Australia India Focus 201007
Content
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
Published by the Australia-India Council & the Australia India Business Council
INDIAN MINISTER FOR HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT VISITS AUSTRALIA MINISTER SMITH VISITS INDIA AUSTRADE OFFICE MINISTER CREAN’S VISIT TO INDIA MINISTER CREAN OPENS AUSTRALIA NEW PROJECTS SOUNDS FROM THE PAST – WILLIAM BARTON INDIA COOPERATION IN EYE CARE VINOD SHARMA
VISIT TO AUSTRALIA BY MR SUMAN DUBEY LILLE FRO FOUNDATION
FOR THE AUSTRALIA-INDIA STRATEGIC RESEARCH FUND TRADITIONAL HEALTHCARE FELLOWSHIP WINNERS ANNOUNCED YOUNG MEDIA FELLOWSHIPS
MINDSCAPES BY
AIC AUSTRALIAN STUDIES
INAUGURAL AUSTRALIA-INDIA COUNCIL
ADVANCE EMERGING LEADERS INDIA SUMMIT
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
INDIAN MINISTER FOR HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT VISITS AUSTRALIA
Minister Sibal with the then Deputy Prime Minister Gillard
THE HONOURABLE KAPIL SIBAL, Indian Minister for Human Resource Development, was in Australia in April visiting Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. The visit presented a significant opportunity for Australia and India to strengthen their bilateral education relationship and build on commitments that had been made over the past year. As part of his official visit, Minister Sibal met with the then Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Minister for Foreign Affairs Stephen Smith, the Western Australian Deputy Premier Kim Hames, Victorian Premier John Brumby, Victorian Minister for Education Bronwyn Pike, NSW Premier Kristina Keneally, senior officials from key education and training stakeholders and member of the Indian community and student representatives. On 8 April in Melbourne, Minister Gillard and Minister Sibal signed a Joint Statement on Education Cooperation. The Joint Statement expands the existing exchange program between Australia and India to include greater cooperation across all education sectors. The Joint Statement includes the development of a new India-Australia Education Council, the first bi-national body of its kind to be established between India and another country. Other initiatives agreed to under the Joint Statement include: • To facilitate the organisation of an India-Australia InterUniversity Convention of Vice-Chancellors and Academia to interact on issues of mutual concern among academics
• To facilitate the initiation of a Joint Faculty Development Program through regular exchange of faculty for mutual learning in areas of teaching, research, curriculum and development, and • To develop a Memorandum of Cooperation between India and Australia on monitoring standards and regulations applicable to the operations and activities of education agents and the movement and well-being of international students. Minister Sibal confirmed India’s interest in creating its own National Qualifications Framework based on the Australian Qualifications Framework and was also interested in Australia’s funding model for early childhood programs, including preschool and child care education. Minister Sibal gave the inaugural lecture at the Australia India Institute and spoke to various other groups throughout his visit on knowledge transfer, global workforce mobility and the future of international education. Minister Sibal said that India’s unique position as the world’s youngest economy will mean that it has the potential to provide skilled workers to the world. He stated that there are many opportunities for Australia to invest in education and training in India and to capitalise on their newly skilled workforce. The Government of India has set a target of skilling 500 million people by 2022.
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 2
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
MINISTER SMITH VISITS INDIA
THE AUSTRALIAN MINISTER for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Stephen Smith MP, undertook his third official visit to India in March 2010. His program included meetings with the Indian Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, the Minister for External Affairs, S M Krishna, the Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, Mr Vayalar Ravi, the Minister for Home Affairs, P Chidambaram, India’s new National Security Advisor, Shiv Shankar Menon, the Minister of Environment and Forests, Jairam Ramesh, and the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Anand Sharma. Minister Smith assured the Indian Prime Minister and all his interlocutors that the Australian Government was taking the issue of Indian student safety seriously. Prime Minister Singh said he appreciated the Australian Government's efforts to address this issue. Minister Smith also discussed recent changes to Australia’s skilled migration program and the measures that the Australian Government is taking to support international students adversely affected by the closure of Australian educational institutions. Accompanied by India’s Minister for Human Resource Development, Kapil Sibal. Minister Smith also cheered on the Australian team at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, during the Australia – India match during the Hockey World Cup. The Australian and Indian teams designated the game as a Friendship Match, and played for the inaugural Ajit Pal – Charlesworth Trophy, named after two of the hockey greats of India and Australia, Ajit Pal Singh and Ric Charlesworth. Both champion players were at the match.
2010 AIC AUSTRALIAN STUDIES FELLOWSHIP WINNERS ANNOUNCED
ON 28 MAY 2010, the Australian High Commissioner to India, Peter Varghese, announced the winners of the 2010 AustraliaIndia Council (AIC) Australian Studies Fellowships. A total of five fellowships were awarded, two in the senior category (for university faculty) and three in the junior (for research scholars). Australia’s multiculturalism and cultural coexistence were underlying themes among successful applicants this year. Professor Priyankar Upadhyaya of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) will work on the challenge of managing diversity, Ms Lovepreen Kaur from Max Healthcare plans to research the experience of Indian students in Australia. The AIC fellowships provide an excellent opportunity for awardees to extend their knowledge of Australia and Australian Studies, and to develop collaborations with scholars in Australia. The fellowships are part of the AIC Australian Studies program to promote academic linkages. Since the introduction of the fellowships in 2003, 17 senior and 18 junior fellows have undertaken the 6 – 10 week visit to Australia, spending time at participating universities. Many of the awardees have continued their strong interest in Australia, and several have become champions of Australian studies at their home institutions. The successful awardees and their research topics are: • Professor Priyankar Upadhyaya, Malaviya Centre for Peace, Banaras Hindu University: “Managing Diversities Peacefully: Learning Experiences from Multicultural Cities in India & Australia” • Dr Nidhi Singh, Department of English, University of Rajasthan at Jaipur: “Making Connections: South-Asian Immigrant’s Search for Cultural Coexistence” • Mr Arindam Das, Heritage Institute of Technology, Kolkata: “Indo-Australian Dialogue: Indian Diasporic presence and the rethinking of culture, economy and politics” • Dr Parmod Kumar, Dept. of English, IGNOU: “Writings from the Fringe: A comparative study of Australian Aboriginal and Indian Aborigines (dalits) through their autobiographies, memoirs et al” • Ms Lovepreen Kaur, Department of Mental Health, Max Health Care: “Perceptions of safety and the acculturation experience among Indian students in Australia: A pilot study of North Indian and Punjabi Students in Melbourne and Sydney” In its seventh year of operation, the fellowships program is being managed by a consortium of Australian Universities on behalf of the AIC. The consortium is led by Monash University, and includes the Australian National University, the University of New South Wales, the University of Queensland and the University of South Australia.
