Dear Visitor ji,
It is my pleasure in providing leadership for the Federation of Indian Associations of ACT (FINACT) and completing my tenure soon.
In the last eight years, FINACT has been recognised as an organisation to provide collective representation for Indian diaspora in ACT. It has empowered member associations to make submissions to Australian Parliament on community issues, represented to get the accreditation of community languages, support the member associations to build community facilities, continuing cricket tournament to develop networks for youth and organised harmony day to build networking for community leaders.
The organisation created a vision and making pathways for first generation Indians to become true Australians. FINACT has successfully been organising AusIndia Fair for last two years to showcase the inclusivity and participation in multiculturalism. In collaboration with United India Association of NSW, FINACT organised a 10-day walk from Sydney to Canberra in support of Australian farmers.
I have deep gratitude to the FINACT and its member organisations for giving me an opportunity to serve the communities. This has resulted in Australian Government honouring me with Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM). This recognition is for the good work done by the FINACT and supported by the communities.
My sincere thanks to everyone who gave me this opportunity and supported me throughout my tenure as the office bearer (President) of FINACT.
Dr Krishna Nadimpalli, OAM
GEOCON is FINACT’s Proud Sponsor
Felicitation of Dr Krishna Nadimpalli OAM - Sun 27 July
Dr Krishna Nadimpalli, an active community leader and social worker, is the recipient of 2019 Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for promoting multiculturalism in the ACT. This is wonderful recognition of Dr Nadimpalli 's contribution to the society over last many years. It is a proud moment for the ACT communities and an honour for all the people serving communities.
Honouring the person can inspire and motive more people and particularly children. Friends of Krishna Nadimpalli are organising a felicitation and also taking the opportunity to celebrate this moment. Please join Dr Krishna Nadimpalli OAM with your family and friends.
What: Felicitation of Dr Krishna Nadimpalli, OAM
When: Saturday 27 July 2019, 6.00 to 9.00pm
Where: Amaroo School, Katherine Ave Amaroo
RSVP: 22 July 2019 (for catering purpose) to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Entry: Free. No gifts. No flowers.
We will greatly appreciate your presence with family, and please extend the invitation to your friends and colleagues.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require further information.
Kind regards
Sunita S Dhindsa
On behalf of Friends of Dr Krishna Nadimpalli
Your input/event for FINACT newsletter is appreciated and welcome
Newsletter for communities
 You will appreciate that newsletters are critical instrument and platform to meet our functional, operational and strategic communication needs. We have been using this infrastructure for long to effectively interact with you.
Funding under the digital grants from the ACT Government has further boosted our capabilities and confidence in meeting our objectives. We thank the ACT Government for their generosity that enables us to extend our tools to our member associations. Please see below for more information on how you can use this feature.
As you know FINACT newsletter is generally published once a month. If our member associations like to publish their organisation's event in the FINACT newsletter, please provide the following information:
- Event name, date, time and venue followed by text
- Text in word format (not PDF)
- Text within 150 words
- One image/picture if needed.
If you have a flyer ready for the event then FINACT can also publish the flyer in the newsletter.
You can submit this information at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by the last week of month - marked as For FINACT Newsletter.
What else FINACT can do for you?
We acknowlege that not all associations can afford to have mailing lists or tools to regularly interact/communicate with their members. FINACT has tools and capacity to be of your assistance. You may subscribe your members on our subscription page.
Do you have a story…an event…an opinion...an achievement
that Canberrans would be interested in? ABC Radio Canberra would love to hear from you.
Please contact producers Laura Dawes or Kim Lester on 6275 4625 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.';document.getElementById('cloake51d953d9d1024a91511bd8a739f0f92').innerHTML += ''+addy_texte51d953d9d1024a91511bd8a739f0f92+'<\/a>';
and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
FINACT Annual General Meeting - Sun 21 July 2019
Its time for our Annual General Meeting (AGM). AGM is planned on Sunday 21 July 2019 at Gungahin Library at 10:00am.
FINACT Executive Committtee requests all member associations to renew their membership and send us updated list of delegates.
As you know, successful organisation needs leaders at all levels - critical for flexibility, innovative ideas, inspiring others to survive and perform, and acquiring new levels of understanding of rapidly changing socio-political dynamics. FINACT provides a wonderful platform and incubator-like environment to foster and promote leadership.
If any delegate wishes to contest for Executive Committee position, please get ready with a presentation of vision and action plans for a better FINACT. Hope to see delegates of our member associations in the Annual General Meeting on Sun 21 July 2019.
Mr Kanti Jinna, OAM will be the returning officer. Please send in your nominations for any of the positions to Mr Jinna (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.';document.getElementById('cloak9e60abc1ad5934a691e759cdf38ed2be').innerHTML += ''+addy_text9e60abc1ad5934a691e759cdf38ed2be+'<\/a>';
).
Nominations for Executive Committee positions close one day before AGM, by 20th July 2019. Nominations shall be accepted on the floor when there is no nomination received against any position before closing day. Nominations can be withdrawn at any time including on the day of elections.
Regards,
Roshan Menon
General Secretary
Upcoming Events
Screening of Documentary 'Revealed - The Golden Temple' - Fri 19 July 2019
India In Australia (High Commission Of India, Canberra) invites you to the screening of documentary “Revealed – The Golden Temple” followed by A talk on the teaching of Guru Nanak Dev ji by Dr. Harjinder Dhindsa, President, Canberra Punjabi Sports & Cultural Association at High Commission of India, Canberra, 3 Moonah Place, Yarralumla ACT 2600 on Friday 19th July, 2019 at 5.00pm to 6.30pm.
