Proud winner of Governor of Victoria Award 2007

Student tactics leave -
Indian Australian community divided

Melbourne, June 9: The recent spate of attacks on those of Indian origin has left Melbournians shocked Student Shravan Kumar was stabbed with a screwdriver through his head and was in intensive care, now moved to High
dependency unit at Royal Melbourne Hospital. This attack has been a catalyst for the recent media circus in India and resulting in a rally in Melbourne...
...

“What happened at Federation Square is bullshit. How would we feel if they attacked the Taj Mahal or the Golden Temple? They have portrayed Indian students badly,” says Bunty a recent graduate of Victoria Uni.

“Please keep India in India. This is Australia; we have rules and regulations here. Do things in a more productive way to get the best results...
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Community stalwart Dr. M S Joshi passes away

Remembering Dr Martand Shripad Joshi, or ‘Martand’ as he preferred to be called brings fondness and a sense of belonging to one’s heart; the former Honorary Consul of India and Fellow of the Monash Asia Institute, passed away in his peaceful sleep on 25 May 2009.

‘Martand', was not only an affable and charming person, but one who was ever ready to assist in time of need. Perhaps no member of the Australian Indian community would have missed his ‘disarming sense of reaching out to help’ in his long stay in Melbourne. He is survived by a his wife Zofia Joshi and daughter Suman Joshi
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‘Indian students are gentle’,

says Phil Honeywood
 

Cambridge International College, Business Development Manager Mr. Honeywood, who loves working with migrants and Indians in particular, said that
Phil Honeywood
he feels ‘very sorry’ for the victims (Indian international Stuents) who have been attacked in recent weeks. Shravan Kumar, the victim of screw driver attack in Glenroy (last month) who has been fighting for his life in hospital is a Cambridge College student.

Indian students do not look ‘aggressive’; they look very gentle  and do not come across as someone who would attack or counter attack”, Mr Honeywood told BT.

We need better communication and scrutiny and must weed out such ‘rogue’ agents as soon as possible. Students should be guided before they land here in Australia’ said Mr Honeywood.

“We have been helping our students on case by case basis quietly; there have been other cases also where we have paid for family members of the victims or students in need to travel to Australia”, Mr Honeywood added.

Cambridge college has been assisting Shravan Kumar’s family in every possible way including financially.

Helpline just in time for Indian students

Melbourne, May 15: In the wake of rising incidents of violence against Indian students here, a new helpline service was launched here to protect and improve their personal security.

The helpline number — 1800, is the initiative of community members known as ‘Police Indian Western Reference Group (PIWRG)’ — launched in the western suburbs of Melbourne in January to stem the rise in violent robberies targeting Indians, who make up 30 percent of robbery victims in Melbourne's western suburbs.

The number will be staffed by trained volunteers, who are fluent in both Hindi and English, from Federation of Indian Associations of Victoria and the Victorian International Students Association.

Victoria Police members on Thursday trained volunteers on police procedures and victim support services and other services including Wageline, Consumer Affairs, Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission and Women’s Domestic Violence Crisis Service .

Region 2, Division 1 Superintendent Graham Kent said the volunteers would be supported by police members.

“The Police Indian Western Reference group has been instrumental in connecting police with various organisations and we hope other proactive initiatives that come out of this group, combined with operational policing, will help combat crime in the area,” he said.
“Fighting crime is not just a police issue; there is a need for people to take responsibility for their own safety and for the community to work together to play an active role in addressing crime in their area.” 
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