Minister Smith with Minister Krishna in New Delhi (Photo by Graham Crouch)
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 3
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
MINISTER CREAN’S VISIT TO INDIA MARKS THE CONCLUSION OF THE FTA STUDY
In May 2010, Australia’s then Minister for Trade, the Hon Simon Crean MP, visited India for the third time since taking office in 2007, undertaking a program which included Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad. During his visit, Mr Crean and his Indian counterpart Minister of Commerce and Industry, Anand Sharma, welcomed the conclusion of the Australia-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Joint Feasibility Study. The Study recommends negotiation of a comprehensive bilateral FTA that includes trade in goods, trade in services, investment and other trade and investment facilitation and cooperation measures, as a single undertaking. Ministers Crean and Sharma endorsed the feasibility study recommendation, noting that both sides would need to undertake further internal processes before negotiations could be launched. Independent modelling conducted for the study by the Centre for International Economics indicates that an Australia-India FTA could result in a net increase in Australia’s GDP by up to US$32 billion (A$45.5 billion) and India’s GDP by up to US$34 billion (A$48.3 billion) over a period of 20 years. India is Australia’s fastest-growing major two-way trading partner. Two-way trade grew 55 per cent to nearly $22 billion in 2008-09. In 2010, India became Australia's third largest export market, up from 7th in 2007. “Australia’s exports to India have increased by an annual average of over 25 per cent over the past five years, making India our fastest-growing major export market.” Mr Crean said. He stated that the Government’s top trade priority remains concluding a comprehensive, balanced outcome in the Doha Round of WTO negotiations, but that an FTA with India can complement the multilateral trading system. “The complementarities between our economies point towards a closer trade and economic partnership. Australia is a key supplier of resources and energy for India’s future growth. But there remains untapped potential in services, agriculture, manufactures and renewable and clean energy technology,” Mr Crean said.
SOUNDS FROM THE PAST – WILLIAM BARTON
William Barton, one of Australia's finest traditional didgeridoo players, had the audience spellbound with his recreation of the dreamtime at the Sacred Arts Festival in Delhi on 7 March. In addition, he performed at a range of institutions in India from 28 February to 15 March 2010 at the invitation of the Australia-India Council (AIC). William astonished the audiences by singing and playing the didgeridoo and the guitar simultaneously. The audience participated with full enthusiasm in his dramatic narration of dream time stories. His performance at the Major Dhyanchand Stadium in Delhi during the World Cup Australia–India Hockey match was much appreciated. While in Delhi, he also performed at the Salam Balak Trust, Jawaharlal Nehru and the Indira Gandhi National Open Universities. William also enthralled audiences in Chennai and Vellore in South India. He performed at a range of institutions including a boys’ orphanage, the Sri Narayani Vidyalaya School in Vellore and an evening concert organised by Austrade in Chennai.
William Barton performing to school children in Delhi.
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 4
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
MINISTER CREAN OPENS AUSTRADE OFFICE IN INDIA'S FASTEST GROWING CITY
L-R: Aminur Rahman, Consul General for South India & Trade Commissioner; Peter Linford, Senior Trade & Investment Commissioner – South Asia, Austrade; Peter Varghese, Australian High Commissioner to India; Minister Crean; Ramakrishna Dastrala, Post Manager and Business Development Manager, Austrade Hyderabad; and Sangeetha Krishnamoorthy, Business Development Manager, Austrade Hyderabad. During a recent visit to India, the then Australian Minister for Trade, Simon Crean, officially opened Austrade’s newly established office in Hyderabad – India’s fastest growing city. Hyderabad is the capital of Andhra Pradesh and is the major meeting point for Northern and Southern India. Hyderabad is a hub for the information technology industry and is the biotechnology and pharmaceutical capital of India. Hyderabad is also home to the world’s largest film studio. Sectors in which there are opportunities for Australian businesses include ICT, construction, biotech, infrastructure, building and construction, entertainment, education (particularly vocational training), aviation, pharma, agribusiness, retail, health and medical, mining and metallurgy, franchising and technology transfer related opportunities. For more information, contact Ramakrishna Dastrala
VISIT TO AUSTRALIA BY MR SUMAN DUBEY
In May 2010, the Australia-India Council was honoured to host the first visit to Australia by Mr Suman Dubey, Secretary to the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust and Publisher/Editor of the Wall Street Journal (India fascimile edition). Mr Dubey has had a long and distinguished career as a journalist in print and television, and now oversees management of the Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum in Delhi. He undertook programs in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney, focusing on best practice in the outreach programs of Australian cultural institutions. Mr Dubey also met the Hon Peter Garrett MP, Minister for Environment Protection, Heritage and the Arts, to discuss possible collaborations between Australia and India in the cultural heritage field. The Hon Peter Garrett MP and Mr Dubey
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 5
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
AUSTRALIA - INDIA COOPERATION IN EYE CARE
IN APRIL 2010, a groundbreaking decision by a delegation of Indian and international optometry representatives has led to firm support for the development of eye care services throughout India. The delegation met to agree on a pathway for the further development of optometry as an independent profession and to substantially increase optometric human resources. An estimated 456 million of India’s 1.12 billion people require vision correction. The staggering cost in lost productivity from uncorrected refractive error (the need for an eye examination and pair of glasses) is estimated at $23 billion per annum. The Australian delegation was led by Professor Brien Holden, CEO of the International Centre for Eyecare Education (ICEE) and the Brien Holden Vision Institute. Professor Holden commented, “The reality is that to provide the necessary vision care to the population, India needs 115,000 optometrists.” Professor Holden added that the successful development of optometry in India would make a major and very public contribution to the health and welfare of the people of the country. A staunch advocate for quality education, Professor Holden said, “Australia can assist in this process by sharing lessons learned from the academic, professional and legislative pathway that we have followed over the last 80 years to become an effective health care profession. Optometry in Australia is now a very well defined profession and makes a significant contribution to the country’s welfare”. The meeting concluded with the signing of the Delhi Declaration, which was endorsed by the Indian Optometric Association, the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO), World Council of Optometry, LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), Brien Holden Vision Institute and ICEE. Whilst in India, Professor Holden also visited Dehradun to discuss the possibility of establishing a tertiary eye care centre in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Professor Holden, Dr Nag Rao, Chairman and CEO of LVPEI and Vinod Daniel, Chairman of AusHeritage, met with Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal, the Chief Minister and Minister for Health for Uttarakhand, and senior government representatives to explore options for establishing the centre. Dr Rao said that by adopting the successful LVPEI eye care pyramid model, a blueprint for comprehensive eye care coverage to all communities, the centre will train optometrists, ophthalmologists and support staff to be employed in the centre and in vision centres to be established in the surrounding rural areas. He added, “Once established, the centre will make available quality eye care services for people in the state of Uttarakhand, both in the capital Dehradun and in neighbouring districts. The provision of district vision centres will also provide employment and education in the field of eye care to the young rural population of the state”. The initiative was supported by the Australia-India Council.
Vinod Daniel (left), Brien Holden (4th from left) and Dr Rao (5th from left) with representatives from the Uttarakhand State Government in Dehradun.
