The much anticipated annual cultural diversity fanfare, ?Sitars n Bleeps 2011?, was held at the Thornbury Theatre, Melbourne, on Friday, 25 November. The passing years have seen the event grow, and its popularity rise. This year was no different as one witnessed a bigger and better version of ?Sitars n Bleeps?.
The Master of Ceremonies for the evening was Indian singer NZ Sri Ram Iyer. British vocalist Apache Indian, widely known for his eclectic form of reggae (which is infused with a heavy dose of bhangra), was the star hub of the night as he pulled audiences with his groovy performances. The event also saw the first ever Indian Executive Awards, presented to a select list of high achievers by the Indian Executive Club. The awards were a first of its kind, aimed to salute those who have supported the community through their services.
The Indian Executive Club came into existence, to offer a platform to entrepreneurs of South Asian origin to create a network. This network in-turn would allow promotion of services and creation of opportunities. The Indian Executive Awards, the first of its kind, didn?t have rigorous selection criteria subject to complicated protocol. The awardees were chosen purely on the basis of votes cast by 120 odd Indian Executive Club Members over the preceding few weeks. The awards criteria were diverse and so were the list of nominees.
The first award of the night was the Indian Executive Award (IEA) for Innovative Business Practices, which went to Goldy Sharma, the Director of Raine n Horne in Melton, for his contribution to the field of real estate. Goldy, being an ardent music lover, promoted several Indian acts in Australia, thus not only creating opportunities in his own field, but also promoting arts and entertainment. ?I would like to thank my family, without their support, none of this would have been possible. They have really pushed me to achieve what I have. The philosophy of my life is to surround myself with like-minded people. I also have mentors who have achieved it all in the past, I have people around me who have been in the industry for around 40 years, people like Phil Hickmott. They have shaped me up to the person I am, so a big thank you to them as well,? said Goldy Sharma.
The IEA for Business Excellence also went to another respected figure in Real Estate, Andrew Hutchinson, who was honoured as the Best Property Developer. Andrew has been helping the community out, not only in delivering quality homes to new home buyers but also in lending a helping hand to developing businesses. ?We work hard, day in day out, to provide the best service to our customers, it is always nice to have a form of acknowledgement with these awards,? said Andrew Hutchinson.
The IEA for the Community Person of the Year went to a very popular figure of the community, Nitin Gupta. Known for his rigorous work for the community, he has worked tirelessly over the last several years to build bridges between the South Asian community and the Australian mainstream. He was instrumental through various media in his efforts to quell tensions within the community on several occasions in the past and lent his perspective on matters to lead the community to calmer waters. He has been closely involved with the Liberals and Victorian Politics as well and the community awaits the day he occupies a seat at the Victorian Parliament.
The community also wished to thank Manoj Kumar for his hard work behind various causes of the community. The IEA for Excellence in Community Services hence was lifted by him. Working with the Labor Party, he has been instrumental in voicing concerns of the community through the ranks of the party. ?To be honoured by people of your community for your contributions is truly an enriching experience,? reflected Mr Kumar upon receiving the IEA for Excellence in Community Services.
The Music and Entertainment IEA went to the popular Bollywood King of Melbourne, Baba Shaheed. The Amitabh Bachchan fan?s DVD and music shop in Dandenong?s Foster Street is a popular joint for Bollywood buffs. He is also notably present at most public and private parties, being a very popular in-demand DJ. This Fiji-Indian Melbournian is a household name for people from the South Asian community.
The IEA for Education went to Aakash Kumar, Director of the Australian College of Trade or ACOT. ACOT has been working to help individuals with their work by helping them overcome their skill shortages by providing them with appropriate training and solutions. Apart from thanking his family, Aakash Kumar made special mention of his mentor, CEO of ACOT, Alan Silver.
The IEA for Government Services went to Mr Abhishek Vivian Prasad, Budget Officer at the Parliament of Victoria, Management Committee Member for the Australia India Society of Victoria and Board Director?at?Little Big Shots ? Melbourne International Film Festival for Kids. He has also served as Treasurer?at?Centre of Melbourne Multi-faith and Others Network, as Vice President ? Operations?at?Melbourne Junior Chamber of Commerce, and as Finance Executive?at?Melbourne International Comedy Festival Ltd. His list of achievements with the Government, in entertainment and management runs into pages, making his choice as the winner of the IEA for Government Services easy.
Finally, it came to the IEA Indian Executive of the Year, and it went to Preeti Bajaj, Bid Manager and Director for Business Growth at Brookfield Multiplex Services. Preeti has been an inspiration for South Asian Women. Her choice as the IEA Indian Executive of the Year draws attention towards the fact that women are walking toe-to-toe with men as entrepreneurs and at several occasions excelling beyond their male counterparts.
The awards stand to acknowledge those amongst the community who have assiduously contributed towards the welfare of the community and its people through their services. The Indian Executive Club aims to host the Indian Executive Awards as an annual awards gala, in the coming years. The club aims to make the nominations and the voting procedure more transparent, and aims to leave it to the community to decide. The selection procedure too, will be made easier. A celebration of a greater grandeur is now anticipated off the Indian Executive Club over the coming years as new champions come to the fore and the existing ones continue to show how it is done.
?
moonshine jay z and beyonce the big chill tony blankley steelers blue ivy carter pittsburgh steelers
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.