A Winter Wonderland: ISCA and Ekta Ladies Celebrate First Christmas in July High Tea

It may have been the middle of winter, but the festive cheer was in full swing as the Indian Senior citizens association in conjunction with Ekta Ladies group came together to celebrate their first Christmas in July High Tea.
Held on Sunday 27th July at Runcorn State High School, the event brought together cherished members for a morning of laughter, music and delicious high tea all without the summer heat!
It was heartwarming to see our seniors accompanied by family and friends. The event started with a universal prayer followed by a Christmas quiz, games, Prizes and a wide assortment of morning tea.

The president of ISCA, Mrs Roshni Sharma said events like these remind us of the joy and community spirit that make the association so special. She thanked all the guests, members and volunteers for their support and contribution in making the event a huge success. After receiving numerous positive feedback, the ISCA executive members are already planning their next event.

Local Legends Award given to Seva Dharma Mission by Honourable MP, Jim Charmers, Treasurer of Australia

At today’s Local Legends Award ceremony held at the Calamvale Hotel Suites and Conference Centre, 678 Compton Rd, Calamvale QLD 4116, Brisbane, more than 50 remarkable members of the community were recognised for their outstanding service across a range of community development activities.
Honourable Jim Chalmers MP, Australia’s Minister for Finance, personally presented the awards to recipients, acknowledging their impactful work in areas such as weekly free food distribution, monthly community dinners, JP community work, and various other community development initiatives. The awards were determined based on recommendations submitted by local community members.
Among the distinguished honourees, Seva Dharma Mission was recognised for its exceptional contributions. The Local Legends awards were presented to Acarya Krsnapremananda Avadhuta (Dayashankar Tiwari) and Acarya Devadattananda Avadhuta (Dilip Chaudhury), following heartfelt community endorsements of their service and commitment.
“We are deeply honoured to receive the Local Legends Award and sincerely appreciate this recognition of our contributions to the community. It is truly heartening to know that the spirit of selfless service is valued and celebrated,” said representatives of Seva Dharma Mission.
In a memorable moment, awardees also had the opportunity to meet with the Honourable MP Australia’s Treasurer, further highlighting the significance of their service and the value placed on community-driven action.