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 6
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
LILLE FRO FOUNDATION
IN 2008, Tamara Cannon, a former corporate lawyer based in Sydney, sent an email to a group of friends telling them about Pema, a little girl she had just met off the beaten track while on a climbing trip in the Trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh, India. Pema was living in extreme poverty. She was also cold and hungry. Her family could not afford fuel for heating during the brutal winter months. Nor could they afford to send her to school. This little girl’s future was very grim. Tamara decided to sponsor Pema and pay for her to go to boarding school, the only way she could get an education in the isolated region where she lives. A small outlay covered her tuition, uniform, books, healthcare and board. Moved by how easy it was to have a real impact, Tamara asked her friends whether they would be willing to help other children like Pema. The response was so overwhelming that the decision to start up a charity was made, and the Lille Fro Foundation was born. Lille Fro Foundation works at the grassroots. With the poorest of the poor. With families and communities who are difficult to reach and hard to help because of their geographical isolation or the conditions in which they live. The focus is on education and training. Today, the Foundation has 60 boys and girls sponsored. Their goal is to have 100 children in school by the end of the year, and have 500 enrolled by 2015. In October 2009, after months of talks with the Indian government, Tamara was granted permission to enter a restricted part of India - home to some of the world's poorest nomadic communities. Tamara is reputed to be the first foreigner to have visited many of the isolated communities living in this sealed-off region. Lille Fro has now established a Community Fund to extend skills training and learning initiatives to improve the everyday lives for families living in remote villages. Working alongside local leaders, Lille Fro aims to increase the community’s access to a sustainable livelihood, education, social services and health care. Lille Fro has completed two community greenhouses as part of a pilot program to train families like Pema's how to grow nutritious fresh food year round. The goal is to have 5 greenhouses completed by the end of 2010. To find out more, please visit www.lillefrofoundation.org
Translator Konchok Gyaltsen with Tamara Cannon in the Hanle Valley, Ladakh
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 7
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
NEW PROJECTS FOR THE AUSTRALIA-INDIA STRATEGIC RESEARCH FUND
THE SCIENCE RELATIONSHIP received a significant boost with the announcement that the Australian and Indian governments will fund seventeen new joint research projects in areas including agricultural research, nanotechnology and vaccine development. Australia’s contribution of $5.1 million across the three-year life of the projects will be matched by India. The support will be delivered through the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF), a platform for bilateral collaboration in science jointly managed and funded by both governments. The AISRF has been since its inception in 2006 Australia’s largest fund dedicated to bilateral collaboration in science with any country. The most recent round of the competitive grant schemes – the fourth – remained highly competitive, with 160 applications received. The successful projects draw in world-class scientists from some of the top universities and research institutes in both countries working on research in areas including: • Astrophysics – The technology underpinning Australia’s bid to co-host the Square Kilometre Array, a radio-telescope vastly more powerful than existing instruments • Biofuels – Techniques to produce low-cost, high-efficiency biogas and to better utilise algae to sequester carbon and produce biofuel • Agricultural science – Engineering disease resistance in wheat and rice and improving crop productivity in dry or saline environments • Information technology – Bringing the benefits of social media to remote and rural areas with poor or no internet connectivity • Nanotechnology – Using nanotechnology to reduce the cost of a key component of fuel cells. Further information on the AISRF and a full list of the successful projects is available at http://grants.innovation.gov.au/AISRF/Pages/Home. aspx.
Researchers at the University of Melbourne and Kolkata’s Jadavpur University are working on techniques to convert lactose, a waste product of the dairy industry, into valuable ‘prebiotics’. Their research is supported by a grant awarded in an earlier round of the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund.
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 8
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
MINDSCAPES BY VINOD SHARMA
VINOD SHARMA (b. Mumbai, India 1954), has been in love with landscapes for the past four decades. Whilst pursuing an international academic arts career (with some Bollywood movie making on the side) Sharma has created a sophisticated following for his extraordinary landscape painting, being seen for the first time in Australia at the Gadfly Gallery in Perth from 6 August. “To me, my work is abstraction”, says this affable artist who will be in Perth for the opening of his first exhibition in Australia. “I’m not painting a tree like a photograph, or even trying to reproduce it. It is a matter of perspective”. It is this perception which sets him apart and impels him to explore new vistas and traverse that ‘extra mile’, for he doesn’t even photograph landscapes, but experiences them and then creates the textures that his “mind sees and his heart remembers”. With printmaking, painting and the movie industry as part of his professional background, Sharma brings many diverse qualities to his arts practice. The exhibition is on display 6 - 29 August. It is free & open to the public. Gadfly Gallery, 131 B Waratah Ave Dalkeith WA 6009, www.gadflygallery.com
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 9
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
TRADITIONAL HEALTHCARE
TRADITIONAL HEALTHCARE (TH) is an Australian-based non-for-profit charitable organisation made up of acupuncturists, architects, IT technicians, documentary makers, teachers, and eco communicators who have a vision of creating sustainable healthcare facilities in underprivileged communities. TH endeavours to empower communities with the technologies and education to take an active role in running and maintaining these clinics. In December 2007, two Traditional Chinese medical practitioners from Australia travelled to the remote village of Pundag in the state of West Bengal. The two practiced in a very basic clinic with 10 rickety wooden beds. After a month, the manager of the clinic, Bisthwanth Sing, organised an acupuncture camp in his home village of Datam, over 100km from the Pundag clinic and any healthcare facility. Upon arrival, there was a large gathering of villagers around the temporary clinic. The acupuncturists treated over 200 people each within two days, but patients kept arriving, some travelling for three days by foot. The acupuncturists realised the dire need for a permanent health care facility in the area, which led to the idea of Traditional Healthcare. Arriving back in Australia the acupuncturists organised a team of people to create plans to build a sustainable clinic in the Datam village. After months of fundraising, in late 2009, TH sent a team over to treat from the temporary clinic, build support contacts in the surrounding area, survey the land and draw up the initial building designs. The designs encompass an education hall, accommodation for the volunteers and employees, a large communal kitchen, a clinic with room for 12 beds, an emergency room with two beds with the ability to be used as a birthing room, and a dispensary for the herbs and homeopathic medicines. Traditional Healthcare’s ultimate aim is to establish infrastructure in the community which it can sustain independently. Three volunteers travelled to Datam in March to begin the construction of the buildings, and will return in September to continue the work.
TH founder, Tom Connor, treating a patient in Datam.
Traditional Healthcare is looking for philanthropic groups, sponsors, new members and volunteers to help raise awareness and funds. If you would like to take part in Traditional Healthcares activities, please contact the office on +61 3 96545499, view the website www.th.org.au or send an email to [email protected]
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 10
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
INAUGURAL AUSTRALIA-INDIA COUNCIL YOUNG MEDIA FELLOWSHIPS
The Australia-India Council was proud to establish a new program in 2009-10 aimed at providing outstanding young Indian journalists with a chance to advance their careers and expand their knowledge of Australia. The two inaugural winners of the AIC Young Media Fellowships were announced in New Delhi in January, and both have now completed their Australian visits. The winners of the 2010 Fellowships were: • Mr Syed Nazakat Hussain, The Week news magazine. Mr Hussain researched issues surrounding the Australia-India bilateral relationship, including the ‘Strategic Partnership’ between the two countries Mr Hussain interviewed the then Australian Prime Minister, the Hon Kevin Rudd MP, about these issues during his visit.
