Venkat Raman
Auckland, December 31, 2019
Two prominent members of the Indian community have been included in the Queen’s New Year Honours List for their distinguished services over the years.
Jennifer Khan-Janif is being made Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for her services to the refugee and migrant communities, while Harjit Singh will receive a Queen’s Service Medal (QSM) for his services to the Indian community and seniors.
Both live in Auckland and both are well known to the wider communities.
Indian Newslink has been reporting their services for more than 15 years and as such takes pride in announcing their achievements.
Jennifer Khan-Janif
Employed as Senior Advisor at the Ministry of Social Development, Jennifer Khan-Janif has always an advocate of the unfortunate people and her commitment to the development of leadership qualities among the Muslim youth in New Zealand has found support and patronage over the years.
She was earlier Project Manager, Settling In Programme, overseeing the establishment of the Auckland Resettled Community Coalition.
Supporting Refugees, Muslim women
Ms Khan-Janif co-founded the Umma Trust in 2003 and implements a number of development projects in the war-torn Iraq. Five years later, the Trust diversified into social services and support for refugee and migrant communities.
Socially and economically disadvantaged Muslim women, children and families in the Auckland region receive her special attention and at seminars, symposia and other events, she has sought public support for amelioration of their sufferings.
Other affiliations
As well as the Umma Trust, Ms Khan-Janif has served on the Board of the Shakti Community Council, Fiji Women’s Group; and is currently on the Advisory Group at the Centre for Research for Asian and Ethnic Minorities at the at the University of Auckland, Board of the Africa New Zealand Business Council (elected) to promote African business opportunities with New Zealand and African companies.
Ms Khan-Janif has presented academic papers on community development, family violence and youth development at conferences in New Zealand and abroad and has published poems and stories in the ‘New Kiwi Women’s Stories’ funded by the Auckland Council.
Jennifer Khan-Janif is being appointed as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Harjit Singh
To hundreds of people in South Auckland, the Global Organisation of the People of Indian Origin (Botany) and members of the Labour Party who need instant support and guidance, Harjit Singh is only a call away.
Never known to refuse anyone seeking help, raise his voice or fail to rise to the occasion, Mr Singh is held in high esteem by New Zealanders, especially those in South Auckland.
He is featured on the New Year Honours List for his services to the Sikh and wider communities in Auckland for the past 12 years.
Varied organisations and needs
He renders services both in personal capacity and as a member or leader of organisations. These include the ‘Age Concern Counties Manukau’ (at which he became a Member of the Accredited Visiting Services Team in 2008 and to the Board in 2013), Manukau East Council of Social Services Under Age Concern Counties Manukau (Deputy Chair), GOPIO (Member, Executive Committee), English Language Partners South Auckland (English Home Tutor) and New Zealand Guru Ravidas Sabha (Member).
Mr Singh has also been involved with the Auckland Sikh Society, the Punjabi Cultural Soceity, the New Zealand Indian Manukau Association and the New Zealand Indian Central Association.
Local Boards and National bodies
His other activities have included the role of Ethnic Consultant at the Howick Local Board, Chair, Indian Kiwi Positive Ageing Group, White Ribbon Ambassador and Member of Fundraising Committees of the New Zealand Cancer Society and the New Zealand Heart Foundation. He has also been a Community Panel Member of the Care and Protection Resource Panel for Oranga Tamariki for the past seven years.
Harjit Singh will receive a Queen’s Services Medal.
The Investiture Ceremonies will be held in Wellington and Auckland, the dates for which will be announced by the Office of the New Zealand Governor General in due course.
Dames and Knights of the New Zealand Order of Merit
The Queen has made the following top appointments on her New Year Honours List.
Dames Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
Dr Anna Louisa de Launey Crighton, Christchurch, for services to heritage preservation and governance; Noeline Taurua, Te Puke for services to netball; and Professor Marilyn Joy Waring, Auckland, for services to women and economics.
Knights Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
Stephen William Hansen, Christchurch, for services to Rugby; Robert George Martin,, Whanganui, for services to people with disabilities.; Judge Joseph Victor Williams, Porirua, for services to the judiciary.
