To mark 30 years of impact on the multicultural media landscape, Indian Link Media Group will announce a new scholarship in partnership with a major Sydney university for the next four years.
The first for a multicultural media outlet, this scholarship will award a Media and Communications student $5000 annually towards their development and studies.
“We hope that our investment not only changes the life of one student but gives them a platform to contribute meaningfully to Australia’s diverse and important media landscape,” CEO Pawan Luthra said.
The initiative was announced at Indian Link’s 30th Anniversary celebrations held at NSW Parliament’s Strangers Function Room, which was well attended by community and business leaders, politicians, and of course, Indian Link’s journalists and staff from over the years. Indian Link’s current young team of twelve regular staff members were present at the event too, working behind the scenes to ensure the night ran smoothly.
“We are really grateful for the contributions of all of our staff, past and present, without whom we wouldn’t be where we are today,” Indian Link Editor Rajni Luthra said. “The median age of our current team is 24 years old – we’re humbled and thankful for all the hard work and tenacity that they put in, and for their help in coordinating a successful event.”
Indian Link’s 30th was full of nostalgia, with customised nametags, and an audiovisual presentation of team members and headlines from the last 30 years of reporting showing how far Indian Link has come. A giant media wall charting the evolution of Indian Link covers provided a time capsule which guests could pose in front of too.
After opening remarks from MC Manan Luthra, NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey opened the night with a humorous speech about a childhood spent walking to the shops to pick up a copy of Indian Link and being woken by his mum with Indian Link Radio.
From his astonishment at his brother being chosen as one of Sydney’s ‘most eligible bachelors’ in 2003 to the story of his own swearing into NSW Parliament in 2015, Mookhey, like many other attendees, have grown alongside Indian Link; Mookhey remains one of the top ten most searched personalities on Indian Link’s website.
Video messages from Prime Minister Albanese, Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland and former High Commissioner Barry O’Farrell gave a touch of officiality to the event, all of them acknowledging “running a media organisation for thirty years is not easy.”
Multicultural NSW’s Joseph La Posta, former politician Jodi McKay, entrepreneur Darshak Mehta OAM spoke about their own ‘Indian Links’, projecting a future where the paper moved beyond the community into the mainstream, with a light-hearted reference to Indian Link’s very own ‘Curry Packer’.
ABC Radio’s Sarah Macdonald and Simon Marnie discussed encountering Indian Link as journalists outside of the Indian community, and how they value keeping up with the celebration of a rich and vibrant culture through Indian Link’s high-quality reporting.
Finally, founders Rajni and Pawan Luthra discussed the paper’s beginnings and the challenges and triumphs of this period, making note of the 30 Multicultural Media awards they had acquired from their young journalists.
“We want to continue doing what we love – and that is developing and mentoring young journalists. Indian Link has become a bright talent factory for emerging writers who are not afraid to question, query, educate or inform. We brought home 6 Young Journalist awards – more than any other multicultural media, including SBS,” Pawan Luthra said.
They also reflected on Indian Link’s journalists breaking some of the most important community stories over the years, including their coverage of the international student backlash in the late 2000s, their pioneering reportage on the LGBTQI+ community, and recent award-winning coverage of the Voice Referendum by numerous contributors.
Guests mingled over canapes and French champagne, the festive mood and well wishes continuing into the evening.
“We’re so appreciative of all the well-wishers and congratulations we’ve received, Indian Link’s 30th is truly a momentous milestone,” Rajni Luthra said. “I’m also very heartened and inspired by the many young faces in my team; our staff are central to the future success of Indian Link, and we look forward to supporting their development into the community leaders of the future.”
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