Syed Nazakat Hussain with Mr Rudd in Canberra
• Ms Anahita Mukherji, The Times of India. Ms Mukherji’s research focused on a range of topics relating to higher education in Australia, including tertiary education and vocational education and training.
Announcing the winners, the Australian High Commissioner to India, Mr Peter Varghese, said, “The Fellowships attracted a large number of quality and deserving applications with relevant and interesting topics of research. We are particularly pleased that journalists from most of the country’s leading media outlets applied for the program. The shortlist has been a challenging yet fruitful process for the selection panel.” The Chair of the Australia-India Council and former Australian High Commissioner to India, Mr John McCarthy AO, was also present at the announcement ceremony. Mr McCarthy said, “Australia is a vibrant and open country, and the Council wanted to ensure that outstanding young Indian journalists were given an in-depth opportunity to learn more about our society, people and culture.” The Fellowships awarded the two young Indian media professionals grants of AUD $10,000 (approx. 4 lakh rupees) to enable them to spend up to six weeks in Australia researching stories of their choice. The Fellows were assisted in their Australian journeys by the Australia-India Council Board and Secretariat, and by a range of eminent Australian media personalities who provided expert advice and assistance.
Anahita Mukherji with Asia Education Foundation Director, Maureen Welch, in Melbourne
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 11
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
ADVANCE EMERGING LEADERS INDIA SUMMIT
THE HON. SIMON CREAN MP, officially opened the Advance Emerging Leaders India Summit at a reception hosted by the Australian High Commissioner to India, Peter Varghese. The Summit brought together more than 120 leaders from India, Australia and around the world to explore the future of the Australian-Indian relationship. Focussing on four key themes (education, innovation, environment and urbanisation) the Summit delegates participated in a series of intensive and interactive roundtable discussions and gained insights into the relationship's history and future from experts including Tarun Das, Neville Roach, George Eby Mathew, Rory Medcalf, Bruce Hawker, Indrani Bagchi, Pramit Pal Chaudhuri and Neelam Deo, among many others. The recommendations from the roundtable discussions will be presented to the Australian Prime Minister and help to shape the direction of this important relationship.
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 12
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
AIBC ELECTS NEW NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
At the Australia India Business Council Annual General Meeting held in Brisbane on 10 June the following AIBC members were elected to the National Executive Committee for a two year term.
National Chairman – Mr Trevor O’Hoy
Trevor O'Hoy is a distinguished and highly respected businessman. He was until recently the President and CEO of Fosters having previously been Managing Director of Carlton & United Breweries. He is currently a director of a number of companies and organizations, including the RACV and Cricket Australia. In 2005, Trevor was voted as BRW Magazine’s most admired new CEO and is also the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award at Monash University.
National Vice Chairman – Mr Ravi Bhatia
Ravi Bhatia is the CEO and founder of Primus Australia, one of the largest telecommunications companies in Australia. He is also the Chairman of Terria Access Seekers Association, an industry association of leading telecommunications companies in Australia and a Director of Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman. Ravi has previously held senior management positions in US, India, Europe and the Middle East. His international experience spanning over three decades has covered technology, international business, trade, and public policy and he is a graduate of IIT, New Delhi.
National Treasurer – Mr Mohit Sharma
Mohit Sharma is a Director of Mindfields Consulting in Sydney and Director of Mindfields Capital Advisory Ltd based in Mumbai. Mohit has extensive experience in strategy, M&A, corporate finance, Outsourcing advisory and risk management solutions with Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Ernst & Young in Sydney. Mohit has been involved in prominent cross border acquisitions by Indian companies in Australia. Mohit has been founding member of the Australia India Business Council serving on the NSW Chapter before taking up role as National Treasurer.
Immediate Past Chairman – Mr Brian Hayes QC
Brian Hayes is a distinguished international environmental legislation consultant based in Adelaide, South Australia. He is been an active participant in the development of trade and investment between Australia and India over many years. Brian held the role of Chairman of the AIBC from June 2006 to June 2010.
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 13
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
AIBC ACKNOWLEDGES THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION OF BRIAN HAYES QC AND HARISH RAO
After many years of dedicated service, Brian Hayes and Harish Rao decided to step down from the respective roles of Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Australia India Business Council at the recent AGM. Brian and Harish have been the backbone of the National Executive Committee over many years through their strong leadership and commitment to developing trade and investment relationships between Australia and India. Both gentlemen have been active leaders and participants at the numerous AIBC forums throughout their tenure and Brian and Harish have fulfilled their roles with enthusiasm, passion and a deep knowledge of Australian, Indian commercial and cultural matters. The AIBC would like to sincerely thank Brian and Harish for their outstanding service to the Council and the Australian and India Business Communities. The Council wishes Brian and Harish prosperity and success in their future endeavours.
Harish Rao at the Australia India Address in Melbourne, August 2009
Brian Hayes accepting the award for Ambassador of the year from Brian Cunningham, Chief Executive, Department of Trade and Economic Development, South Australia in 2008
L to R: Brian Hayes, QC Chairman of AIBC, Harish Rao, Deputy Chairman AIBC, Hon Kamal Nath, Hon Simon Crean at the Joint Ministerial Commission / Joint Business Council (JMC / JBC) meeting in Melbourne, May 2008
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 14
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
The Australia-India Focus newsletter is an occasional publication of the Australia-India Council and the Australia India Business Council. Australia-India Focus aims to inform our readers on the range of cultural and business activities occurring between Australia and India. The views expressed within this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Australia-India Council or the Australia India Business Council. Articles may be reproduced freely with acknowledgement. Subscription to Australia-India Focus is free. To receive Australia-India Focus by email, simply supply your contact details to: [email protected] Australia-India Focus is also available from the Australia India Business Council‘s website at www.aibc.org.au and the website of the Australia-India Council at www.dfat.gov.au/aic
The Australia-India Council (AIC) was established in 1992 in response to a recommendation by the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, following an inquiry into Australia's relations with India. The Council initiates or supports a range of activities designed to promote a greater awareness of Australia in India and a greater awareness of India in Australia, including visits and exchanges between the two countries, development of institutional links, and support of studies in each country of the other. The Council offers support, in the form of funding, for projects likely to contribute to the development of the relationship, within the context of AIC objectives and guidelines. For more information, visit www.dfat.gov.au/aic Or contact: The Executive Director, AIC PO Box 5363 Kingston ACT 2604 Telephone +61 2 6261 3833 Email: [email protected] The AIBC is a national NGO and is recognised by the Australian government as the peak body for promoting business links between Australia and India. The AIBC first point of contact by government and business representatives from both countries seeking access to industry, business and government leaders of both countries. The Council runs business events in major capitals of Australia and runs trade delegations to India. For more information, visit www.aibc.org.au Or contact: National Secretariat AIBC 99 Bay St Brighton Vic 3186 Telephone: +61 3 8534 5070 Fax: +61 3 8534 5140 Email: [email protected]
