Niharika Hiremath OAM of Melbourne is this year’s youngest recipient in the King’s Birthday Honours.
The 29-year-old mental health advocate joins two other women from our community receiving honours this year – Melbourne social entrepreneur Sakshi Thakur, and Sydney family violence activist Harinder Kaur of Harman Foundation.
This makes it a women-only list this year amongst Indian-origin Australians, a first of its kind.
And while it is small, the list is absolutely power-packed, and hugely inspirational.
Niharika’s work in mental health advocacy is based on including culturally responsive systems in healthcare. As a ‘lived experience partner’, she has built on her own challenges in navigating the system. Indian Australians Kings Birthday 2024
Niharika’s work is reflective of her generation’s push towards greater mental health awareness and better communication about it. She receives the OAM for service to community health.
Melbourne-based social entrepreneur Sakshi Thakur OAM understands that empowering women means empowering communities. Throwing in her high-profile corporate job, she plunged headlong into social enterprise. Her organisation ‘Sewing the Seeds’ imparts textile skills to women in Puducherry, to help them raise the quality of life for their families. Like many in her generation, she’s seeking to merge economic sustainability with social impact in her entrepreneurship.
She receives the OAM for service to the community through social welfare organisations.
Meanwhile over at Sydney, Harinder Kaur is deeply involved in tackling domestic and family violence. The Harman Foundation which she launched in 2013 has today helped more than 500 families experiencing violence. Equally, her programs to educate, guide, and change attitudes have won her community acclaim. Indian Australians Kings Birthday 2024
She receives the OAM for service to the community through social welfare organisations.
Niharika, Sakshi and Harinder are among 737 Australians who receive felicitations in the King’s Birthday Honours list for 2024.
“I would like to congratulate all those recognised in today’s Honours List,” Governor-General David Hurley said. “Some names are well-known, but the vast majority are not – they are people who work tirelessly and selflessly to make a difference in our community.”
This is his last Honours list as Governor-General.
“I have been steadfast that the Order must reflect the diversity of our community – I am pleased by the progress we have made over the last five years,” he added.
There is gender parity this year of 49.9%.
Recipients will be invested with their awards in the coming months, either by the Governor-General at Government House in Canberra, or by the State Governors or Administrator of the Northern Territory. Indian Australians Kings Birthday 2024
Anyone can nominate any Australian for an award in the Order of Australia. If you know someone worthy, nominate them now at gg.gov.au.
READ ALSO: Indian Australians in the King’s Birthday Honours list 2023
