I extend my warmest congratulations to all staff and readers of Indian Newslink on the occasion of its Anniversary.
As ethnic audiences in New Zealand have grown in size over the years, so have their sophistication and expectations.
Indian Newslink has always risen to meet this challenge, and its achievements were rightly acknowledged in the New Zealand Pride and Print Awards 2009, where the paper received a Gold Medal. This recognised the hard work and commitment that the Indian Newslink team has put in over the years to create what is now a world-class newspaper.
My own relationship with Indian Newslink goes back to its earliest days, and I am happy to call Editor Venkat Raman a trusted friend.
It has been a pleasure to watch this business grow from the fledgling newspaper it once was, into the highly regarded and professional publication that we enjoy today.
Ethnic media in New Zealand has well and truly emerged from the periphery and Indian Newslink can now be considered a mainstream publication for a mass audience. In making this transition, the newspaper has been a true pioneer and set the standard for other publications to follow.
The development of the Indian Newslink Fastfind Indian Business Directory, the Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards and the Indian Newslink Journalism Scholarship are all excellent achievements at a time when newspapers all over the world are facing the pressures of global recession and the increase of digital and online news media.
Despite this remarkable growth, Indian Newslink still fulfils the fundamental role, which has always guaranteed its success. It provides all Kiwis of Indian origin with high quality news, entertainment and information about and from their communities here and abroad. This is an essential part of a healthy growing community.
Readers will be aware that I have experienced a turbulent political career in the last few months. Sometimes life can present difficulties, but the best way to overcome these is to move forward and not look back.
Sometimes you can be the architect of your own misfortune, and I am reminded of that well-known Punjabi proverb: Aa bail mujhe maar!
Chris Carter, formerly a Minister in the Labour Government and the Party’s senior Member, today sits in Parliament as an Independent, following his recent philippic in public. He remains a friend of Indian Newslink. He is seen here with Muslim children at a function which he attended as Ethnic Affairs Minister in September 2008.