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 15
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
Published by the Australia-India Council & the Australia India Business Council
INDIAN MINISTER FOR HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT VISITS AUSTRALIA MINISTER SMITH VISITS INDIA AUSTRADE OFFICE MINISTER CREAN’S VISIT TO INDIA MINISTER CREAN OPENS AUSTRALIA NEW PROJECTS SOUNDS FROM THE PAST – WILLIAM BARTON INDIA COOPERATION IN EYE CARE VINOD SHARMA
VISIT TO AUSTRALIA BY MR SUMAN DUBEY LILLE FRO FOUNDATION
FOR THE AUSTRALIA-INDIA STRATEGIC RESEARCH FUND TRADITIONAL HEALTHCARE FELLOWSHIP WINNERS ANNOUNCED YOUNG MEDIA FELLOWSHIPS
MINDSCAPES BY
AIC AUSTRALIAN STUDIES
INAUGURAL AUSTRALIA-INDIA COUNCIL
ADVANCE EMERGING LEADERS INDIA SUMMIT
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
INDIAN MINISTER FOR HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT VISITS AUSTRALIA
Minister Sibal with the then Deputy Prime Minister Gillard
THE HONOURABLE KAPIL SIBAL, Indian Minister for Human Resource Development, was in Australia in April visiting Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. The visit presented a significant opportunity for Australia and India to strengthen their bilateral education relationship and build on commitments that had been made over the past year. As part of his official visit, Minister Sibal met with the then Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Minister for Foreign Affairs Stephen Smith, the Western Australian Deputy Premier Kim Hames, Victorian Premier John Brumby, Victorian Minister for Education Bronwyn Pike, NSW Premier Kristina Keneally, senior officials from key education and training stakeholders and member of the Indian community and student representatives. On 8 April in Melbourne, Minister Gillard and Minister Sibal signed a Joint Statement on Education Cooperation. The Joint Statement expands the existing exchange program between Australia and India to include greater cooperation across all education sectors. The Joint Statement includes the development of a new India-Australia Education Council, the first bi-national body of its kind to be established between India and another country. Other initiatives agreed to under the Joint Statement include: • To facilitate the organisation of an India-Australia InterUniversity Convention of Vice-Chancellors and Academia to interact on issues of mutual concern among academics
• To facilitate the initiation of a Joint Faculty Development Program through regular exchange of faculty for mutual learning in areas of teaching, research, curriculum and development, and • To develop a Memorandum of Cooperation between India and Australia on monitoring standards and regulations applicable to the operations and activities of education agents and the movement and well-being of international students. Minister Sibal confirmed India’s interest in creating its own National Qualifications Framework based on the Australian Qualifications Framework and was also interested in Australia’s funding model for early childhood programs, including preschool and child care education. Minister Sibal gave the inaugural lecture at the Australia India Institute and spoke to various other groups throughout his visit on knowledge transfer, global workforce mobility and the future of international education. Minister Sibal said that India’s unique position as the world’s youngest economy will mean that it has the potential to provide skilled workers to the world. He stated that there are many opportunities for Australia to invest in education and training in India and to capitalise on their newly skilled workforce. The Government of India has set a target of skilling 500 million people by 2022.
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 2
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
MINISTER SMITH VISITS INDIA
THE AUSTRALIAN MINISTER for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Stephen Smith MP, undertook his third official visit to India in March 2010. His program included meetings with the Indian Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, the Minister for External Affairs, S M Krishna, the Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, Mr Vayalar Ravi, the Minister for Home Affairs, P Chidambaram, India’s new National Security Advisor, Shiv Shankar Menon, the Minister of Environment and Forests, Jairam Ramesh, and the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Anand Sharma. Minister Smith assured the Indian Prime Minister and all his interlocutors that the Australian Government was taking the issue of Indian student safety seriously. Prime Minister Singh said he appreciated the Australian Government's efforts to address this issue. Minister Smith also discussed recent changes to Australia’s skilled migration program and the measures that the Australian Government is taking to support international students adversely affected by the closure of Australian educational institutions. Accompanied by India’s Minister for Human Resource Development, Kapil Sibal. Minister Smith also cheered on the Australian team at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, during the Australia – India match during the Hockey World Cup. The Australian and Indian teams designated the game as a Friendship Match, and played for the inaugural Ajit Pal – Charlesworth Trophy, named after two of the hockey greats of India and Australia, Ajit Pal Singh and Ric Charlesworth. Both champion players were at the match.
2010 AIC AUSTRALIAN STUDIES FELLOWSHIP WINNERS ANNOUNCED
ON 28 MAY 2010, the Australian High Commissioner to India, Peter Varghese, announced the winners of the 2010 AustraliaIndia Council (AIC) Australian Studies Fellowships. A total of five fellowships were awarded, two in the senior category (for university faculty) and three in the junior (for research scholars). Australia’s multiculturalism and cultural coexistence were underlying themes among successful applicants this year. Professor Priyankar Upadhyaya of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) will work on the challenge of managing diversity, Ms Lovepreen Kaur from Max Healthcare plans to research the experience of Indian students in Australia. The AIC fellowships provide an excellent opportunity for awardees to extend their knowledge of Australia and Australian Studies, and to develop collaborations with scholars in Australia. The fellowships are part of the AIC Australian Studies program to promote academic linkages. Since the introduction of the fellowships in 2003, 17 senior and 18 junior fellows have undertaken the 6 – 10 week visit to Australia, spending time at participating universities. Many of the awardees have continued their strong interest in Australia, and several have become champions of Australian studies at their home institutions. The successful awardees and their research topics are: • Professor Priyankar Upadhyaya, Malaviya Centre for Peace, Banaras Hindu University: “Managing Diversities Peacefully: Learning Experiences from Multicultural Cities in India & Australia” • Dr Nidhi Singh, Department of English, University of Rajasthan at Jaipur: “Making Connections: South-Asian Immigrant’s Search for Cultural Coexistence” • Mr Arindam Das, Heritage Institute of Technology, Kolkata: “Indo-Australian Dialogue: Indian Diasporic presence and the rethinking of culture, economy and politics” • Dr Parmod Kumar, Dept. of English, IGNOU: “Writings from the Fringe: A comparative study of Australian Aboriginal and Indian Aborigines (dalits) through their autobiographies, memoirs et al” • Ms Lovepreen Kaur, Department of Mental Health, Max Health Care: “Perceptions of safety and the acculturation experience among Indian students in Australia: A pilot study of North Indian and Punjabi Students in Melbourne and Sydney” In its seventh year of operation, the fellowships program is being managed by a consortium of Australian Universities on behalf of the AIC. The consortium is led by Monash University, and includes the Australian National University, the University of New South Wales, the University of Queensland and the University of South Australia.
