Sir Anand Satyanand reflects on the Indian Newslink Mascot

At the 25^th Anniversary and 15th Annual Indian Newslink Business Awards

Prime Minister, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.

I am delighted to accept this Commemoration Award and realise that I have (as Speaker Number 18) a considerable challenge to find a novel approach when everything that could possibly have been said has already found a place.

A Joyous Elephant

My choice is to refer to the current logo of Indian Newslink which has been on many slides in view on screen and which features, as everyone knows, a joyous Elephant.

The Elephant symbol has a key bearing in the sense that one of the world’s leading newspapers The Times of India has a masthead featuring Elephants and which says, “Truth Will Prevail.”

Venkat, without wanting to embarrass you, may I say that tonight represents 25 years or about 1000 weeks or more during which, with the  Indian Newslink, you have upheld the finest traditions of journalism, by writing well, expressing opinion with balance and skill, moreover with an inimitable style.

Venkat, you have provided the ‘why’ for so many people being here this evening and to close, I invite everyone present to join me in suitably sustained applause that acknowledges you and your efforts.”

Editor’s Note:

Sir Anand Satyanand was the 19^th Governor-General of New Zealand (from August 23, 2006 to August 23, 2011). The Indian Newslink Sir Anand Satyanand Lecture Series was held from 2011 to 2018 and was rebranded Indian Newslink Lecture Series in 2019.

At the Awards Night, Sir Anand was honoured with an Indian Newslink Commemoration Award established for inspiring leadership and high values of Integrity and Honesty.

Throughout his career beginning as a lawyer and progressed through as a District Court Judge, Parliamentary Ombudsman and then as the 19^th Governor-General of New Zealand from 2006 to 2011. He later served two, two-year terms as the Chair of the Commonwealth Foundation. He has been associated with several governmental and non-governmental organisations including the Confidential Forum for Former In-Patients of Psychiatric Hospitals, the Banking Ombudsman scheme and the Pecuniary Interests Register and Scheme for Members of Parliament. He was also the inaugural Deputy Chair of the Asia 2000 Foundation (now Asia New Zealand Foundation). Indian Newslink instituted the Indian Newslink Anand Satyanand Lecture Series from 2011 to 2018 (rebranded as Indian News Lecture in 2019). He is currently the Chancellor of the University of Waikato.