15th Annual Indian Newslink Business Awards Ceremony also marks our Silver Jubilee
Venkat Raman
Auckland, December 3, 2024
The 15th Annual Indian Newslink Business Awards Ceremony held on November 25, 2024, at the Pullman Hotel in Auckland CBD has been hailed as ‘The Best of the Best,’ honouring successful businesses through a robust process of evaluation, site visits and interviews by an independent external panel of Judges.
For the first time since its inception, the Awards Programme recognised the contributions of the top leaders of New Zealand’s biggest companies and presented their Chairman or Chief Executive with Special Commemoration Awards.
The event also celebrated the 25th Anniversary of Indian Newslink.
Ratna Venkat, who has performed the invocatory dance since the Indian Newslink Business Awards Programme started in 2008, continued the tradition with a special number commemorating the two special milestones. Now an electrician by occupation and an accomplished and trained Classical Dancer and Choreographer, her performance drew vide applause.
As the Master of Ceremonies, TVOne News Presenter Melissa Stokes proved her mastery in conducting the Programme with perfect coordination and time management.
This was also perhaps the first time that leaders, lawmakers, former MPs, corporate heads, professionals and community leaders from across the country’s spectrum participated in a single event. They included Indian, Maori, Pacifica, European, American, Chinese, Arabic and other communities and all of them not only paid tribute to the contributions of South Asian communities in general but also those of the Indian community in particular and celebrated the two milestones of Indian Newslink.
There were 26 Members of Parliament including nine Ministers, four Diplomats, a Mayor and Deputy Mayor and 15 Special Guests of Honour at the event.
Among them were the following:
Prime Minister and Ministers
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Former Prime Minister and now Leader of the Opposition Chris Hipkins, Transport, Local Government, Auckland Issues Minister Simeon Brown, Attorney General, Minister of Defence, GCSB and NZSIS Judith Collins, Minister of Police, Corrections, Emergency Management Mark Mitchell, Minister of Economic Development, Ethnic Communities, ACC Melissa Lee, Minister of Building and Construction, Land Information Chris Penk, Minister of Commerce & Consumer Affairs, Small Business and Manufacturing Andrew Bayly, Minister of Workplace Relations & Safety, Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden.
Diplomats
India’s High Commissioner to New Zealand Neeta Bhushan, Consulate General of India in Auckland Dr Madan Mohan Sethi, Ambassador of Cuba Luis Morejon Rodgriguez and US Political and Economic Officer Ian Pulsipher.
Members of Parliament
National MPs Cameron Brewer, Carlos Cheung, Paulo Garcia, Rima Nakhle, Greg Fleming, Nancy Lu, Dan Bidios; Labour MPs Hon Carmel Sepuloni, Jenny Salesa, Camilla Belich, Ginny Andersen, Willie Jackson, Helen White, Dr Deborah Russell, Shanan Halbert, Arena Williams, Ingrid Leary; Act MP Dr Parmjeet Parmar.
Local Government
Auckland Mayor and Deputy Mayor Wayne Brown and Desley Simpson.
Our Special Guests of Honour
Former Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand and Lady Susan Anand, Air New Zealand Chairman Dame Therese Walsh, Air New Zealand Chief Executive Greg Foran, AIA New Zealand Chairman Dame Theresa Gattung, Barfoot & Thompson Managing Director Peter Thompson, ANZ Chief Executive Antonia Watson, National Dairy Development Board of India Chairman Dr Meenesh Shah, Pristine Biologicals (NZ) Limited Director Dr Anand Kumar, Financial Markets Authority Chairman Craig Stobo, Police Commissioner Richard Chambers, Former Police Commissioner and now Secretary and Chief Executive Social Investment Agency Andrew Coster, National Party President Sylvia Wood, Labour Party Jill Day, President, Labour Party and Former Minister of the Crown and now Barrister Matt Robson.
Business Awards Winners
Our Awards Programme recognised excellence across various categories, celebrating the achievements of businesses and individuals of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Nepali, and Sri Lankan origin. The winners for this year were:
Business Excellence in Retail Trade: Shivani Restaurant and Bakery
Business Excellence in Innovation: Duco Consultancy
Business Excellence in Marketing: Pristine Biologicals (NZ) Limited
Business Excellence in Customer Service: Biz Solutions
Best Small Business: Bindu’s Brow and Beauty
Best Large Business: Duco Consultancy
Business Excellence in International Trade with India: Pristine Biologicals (NZ) Limited
Best Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Rishabh Kapoor (Impression Real Estate)
Best Financial Advisor (Mortgage & Insurance) of the Year: Vinay Grover (The Mortgage Hero)
Best Businesswoman of the Year: Khamoshi (Kiya) Chokshi (Aroha Consulting)
Details of their Awards with Judges’ Comments appear elsewhere in our Business Awards Special.
Commemoration Awards
As a part of its 25th Anniversary and the 15th Edition of Business Awards, Indian Newslink honoured eleven New Zealanders (including one Association) who have achieved excellence in their pursuits. There were Sir Anand Satyanand (Former Governor-General), Dame Therese Walsh (Chair of Air New Zealand), Dame Theresa Gattung, Antonia Watson (Chief Executive), Peter Thompson (Managing Director of Barfoot & Thompson), Andrew Coster (Former Police Commissioner), Dr Anand Kumar (Managing Director, Indian Immunologicals Limited), Ashok Bhatia (Managing Director, AB International), The Supreme Sikh Society of New Zealand, Prithi Pal Singh (Popular businessman and Community Leader) and Professor Anil Thapliyal (E-Mental Health Global Leader).
Key Speeches
The ceremony featured several key speeches that highlighted the importance of community, leadership, and innovation. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke about the significance of recognizing and celebrating the contributions of the Indian and broader South Asian community in New Zealand. He emphasized the need for continued support and collaboration to foster a more inclusive and prosperous society.
Leader of the Opposition Chris Hipkins echoed similar sentiments, praising the resilience and entrepreneurial spirit of the award winners and their contributions to the nation’s economy. He also highlighted the importance of diversity and inclusion in driving innovation and growth.
Conclusion
The 15th Annual Indian Newslink Business Awards Ceremony was a night of celebration, recognition, and inspiration. It not only honoured the achievements of individuals and businesses but also underscored the importance of community and collaboration in building a better future. As Indian Newslink continues to grow and evolve, it remains a beacon of excellence, integrity, and leadership in the New Zealand business landscape.
All photographs appearing here were taken by Narendra Bedekar and his Creative Eye Limited team.