Minister Smith with Minister Krishna in New Delhi (Photo by Graham Crouch)
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 3
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
MINISTER CREAN’S VISIT TO INDIA MARKS THE CONCLUSION OF THE FTA STUDY
In May 2010, Australia’s then Minister for Trade, the Hon Simon Crean MP, visited India for the third time since taking office in 2007, undertaking a program which included Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad. During his visit, Mr Crean and his Indian counterpart Minister of Commerce and Industry, Anand Sharma, welcomed the conclusion of the Australia-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Joint Feasibility Study. The Study recommends negotiation of a comprehensive bilateral FTA that includes trade in goods, trade in services, investment and other trade and investment facilitation and cooperation measures, as a single undertaking. Ministers Crean and Sharma endorsed the feasibility study recommendation, noting that both sides would need to undertake further internal processes before negotiations could be launched. Independent modelling conducted for the study by the Centre for International Economics indicates that an Australia-India FTA could result in a net increase in Australia’s GDP by up to US$32 billion (A$45.5 billion) and India’s GDP by up to US$34 billion (A$48.3 billion) over a period of 20 years. India is Australia’s fastest-growing major two-way trading partner. Two-way trade grew 55 per cent to nearly $22 billion in 2008-09. In 2010, India became Australia's third largest export market, up from 7th in 2007. “Australia’s exports to India have increased by an annual average of over 25 per cent over the past five years, making India our fastest-growing major export market.” Mr Crean said. He stated that the Government’s top trade priority remains concluding a comprehensive, balanced outcome in the Doha Round of WTO negotiations, but that an FTA with India can complement the multilateral trading system. “The complementarities between our economies point towards a closer trade and economic partnership. Australia is a key supplier of resources and energy for India’s future growth. But there remains untapped potential in services, agriculture, manufactures and renewable and clean energy technology,” Mr Crean said.
SOUNDS FROM THE PAST – WILLIAM BARTON
William Barton, one of Australia's finest traditional didgeridoo players, had the audience spellbound with his recreation of the dreamtime at the Sacred Arts Festival in Delhi on 7 March. In addition, he performed at a range of institutions in India from 28 February to 15 March 2010 at the invitation of the Australia-India Council (AIC). William astonished the audiences by singing and playing the didgeridoo and the guitar simultaneously. The audience participated with full enthusiasm in his dramatic narration of dream time stories. His performance at the Major Dhyanchand Stadium in Delhi during the World Cup Australia–India Hockey match was much appreciated. While in Delhi, he also performed at the Salam Balak Trust, Jawaharlal Nehru and the Indira Gandhi National Open Universities. William also enthralled audiences in Chennai and Vellore in South India. He performed at a range of institutions including a boys’ orphanage, the Sri Narayani Vidyalaya School in Vellore and an evening concert organised by Austrade in Chennai.
William Barton performing to school children in Delhi.
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 4
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
MINISTER CREAN OPENS AUSTRADE OFFICE IN INDIA'S FASTEST GROWING CITY
L-R: Aminur Rahman, Consul General for South India & Trade Commissioner; Peter Linford, Senior Trade & Investment Commissioner – South Asia, Austrade; Peter Varghese, Australian High Commissioner to India; Minister Crean; Ramakrishna Dastrala, Post Manager and Business Development Manager, Austrade Hyderabad; and Sangeetha Krishnamoorthy, Business Development Manager, Austrade Hyderabad. During a recent visit to India, the then Australian Minister for Trade, Simon Crean, officially opened Austrade’s newly established office in Hyderabad – India’s fastest growing city. Hyderabad is the capital of Andhra Pradesh and is the major meeting point for Northern and Southern India. Hyderabad is a hub for the information technology industry and is the biotechnology and pharmaceutical capital of India. Hyderabad is also home to the world’s largest film studio. Sectors in which there are opportunities for Australian businesses include ICT, construction, biotech, infrastructure, building and construction, entertainment, education (particularly vocational training), aviation, pharma, agribusiness, retail, health and medical, mining and metallurgy, franchising and technology transfer related opportunities. For more information, contact Ramakrishna Dastrala
VISIT TO AUSTRALIA BY MR SUMAN DUBEY
In May 2010, the Australia-India Council was honoured to host the first visit to Australia by Mr Suman Dubey, Secretary to the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust and Publisher/Editor of the Wall Street Journal (India fascimile edition). Mr Dubey has had a long and distinguished career as a journalist in print and television, and now oversees management of the Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum in Delhi. He undertook programs in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney, focusing on best practice in the outreach programs of Australian cultural institutions. Mr Dubey also met the Hon Peter Garrett MP, Minister for Environment Protection, Heritage and the Arts, to discuss possible collaborations between Australia and India in the cultural heritage field. The Hon Peter Garrett MP and Mr Dubey
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 5
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
AUSTRALIA - INDIA COOPERATION IN EYE CARE
IN APRIL 2010, a groundbreaking decision by a delegation of Indian and international optometry representatives has led to firm support for the development of eye care services throughout India. The delegation met to agree on a pathway for the further development of optometry as an independent profession and to substantially increase optometric human resources. An estimated 456 million of India’s 1.12 billion people require vision correction. The staggering cost in lost productivity from uncorrected refractive error (the need for an eye examination and pair of glasses) is estimated at $23 billion per annum. The Australian delegation was led by Professor Brien Holden, CEO of the International Centre for Eyecare Education (ICEE) and the Brien Holden Vision Institute. Professor Holden commented, “The reality is that to provide the necessary vision care to the population, India needs 115,000 optometrists.” Professor Holden added that the successful development of optometry in India would make a major and very public contribution to the health and welfare of the people of the country. A staunch advocate for quality education, Professor Holden said, “Australia can assist in this process by sharing lessons learned from the academic, professional and legislative pathway that we have followed over the last 80 years to become an effective health care profession. Optometry in Australia is now a very well defined profession and makes a significant contribution to the country’s welfare”. The meeting concluded with the signing of the Delhi Declaration, which was endorsed by the Indian Optometric Association, the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO), World Council of Optometry, LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), Brien Holden Vision Institute and ICEE. Whilst in India, Professor Holden also visited Dehradun to discuss the possibility of establishing a tertiary eye care centre in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Professor Holden, Dr Nag Rao, Chairman and CEO of LVPEI and Vinod Daniel, Chairman of AusHeritage, met with Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal, the Chief Minister and Minister for Health for Uttarakhand, and senior government representatives to explore options for establishing the centre. Dr Rao said that by adopting the successful LVPEI eye care pyramid model, a blueprint for comprehensive eye care coverage to all communities, the centre will train optometrists, ophthalmologists and support staff to be employed in the centre and in vision centres to be established in the surrounding rural areas. He added, “Once established, the centre will make available quality eye care services for people in the state of Uttarakhand, both in the capital Dehradun and in neighbouring districts. The provision of district vision centres will also provide employment and education in the field of eye care to the young rural population of the state”. The initiative was supported by the Australia-India Council.
Vinod Daniel (left), Brien Holden (4th from left) and Dr Rao (5th from left) with representatives from the Uttarakhand State Government in Dehradun.
