographer, having taken more than 15,000 pictures of various events that we conducted, created scores of logos (including those of our Awards, Scholarship, Lecture and other brands) and designed hundreds of our in-house advertisements. He continues to be a part of our team, despite being pressurised by time and demand from others. He has demonstrated his loyalty over the years, assuring us that Indian Newslink will always be his priority.
Mercury Printz has been our world-class printer, creating a series of print jobs including invitations, posters, tickets, booklets and other stationery, not just for our Business Awards but also for all our brands and events. We express our thanks to Ilango Krishnamoorthy (Managing Director), Chandrabhan Singh (Production & Graphics Manager) and Kavita Kumar (Administration) for their support and for helping us with difficult schedules.
Raghu Kuncha Koorthy has been our webmaster managing our three websites for more than 15 years. He began with us while in Auckland and continues his good work from Melbourne, which has been his home for the past eight years.
Our Artistes and Performers
Ratna Venkat has been a star performer at each of our Awards programmes since 2008, presenting Bharata Natyam, Kuchipudi, Folk, Fusion and other types of dances. Innovative and enterprising, her partnership with the members of the ‘Gurus of Groove,’ comprising Carlyle Fernandes (Bass Guitar), Elvis Claremont (Lead Guitar), Hemant Thaker (Keyboards), Joscel Alexander (Electronic Drums) and Joseph Alexander (Octopad) has been providing quality entertainment.
Teenager Ambika Krishnamoorthy joined us this year to present a Bharata Natyam number, while Jeffery Nathan returned after an interlude.
We hope this partnership will grow.
We have also had the privilege of timely help and unconditional support from Viraf & Pearl Todywalla, Prince Kumar, Amrita Gillard and Kartika Singh.
The Managing Director & Publisher of Indian Newslink Jacob Mannothra has been a great source of strength, while the management and staff including Production Manager Mahes Perera, Financial Controller Uma Venkatram and Sales & Marketing Manager Ronny Kumaran have been of invaluable assistance.
Indian Newslink has just stepped into its 20th Year of Publication.
We salute all of you and hope that we will continue to deserve your patronage and help.
Photo Caption:
- Our Panel of Judges
- Jeffery Nathan, Ratna Venkat and Ambika Krishnamoorthy
- Rrahul Dosshi and Bhavini Doshii and others at the Rainbow Corner Exhibition Booth
- Monique Bradley, who won the AIA Hamper including an Apple Watch, with AIA New Zealand
Business Development Manager Jinnie Gill.
- Master of Ceremonies Jackie Clarke jokes with Carl Jackson, winner of the Oaks Property Management raffle (two return tickets to Fiji with accommodation for two nights at Hilton Doubletree, Sonaisali Island, Fiji), watched by Managing Director Vijay Singh (second from right).
- A Section of the audience at Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards 2018