Online Racism Rises Against Indian-Australians

On a Saturday night in Fitzroy, a lively South Indian club night unfolded at Laundry Bar, pulsating with bass and filled with dancing bodies. But beneath the rhythmic beats and carefree moves, the event represented something deeper — a safe space carved out by and for South Asians in Australia, amid a growing tide of online and political hostility directed toward migrant communities.
“It’s a space where [attendees] don’t feel strange or feel they stand out,” said Pradip Sarkar, one of the night’s DJs and a long-standing community radio host. Speaking to the ABC, Sarkar explained the importance of such events for South Asian Australians and international students who often feel out of place in the mainstream.
In recent months, anti-Indian sentiment has been festering online, particularly across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter). Decontextualised videos portraying migrants — especially South Asians — in a negative light are being shared widely, often originating in the United States and Canada before making their way to Australia. According to ABC News journalist Jeremy Story Carter, these clips frequently stoke xenophobia and fuel the misconception that migrants are “invading” Western societies.
In February, this online racism took a particularly high-profile turn. As reported by the Wall Street Journal, a member of Elon Musk’s DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) taskforce resigned after racist posts targeting Indians surfaced, one of which encouraged followers to “normalise Indian hate.” Though the staffer was later reinstated with the backing of U.S. Vice President JD Vance, the message to Indian communities around the world was loud and clear: racism is increasingly being legitimised.
Australia has not been immune. During the recent Australia-India Test Cricket series, some fans at the MCG were recorded chanting “Where’s your visa?” — a video that quickly went viral. Another clip showing Melbourne’s Flinders Street Station accompanied by the caption “Mumbai or Melbourne?” attracted millions of views. These seemingly casual jabs are part of what Sarkar refers to as “algorithmic racism” — discriminatory content amplified by social media algorithms, reinforcing harmful stereotypes.
Academic and community voices have raised concerns about the effect this has on Indian-Australians. Dr Sukhmani Khorana, an associate professor at UNSW who has studied the Indian diaspora for over a decade, describes this phenomenon as a new wave of racism born out of digital spaces. “There’s a particular type of racism… directed broadly at international students, but sometimes more specifically at Indian-Australians,” she told the ABC.
This backdrop of cultural tension comes amid a heated federal election campaign in which immigration has emerged as a focal issue. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton blamed migrants for Australia’s housing crisis during the first leadership debate. “If we ask why we’ve got a housing crisis, we can point to [migration],” Dutton said, reinforcing a narrative that directly targets migrant communities.
Such assertions, however, have been debunked by housing and policy experts. Dr Surjeet Dogra Dhanji, a fellow at the University of Melbourne, labelled the idea that migrants are to blame for the housing shortage “a joke.” Speaking to the ABC, she argued that housing stress in Australia has been decades in the making due to underinvestment by successive governments.
Moreover, Dr Dogra Dhanji highlighted the contradiction in political rhetoric during election season. “They rush to the temples, the mosques, the community centres — it is tokenism come the elections,” she said. “You malign me or scapegoat me and then at the same time you want my vote?”
Indeed, the Indian diaspora — now Australia’s fastest-growing migrant community — has become a political football. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Indians represent the largest group among permanent migrants in Australia. Yet despite making up just 4% of the population, Indian-Australians often find themselves at the centre of national debates on immigration and integration.
A recent study led by Dr Dogra Dhanji titled Victorians’ Perceptions on India and the Indian Diaspora, commissioned by the Australia India Institute, found that while 51% of Victorians viewed the Indian community positively, there remains a notable perception gap among Australians without tertiary education — just 38% held positive views.
“The perception that the Indian diaspora is taking over Australia or Victoria or Melbourne is totally incorrect,” Dr Dogra Dhanji said. But such misconceptions are easily fuelled by media headlines, political scapegoating, and unchecked social media narratives.
Language, she emphasised, plays a critical role. When leaders frame migrants as a “burden” or “problem,” they not only dehumanise communities, but also embolden those already inclined toward racist thinking.
Despite the challenges, many in the Indian-Australian community are refusing to retreat into the margins. Instead, they are creating vibrant cultural spaces that affirm their identities and promote inclusivity.
Back at Laundry Bar in Fitzroy, Sarkar said the night was reminiscent of earlier migrant communities finding their own spaces in a sometimes-hostile society. “I have friends from the Italian community and a lot of them said back in the 1980s they would have Italian clubs… because they felt they could express and be themselves.”
The South Indian dance night is more than just entertainment. For Sarkar and others, it’s a form of cultural assertion, a declaration that Indian-Australians are not just “tolerated” members of society but active contributors to its vibrancy.
Similarly, venue manager Jade Trombley sees the club’s embrace of diverse events not only as inclusive policy but good business sense. In a multicultural city like Melbourne, these events reflect the reality of a community that is broad, youthful, and eager to celebrate its identity.
Professor Khorana notes that despite common misconceptions, migrants don’t vote solely based on ethnic or religious identity. “Most research has shown that ethnicity, race or religion only becomes a salient feature when that community is slighted in a particular way,” she said.
In this light, recent political scapegoating may not only be offensive but politically short-sighted. Migrants, like all Australians, are concerned with cost-of-living, employment, and housing affordability — universal issues that transcend identity.
As Australia continues to grapple with its migration narrative, the voices of Indian-Australians — particularly younger generations — are asserting themselves more powerfully than ever. Whether through radio, dance floors, or the ballot box, the community is making it clear: they’re not going anywhere, and they refuse to be defined by prejudice.
________

Sources
• Story and photos by Jeremy Story Carter, ABC News. “As the migration debate heats up, Indian diaspora carries weight of online racism.” Published July 2025.
• Dr Surjeet Dogra Dhanji and the Australia India Institute, “Victorians’ Perceptions on India and the Indian Diaspora,” 2024.
• Wall Street Journal, reporting on Elon Musk’s DOGE taskforce staffer controversy.
• Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), migration data, 2024.
• Interview content from Dr Sukhmani Khorana, UNSW.
Note: This article was prepared with full credit to ABC News and original reporting by Jeremy Story Carter.