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 6
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
LILLE FRO FOUNDATION
IN 2008, Tamara Cannon, a former corporate lawyer based in Sydney, sent an email to a group of friends telling them about Pema, a little girl she had just met off the beaten track while on a climbing trip in the Trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh, India. Pema was living in extreme poverty. She was also cold and hungry. Her family could not afford fuel for heating during the brutal winter months. Nor could they afford to send her to school. This little girl’s future was very grim. Tamara decided to sponsor Pema and pay for her to go to boarding school, the only way she could get an education in the isolated region where she lives. A small outlay covered her tuition, uniform, books, healthcare and board. Moved by how easy it was to have a real impact, Tamara asked her friends whether they would be willing to help other children like Pema. The response was so overwhelming that the decision to start up a charity was made, and the Lille Fro Foundation was born. Lille Fro Foundation works at the grassroots. With the poorest of the poor. With families and communities who are difficult to reach and hard to help because of their geographical isolation or the conditions in which they live. The focus is on education and training. Today, the Foundation has 60 boys and girls sponsored. Their goal is to have 100 children in school by the end of the year, and have 500 enrolled by 2015. In October 2009, after months of talks with the Indian government, Tamara was granted permission to enter a restricted part of India - home to some of the world's poorest nomadic communities. Tamara is reputed to be the first foreigner to have visited many of the isolated communities living in this sealed-off region. Lille Fro has now established a Community Fund to extend skills training and learning initiatives to improve the everyday lives for families living in remote villages. Working alongside local leaders, Lille Fro aims to increase the community’s access to a sustainable livelihood, education, social services and health care. Lille Fro has completed two community greenhouses as part of a pilot program to train families like Pema's how to grow nutritious fresh food year round. The goal is to have 5 greenhouses completed by the end of 2010. To find out more, please visit www.lillefrofoundation.org
Translator Konchok Gyaltsen with Tamara Cannon in the Hanle Valley, Ladakh
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 7
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
NEW PROJECTS FOR THE AUSTRALIA-INDIA STRATEGIC RESEARCH FUND
THE SCIENCE RELATIONSHIP received a significant boost with the announcement that the Australian and Indian governments will fund seventeen new joint research projects in areas including agricultural research, nanotechnology and vaccine development. Australia’s contribution of $5.1 million across the three-year life of the projects will be matched by India. The support will be delivered through the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF), a platform for bilateral collaboration in science jointly managed and funded by both governments. The AISRF has been since its inception in 2006 Australia’s largest fund dedicated to bilateral collaboration in science with any country. The most recent round of the competitive grant schemes – the fourth – remained highly competitive, with 160 applications received. The successful projects draw in world-class scientists from some of the top universities and research institutes in both countries working on research in areas including: • Astrophysics – The technology underpinning Australia’s bid to co-host the Square Kilometre Array, a radio-telescope vastly more powerful than existing instruments • Biofuels – Techniques to produce low-cost, high-efficiency biogas and to better utilise algae to sequester carbon and produce biofuel • Agricultural science – Engineering disease resistance in wheat and rice and improving crop productivity in dry or saline environments • Information technology – Bringing the benefits of social media to remote and rural areas with poor or no internet connectivity • Nanotechnology – Using nanotechnology to reduce the cost of a key component of fuel cells. Further information on the AISRF and a full list of the successful projects is available at http://grants.innovation.gov.au/AISRF/Pages/Home. aspx.
Researchers at the University of Melbourne and Kolkata’s Jadavpur University are working on techniques to convert lactose, a waste product of the dairy industry, into valuable ‘prebiotics’. Their research is supported by a grant awarded in an earlier round of the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund.
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 8
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
MINDSCAPES BY VINOD SHARMA
VINOD SHARMA (b. Mumbai, India 1954), has been in love with landscapes for the past four decades. Whilst pursuing an international academic arts career (with some Bollywood movie making on the side) Sharma has created a sophisticated following for his extraordinary landscape painting, being seen for the first time in Australia at the Gadfly Gallery in Perth from 6 August. “To me, my work is abstraction”, says this affable artist who will be in Perth for the opening of his first exhibition in Australia. “I’m not painting a tree like a photograph, or even trying to reproduce it. It is a matter of perspective”. It is this perception which sets him apart and impels him to explore new vistas and traverse that ‘extra mile’, for he doesn’t even photograph landscapes, but experiences them and then creates the textures that his “mind sees and his heart remembers”. With printmaking, painting and the movie industry as part of his professional background, Sharma brings many diverse qualities to his arts practice. The exhibition is on display 6 - 29 August. It is free & open to the public. Gadfly Gallery, 131 B Waratah Ave Dalkeith WA 6009, www.gadflygallery.com
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 9
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
TRADITIONAL HEALTHCARE
TRADITIONAL HEALTHCARE (TH) is an Australian-based non-for-profit charitable organisation made up of acupuncturists, architects, IT technicians, documentary makers, teachers, and eco communicators who have a vision of creating sustainable healthcare facilities in underprivileged communities. TH endeavours to empower communities with the technologies and education to take an active role in running and maintaining these clinics. In December 2007, two Traditional Chinese medical practitioners from Australia travelled to the remote village of Pundag in the state of West Bengal. The two practiced in a very basic clinic with 10 rickety wooden beds. After a month, the manager of the clinic, Bisthwanth Sing, organised an acupuncture camp in his home village of Datam, over 100km from the Pundag clinic and any healthcare facility. Upon arrival, there was a large gathering of villagers around the temporary clinic. The acupuncturists treated over 200 people each within two days, but patients kept arriving, some travelling for three days by foot. The acupuncturists realised the dire need for a permanent health care facility in the area, which led to the idea of Traditional Healthcare. Arriving back in Australia the acupuncturists organised a team of people to create plans to build a sustainable clinic in the Datam village. After months of fundraising, in late 2009, TH sent a team over to treat from the temporary clinic, build support contacts in the surrounding area, survey the land and draw up the initial building designs. The designs encompass an education hall, accommodation for the volunteers and employees, a large communal kitchen, a clinic with room for 12 beds, an emergency room with two beds with the ability to be used as a birthing room, and a dispensary for the herbs and homeopathic medicines. Traditional Healthcare’s ultimate aim is to establish infrastructure in the community which it can sustain independently. Three volunteers travelled to Datam in March to begin the construction of the buildings, and will return in September to continue the work.
TH founder, Tom Connor, treating a patient in Datam.
Traditional Healthcare is looking for philanthropic groups, sponsors, new members and volunteers to help raise awareness and funds. If you would like to take part in Traditional Healthcares activities, please contact the office on +61 3 96545499, view the website www.th.org.au or send an email to [email protected]
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 10
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
INAUGURAL AUSTRALIA-INDIA COUNCIL YOUNG MEDIA FELLOWSHIPS
The Australia-India Council was proud to establish a new program in 2009-10 aimed at providing outstanding young Indian journalists with a chance to advance their careers and expand their knowledge of Australia. The two inaugural winners of the AIC Young Media Fellowships were announced in New Delhi in January, and both have now completed their Australian visits. The winners of the 2010 Fellowships were: • Mr Syed Nazakat Hussain, The Week news magazine. Mr Hussain researched issues surrounding the Australia-India bilateral relationship, including the ‘Strategic Partnership’ between the two countries Mr Hussain interviewed the then Australian Prime Minister, the Hon Kevin Rudd MP, about these issues during his visit.
