The Hindu Council of Australia recently hosted a reception for Education Minister Jason Clare and Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan who was on his second Australian visit to celebrate Australia-India Education and Skills Collaboration.
The reception was attended by Parliamentary Friends of India Chair, Dr Andrew Charlton, Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles, Indian High Commissioner to Australia, Gopal Baglay, Consul General of India in Sydney, Dr S. Janakiraman, President of Hindu Council of Australia, Sai Paravastu, and Vice President of Hindu Council of Australia, Surinder Jain.
Pranav Aggarwal, Rajeev Jairam and Ramyavaran Ramaswamy from Hindu Education and Cultural Centre, Murray Norman, CEO, Better Balanced Futures (Faith NSW), Darren Bark, Co-Chair, Better Balanced Futures (Faith NSW), National Associate Chair, Australia India Business Council (AIBC), Irfan Malik and Dr Meenakshi Srinivasan, Founder and Principal, Sydney Sanskrit School, were also present at the event held at law firm Minter Ellison’s premises.
At the reception Minister Clare said that Australia is one of the most multicultural countries in the world today and has seen the Indian-Australian community double in a decade, who are a living bridge between the two countries. He added that the fastest growing religion in Australia is Hinduism and emphasised the importance of having a Hindu School.
“Drive around Sydney and you will also see public schools, Catholic schools, Islamic schools, Anglican schools, Jewish schools and Buddhist schools. But you won’t see a Hindu school. But the Hindu Council has a plan to change that. You have purchased land in North-West Sydney to build a primary school. It will be operated by the Hindu Education and Cultural Centre.”
Education Minister Jason Clare (Image: Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on X / @dpradhanbjp)
“It will deliver the New South Wales curriculum embedded with teachings on Hinduism’s culture, traditions and philosophy. I think, personally, that this is a fantastic initiative. I’ve now got the submission, and I am working on it with the Prime Minister and I want to say to you tonight, I am so keen to work with you on seeing this come to life. Minister Pradhan, I hope when you are back in two years, I will be able to take you to it,” said Minister Clare.
He also mentioned that not far from where this new school will be built, in Greenway Park in Cheerybrook, you’ll find a memorial with the names of 12 Indian Australians on it, men who were born in India and who fought for Australia in World War I. Soldiers like Nain Singh Sailani, a 43-year-old labourer from Perth, and Sarn Singh a 33-year-old farmer from Adelaide.
“In the last 100 years or so our countries have changed a lot. Just imagine what these 12 men would think if they were with us today. I think they’d be proud of the country that we have become, the great multicultural country Australia has become. I think they’d be so excited to see India become a real economic powerhouse. And I think they’d be over the moon to see our two countries working so closely together to make the most of it. Thank you so much to the Hindu Council for organising this special event.”
Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan (Image: Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on X / @dpradhanbjp)
Minister Pradhan who was on his second visit to Australia spoke about the growing collaboration between the two countries in education and skills sectors. He also praised the Hindu Council of Australia for propagating the message of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (the world is one family), keeping Indian traditional knowledge and culture alive in Australia and for preserving Sanatan culture, values and traditions.
Dr Charlton also said at the event that the Indian diaspora is the most employed and the most educated diaspora in Australia and highlighted the success and contribution of the diaspora in Australia’s progress.
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