The power of education

Nelson Mandela said education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world. Life Global Australia was founded largely because Chairperson Dr Dipti McGowan witnessed that weapon in use.
Dr McGowan’s family was originally from Gujarat and, on a visit to her family’s ancestral village, she saw the effects of the transformation of a school by Project Life. At this school, the children had been getting a part-time education as there were not enough classrooms, so lessons were conducted in shifts. Temperatures in summer were 40 degrees and more, and rain came into the rooms during monsoons. This situation was not unusual in a region devastated by an earthquake in 2000.

Dr McGowan’s father decided to donate the funds necessary for Project Life to build a new school in Mulchand. A year later, Dr McGowan attended the opening that led to LifeGA’s foundation, and its ongoing partnership with Project Life.
“I was extremely impressed by the big picture view with which Project Life approached its work. It is always looking to improve lives by giving people autonomy and creating lasting change,” Dr McGowan said.

Education is one of the basic rights of every child, according to the United Nations. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child recognises that education can mean lifting a vulnerable child and their family out of poverty. UNICEF states that for many children around the world, going to school can be the only opportunity to receive nutritious food and clean water, or a young girl’s only chance to break down gender barriers.

Dr McGowan saw that school buildings often did not meet the needs of the students.
“The lack of separate toilets for girls, for example, meant that they did not attend school consistently, and young girls were being withdrawn to help with working on farms and at home.”

Dr McGowan was particularly aware of this issue as her own mother was withdrawn from school after completing Grade 3 to help at home with younger siblings. Consequently, she made it a priority to ensure the education of her daughter, giving Dr McGowan the opportunity to carve out a successful career based on her studies, and experience firsthand the benefit education can bring to an individual, family, extended family and community.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child particularly stipulates the encouragement of regular attendance at schools and the reduction of drop-out rates.
Amisha was a student at Mulchand when Dr McGowan attended the opening ceremony. Her life changed when the new school was built.

“We suffered severely with dark and unlit classrooms, especially in monsoon with water everywhere,” Amisha said.

The new school was constructed as a modern facility with spacious, naturally lit, well-ventilated classrooms. Mulchand is now a “Smart School” in which technology is embedded in the curriculum and pedagogy, thus increasing communication, student engagement, and learning outcomes. As a result, the school has been able to educate thousands of students from poor families.

Amisha is now studying for a degree in Commerce, and is confident her education at Mulchand will ensure her family’s financial security.

“I knew we needed to encourage young children to remain in education by providing a good environment for study,” Dr McGowan said. “They then have a chance to explore and prosper, and both students and the community can develop.”

Dr McGowan has now attended the opening of several schools, and has spoken to staff about the effect of school transformations on their working lives. They told her that with safe, solid school rooms and buildings, schooling is no longer interrupted by weather.
“We can now actually complete the curriculum,” one teacher said. “We can focus on teaching, and pedagogy, what we all got into teaching to do. We can also run clubs and extracurricular activities with the donors providing sports and music equipment. In essence, we can practise our craft, do curriculum differentiation and help students reach their potential, whether it is in academics, sports or the arts.”

By 2023, Project Life had rebuilt 108 schools. The schools won international excellence grants for rural and regional schools in developing countries such as India.
LifeGA is proud of its success in supporting women’s empowerment (see https://www.gofundme.com/f/international-womens-day-25-empower-women-today) and health programmes in India, but bolstering primary education in rural communities is probably the most ambitious project.

“LifeGA aims to build five state-of-the-art schools in some of the poorest areas of India, and has already received donations to support that goal,” Dr McGowan said.

LifeGA wants to use the powerful weapon of education to support, sustain and enrich people’s lives.
www.lifeglobal.org.au