Syed Nazakat Hussain with Mr Rudd in Canberra
• Ms Anahita Mukherji, The Times of India. Ms Mukherji’s research focused on a range of topics relating to higher education in Australia, including tertiary education and vocational education and training.
Announcing the winners, the Australian High Commissioner to India, Mr Peter Varghese, said, “The Fellowships attracted a large number of quality and deserving applications with relevant and interesting topics of research. We are particularly pleased that journalists from most of the country’s leading media outlets applied for the program. The shortlist has been a challenging yet fruitful process for the selection panel.” The Chair of the Australia-India Council and former Australian High Commissioner to India, Mr John McCarthy AO, was also present at the announcement ceremony. Mr McCarthy said, “Australia is a vibrant and open country, and the Council wanted to ensure that outstanding young Indian journalists were given an in-depth opportunity to learn more about our society, people and culture.” The Fellowships awarded the two young Indian media professionals grants of AUD $10,000 (approx. 4 lakh rupees) to enable them to spend up to six weeks in Australia researching stories of their choice. The Fellows were assisted in their Australian journeys by the Australia-India Council Board and Secretariat, and by a range of eminent Australian media personalities who provided expert advice and assistance.
Anahita Mukherji with Asia Education Foundation Director, Maureen Welch, in Melbourne
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 11
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
ADVANCE EMERGING LEADERS INDIA SUMMIT
THE HON. SIMON CREAN MP, officially opened the Advance Emerging Leaders India Summit at a reception hosted by the Australian High Commissioner to India, Peter Varghese. The Summit brought together more than 120 leaders from India, Australia and around the world to explore the future of the Australian-Indian relationship. Focussing on four key themes (education, innovation, environment and urbanisation) the Summit delegates participated in a series of intensive and interactive roundtable discussions and gained insights into the relationship's history and future from experts including Tarun Das, Neville Roach, George Eby Mathew, Rory Medcalf, Bruce Hawker, Indrani Bagchi, Pramit Pal Chaudhuri and Neelam Deo, among many others. The recommendations from the roundtable discussions will be presented to the Australian Prime Minister and help to shape the direction of this important relationship.
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 12
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
AIBC ELECTS NEW NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
At the Australia India Business Council Annual General Meeting held in Brisbane on 10 June the following AIBC members were elected to the National Executive Committee for a two year term.
National Chairman – Mr Trevor O’Hoy
Trevor O'Hoy is a distinguished and highly respected businessman. He was until recently the President and CEO of Fosters having previously been Managing Director of Carlton & United Breweries. He is currently a director of a number of companies and organizations, including the RACV and Cricket Australia. In 2005, Trevor was voted as BRW Magazine’s most admired new CEO and is also the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award at Monash University.
National Vice Chairman – Mr Ravi Bhatia
Ravi Bhatia is the CEO and founder of Primus Australia, one of the largest telecommunications companies in Australia. He is also the Chairman of Terria Access Seekers Association, an industry association of leading telecommunications companies in Australia and a Director of Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman. Ravi has previously held senior management positions in US, India, Europe and the Middle East. His international experience spanning over three decades has covered technology, international business, trade, and public policy and he is a graduate of IIT, New Delhi.
National Treasurer – Mr Mohit Sharma
Mohit Sharma is a Director of Mindfields Consulting in Sydney and Director of Mindfields Capital Advisory Ltd based in Mumbai. Mohit has extensive experience in strategy, M&A, corporate finance, Outsourcing advisory and risk management solutions with Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Ernst & Young in Sydney. Mohit has been involved in prominent cross border acquisitions by Indian companies in Australia. Mohit has been founding member of the Australia India Business Council serving on the NSW Chapter before taking up role as National Treasurer.
Immediate Past Chairman – Mr Brian Hayes QC
Brian Hayes is a distinguished international environmental legislation consultant based in Adelaide, South Australia. He is been an active participant in the development of trade and investment between Australia and India over many years. Brian held the role of Chairman of the AIBC from June 2006 to June 2010.
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 13
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
AIBC ACKNOWLEDGES THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION OF BRIAN HAYES QC AND HARISH RAO
After many years of dedicated service, Brian Hayes and Harish Rao decided to step down from the respective roles of Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Australia India Business Council at the recent AGM. Brian and Harish have been the backbone of the National Executive Committee over many years through their strong leadership and commitment to developing trade and investment relationships between Australia and India. Both gentlemen have been active leaders and participants at the numerous AIBC forums throughout their tenure and Brian and Harish have fulfilled their roles with enthusiasm, passion and a deep knowledge of Australian, Indian commercial and cultural matters. The AIBC would like to sincerely thank Brian and Harish for their outstanding service to the Council and the Australian and India Business Communities. The Council wishes Brian and Harish prosperity and success in their future endeavours.
Harish Rao at the Australia India Address in Melbourne, August 2009
Brian Hayes accepting the award for Ambassador of the year from Brian Cunningham, Chief Executive, Department of Trade and Economic Development, South Australia in 2008
L to R: Brian Hayes, QC Chairman of AIBC, Harish Rao, Deputy Chairman AIBC, Hon Kamal Nath, Hon Simon Crean at the Joint Ministerial Commission / Joint Business Council (JMC / JBC) meeting in Melbourne, May 2008
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 14
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS
The Australia-India Focus newsletter is an occasional publication of the Australia-India Council and the Australia India Business Council. Australia-India Focus aims to inform our readers on the range of cultural and business activities occurring between Australia and India. The views expressed within this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Australia-India Council or the Australia India Business Council. Articles may be reproduced freely with acknowledgement. Subscription to Australia-India Focus is free. To receive Australia-India Focus by email, simply supply your contact details to: [email protected] Australia-India Focus is also available from the Australia India Business Council‘s website at www.aibc.org.au and the website of the Australia-India Council at www.dfat.gov.au/aic
The Australia-India Council (AIC) was established in 1992 in response to a recommendation by the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, following an inquiry into Australia's relations with India. The Council initiates or supports a range of activities designed to promote a greater awareness of Australia in India and a greater awareness of India in Australia, including visits and exchanges between the two countries, development of institutional links, and support of studies in each country of the other. The Council offers support, in the form of funding, for projects likely to contribute to the development of the relationship, within the context of AIC objectives and guidelines. For more information, visit www.dfat.gov.au/aic Or contact: The Executive Director, AIC PO Box 5363 Kingston ACT 2604 Telephone +61 2 6261 3833 Email: [email protected] The AIBC is a national NGO and is recognised by the Australian government as the peak body for promoting business links between Australia and India. The AIBC first point of contact by government and business representatives from both countries seeking access to industry, business and government leaders of both countries. The Council runs business events in major capitals of Australia and runs trade delegations to India. For more information, visit www.aibc.org.au Or contact: National Secretariat AIBC 99 Bay St Brighton Vic 3186 Telephone: +61 3 8534 5070 Fax: +61 3 8534 5140 Email: [email protected]
JULY 2010
AUSTRALIA-INDIA FOCUS | 15
