This story was updated at 2230 hrs on Thursday, November 12, 2020
Venkat Raman
Auckland, November 10, 2020
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield (New Zealand Doctor Photo)[/caption]
An Interfaith cultural and language organisation will honour Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield with ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ at its Annual Meeting later this month.
Urdu Hindi Cultural Association President Roopa Suchdev
Association President Roopa Suchdev said, “Dr Bloomfield, who is also Chief Executive at the Health Ministry, is being recognised by Urdu Hindi Cultural Association of New Zealand on Saturday, November 21, 2020 for his services to New Zealand in managing Covid-19 and containing the spread of the pandemic in the country. The Programme, commencing at 530 pm, will be held at Fickling Convention Centre located at 546 Mount Albert Road, Three Kings. Entry is free and open to all communities.”
Lifetime Achievement Awards
Association Secretary-General Syed Mujeeb Hyderabadi said that with his ‘cool and calm leadership’ during the Covid-19 crisis, Dr Bloomfield has won the hearts and minds of millions of New Zealanders.
“We hope that he will be able to attend the event in Auckland. We are keen to present the Award in person in Auckland or at his office in Wellington,” he said.
Urdu Hindi Cultural Association Secretary-General Syed Mujeeb Hyderabadi
Mr Hyderabadi said that popular Ghazal writer and performer Shiv Sharan Singh Bhagirath will also be honoured with ‘Lifetime Achievement Award for Poetry’ at the annual event.
A man of letters with a high level of poetic talent, Mr Bhagirath was elected to the Executive Committee of the Association two years ago.
Mr Bhagirath was appointed Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Otahuhu College in Auckland in 2009, the first person of Indian origin to be appointed to the high post at the prestigious college since its establishment more than 115 years ago.
Poet Shiv Sharan Singh Bhagirath
He was also appointed Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Fairburn Primary School in 1994, a post that he held until 2014. Earlier (in 2002), he was Deputy Chairman of the Board. To read his poetry, please follow www.facebook.com/Shiv-Bhagirath-Poetry
Urdu, Hindi Classes
Events Coordinator Ghouse Majeed, who has been involved with the Association for the past ten years, said that Urdu and Hindi classes are held regularly to encourage people, youngsters in particular to learn these two languages.
“We are happy that an increasing number of people, especially younger members of our communities are evincing interest in these classes,” he said.
Urdu Hindi Cultural Association Events Coordinator Ghouse Majeed
Association Spokesperson Suman Kapoor said that highlights of the evening will be Mushaira, Kavi Sammelan and Sham-e-Ghazal, although in literary terms, each of these overlap in creativity.
She said that Mohammad Tauqir Khan, a life-long friend of Indian Newslink (affectionately called, ‘Payami’) will preside over the segments.
Guests of Honour
“Dignity, honour and love for the languages are the hallmarks of the annual event of the Urdu Hindi Association of New Zealand of which former Member of Parliament Kanwaljeet Singh Bakshi is the Patron. Among our Guests of Honour at this year’s event are India’s High Commissioner to New Zealand Muktesh Pardeshi; Michael Wood, Minister of Transport and Minister for Workplace Relations & Safety; Priyanca Radhakrishnan, Ministry of Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities, Minister for Youth and Minister for Community & Voluntary Sector and Dr Deborah Russell, Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister of Revenue and Member of Parliament (Hamilton West) Dr Gaurav Sharma,” she said.
Ms Kapoor said that Mr Pardeshi will release ‘Dhanak,’ the Annual Magazine of which Mr Mujeeb (Urdu Section), Preeta Vyas (Hindi Section) and Patrick Bennett (English Section) are the Editors.
Urdu Hindi Cultural Association Spokesperson Suman Kapoor
The Mushaira section will be hosted by Ayub Khan with Aijaz Ahmed Khan, Ghouse Majeed, Hannan Khan, Inderjeet Bajwa, Navneet G, Sachin Kumar, Sandeep Mathur, Sayed Mujeeb Hyderabadi and Dr Yousuf Qureshi.
Bal Madan, Chirayu Bhatt, Dinesh Bhardwaj, Naresh Kumari, Rohit Kumar Happy, Somnath Gupta and Dr Sunita Sharma.
The evening will conclude with an expression of gratitude by Vice-President Mirza Taimoori.
Since its establishment in 2009, the Association has become an effective bridge between the past and the present, encouraging the learning, teaching and usage of Urdu and Hindi.
Mr Majeed said that Mushaira, Kavi Sammelan and Sham-E-Ghazal are greatly admired by participants and guests as a form of free expression. It also enlists the participation of the audience,” he said.
