Life in a foreign land is daunting but with multi-cuisine restaurants, stores and intercultural clubs Australia is home to its Indian community.
Home to numerous cultures comprising of people of European, Asian and Aboriginal descent, the Indian population in Australia comprises mostly of Indian students.
In order to combat the feeling of being alien in a new country there are many options open to Indians and people of other cultures alike.
The Gold Coast and almost every other city in Australia boasts of multi-cuisine restaurants.
For students who might find it difficult to eat out all the time, they can find respite in one of the many Indian stores on the Gold Coast.
These stores are a wealth of food, music, clothing and smells that are reminiscent of home.
Naveen and Achala Bhatnagar own an Indian store called the Himalayan Range located at Australia Fair in Southport.
They took over the store from its previous owners in January 2006 seeing it as an opportunity to serve their community.
The couple also wanted to increase awareness about Indian cultures among people who are not Indian.
Naveen says, “people are very intrigued by the idea of having something new.”
“They like to know how Indian food is cooked and my wife Achala sometimes helps customers with recipes.”
The store also sells ‘Ready-to-Eat’ packets of food that just need to be heated and served which is a big hit with the customers and people who either don’t have the time or don’t know how to cook.
Another popular Indian store is family-run Santoshi India Place which is located in Surfers Paradise.
In addition to being an Indian store, Santoshi as it is popularly known also serve fresh food and Indian snacks at affordable rates, utensils for cooking and deities to adorn Indian homes.
While starting a life in a new country is always a terrifying thing, it is comforting to know that there are such strong reminders of home, especially when it’s something as tangible as good food and Bollywood movies.
Have racist allegations affected Indo-Australian relations?
The publisher of the Brisbane Indian Times, Mr Umesh Chandra discusses the alleged racist attacks against Indian students living in Australia.
Umesh says “Queensland Police Services and Indian High Commission have been very proactive in examining the few incidents that have come up on the Gold Coast “
According to him due to the cases reported in Sydney and Melbourne, the police in Queensland were more aware about what needed to be done in terms of talking to the victims and resolving the situation.
Indian news channels like NDTV, IBN and Aaj Tak covered the news of these attacks, dubbed Australia as a racist country and fuelled protests against racism against Indians.
One Indian newspaper, Outlook India, quoted Van Thanh Rudd leader of the Revolutionary Socialist Party, and nephew of Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd blatantly stating that the reported attacks were racist and that Australians are in fact racist.
According to a story published in The Australian the latest police statistics for 2007-2008 show that 1447 Indians have been the victims of crime and assault in Australia.
While Australia has largely stayed mum on the subject, giving it very little media coverage within the country, Australian foreign affairs minister Stephen Smith expressed his government’s regret over the attacks while talking to a group of students in New Delhi in March 2010.
There has been a 46 percent drop in Indians applying for student visas from July-October 2009 and a 26 percent drop in visa applications from all countries including India as shown in an article by The Age.
While serious incidents involving Indian students in Australia have not been reported in the last few months, Indian students are opting to go elsewhere to pursue their further education. And while both countries share amicable relationships at the moment, one can only wonder whether underlying problems have truly been resolved and put in the past or whether we have yet to witness the repercussions.
Umesh says “Queensland Police Services and Indian High Commission have been very proactive in examining the few incidents that have come up on the Gold Coast “
According to him due to the cases reported in Sydney and Melbourne, the police in Queensland were more aware about what needed to be done in terms of talking to the victims and resolving the situation.
Indian news channels like NDTV, IBN and Aaj Tak covered the news of these attacks, dubbed Australia as a racist country and fuelled protests against racism against Indians.
One Indian newspaper, Outlook India, quoted Van Thanh Rudd leader of the Revolutionary Socialist Party, and nephew of Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd blatantly stating that the reported attacks were racist and that Australians are in fact racist.
According to a story published in The Australian the latest police statistics for 2007-2008 show that 1447 Indians have been the victims of crime and assault in Australia.
While Australia has largely stayed mum on the subject, giving it very little media coverage within the country, Australian foreign affairs minister Stephen Smith expressed his government’s regret over the attacks while talking to a group of students in New Delhi in March 2010.
There has been a 46 percent drop in Indians applying for student visas from July-October 2009 and a 26 percent drop in visa applications from all countries including India as shown in an article by The Age.
While serious incidents involving Indian students in Australia have not been reported in the last few months, Indian students are opting to go elsewhere to pursue their further education. And while both countries share amicable relationships at the moment, one can only wonder whether underlying problems have truly been resolved and put in the past or whether we have yet to witness the repercussions.
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