All members of the Indian diaspora/community are cordially invited to attend the event. It is also requested that the attached information may be circulated amongst members of your association.
Kind regards
O/o Counsellor (Cons & CW)
High Commission of India, Canberra
3 Moonah Place, Yarralumla, ACT-2600
Tree Planting Ceremony - Sat 20 July
As part of the commemorations of 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, a tree planting ceremony has been organized by the High Commission of India at West Shore Lake Ginninderra, Joynton Smith Drive, Belconnen, ACT 2617 on 20th July 2019 at 10:30AM.
All members of the Indian diaspora/community and friends of India are cordially invited to attend the event.
It is also requested that the attached information may be circulated amongst members of your association.
Kind regards
O/o Counsellor (Cons & CW)
High Commission of India, Canberra
550th Birth Anniversary Celebration of Guru Nanak Devji
Our Proud Sponsors
FINACT T-20 Cricket Tournament
 It is great pleasure to announce FINACT will be kicking of this year's FINACT T-20 2019 Cricket tournament soon.
FINACT EC is planning to to conduct the tournament during August - October, starting on the weekend of 25th August 2019.
Please send in the details of your teams along with sponsoring FINACT Member Association to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and cc to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. latest by Sunday 28th July 2019.
Registration fee for the tournament is $400.
Due to logistics ,we can accommodate maximum of only 16 teams in the tournament, so only the first 16 teams who send in their registration with payments,will be accepted and registration will be closed hence forth.
Send your team name, captain contacts, Nominated Association (after taking consent from current President) and deposit the fee into FINACT Bank Account:
A/C Name - Federation of Indian Associations of ACT (FINACT) Incorporated,
BSB # 06 2919
Account # 1034 3742
The fixtures and play schedule will be prepared based on the number of teams registered and availability of grounds. With the past experiences, the grounds availability is a challenge and please cooperate with the coordinators.
Draws for the tournament will be drawn by High Commissioner of India, on 15 August 2018. We will be organizing a Captain's meeting, based on the registrations.
Please forward to this your member association and respective team captains appropriately. Thanks for your support.
Roshan Menon
General Secretary
FINACT
Congratulations to the Hon Mr Deepak-Raj Gupta MLA
It is an historic moment for Indian Community as Deepak is the first Indian-born, Indian origin person to be elected as an MLA in Australian Capital Territory.
Congratulations to Deepak. It is a proud moment for all of us. Hope he can achieve bigger and better things in the future.
Congratulations to Radio Manpasand
We are pleased to share a news that our local Hindi radio station Radio Manpasand has started a 24/7 Hindi radio program. It is a remarkable achievement and we are very proud of it.
The radio program can be accessed through either an app or web. Details are provided on Radio Manpasand website at www.radiomanpasand.com
Bigger Community Facility to Celebrate Diversity in Canberra
Australia is known for fostering of multiculturalism and inclusiveness. Australian Capital Territory (ACT) has an estimated population of 380,000 and 20 percent are born overseas. Canberra is one of the fastest growing city in Canberra. With this, the infrastructure needs are changing. Facilities that were previously sufficient are unable to accommodate large gatherings of family, community functions and events. Commercial facilities have restrictions like community catering and also expensive for communities to celebrate the diversity.
Canberra needs an accessible and affordable facility for communities with a capacity to accommodate larger groups of 1000 or more. Federation of Indian Association of the ACT and many other community organisations and brought to ACT Government’s attention many times for last several years.
Over the last 2 years FINACT and its member organisations have taken every opportunity to request the government. In 2017-18 FINACT participated in the initiative of Making Space: Socialise and strongly raised the need for a larger function centre for the multicultural communities of the ACT.
The facility is needed to celebrate diversity that primarily supports the people to have functions in supporting their family, cultural, community events and promote inclusiveness in the broader Australian society.
The communities were hoping for funding and land to be allocated in the ACT Budget 2019-20. ACT Government has not considered any budget to establish a facility to celebrate the cultural diversity of the territory and support multiculturalism.
We are optimistic that next year, being an election year, will bring this much needed allocation. This is absolutely needed for the ACT Government attention to start the process and build a facility soon.
Please sign the petition at http://chng.it/GdWFknKZ
Nominations Open for 2019 Multicultural Awards
Nominations are now open for the 2019 Multicultural Awards. The ACT Multicultural Awards celebrate individuals and organisations who have made a positive contribution to multiculturalism in the ACT.
This year, nominations for the Multicultural Awards can be made across four categories:
- ACT Multicultural Individual Champion Award;
- ACT Community Organisation (Multicultural Champion) Award;
- ACT Outstanding Excellence Award for Diversity and Inclusion; and
- ACT Multicultural Arts, Media or Culture Awards.
Applications close Wednesday 7 August.
More information about the Multicultural Awards, including how to apply is available at http://www.communityservices.act.gov.au/multicultural/recipients-multicultural_awards
Multicultural Honorary Ambassadors Program
Nominations are also open for the Multicultural Honorary Ambassadors Program.
The Multicultural Honorary Ambassador Program fosters multiculturalism in the ACT by recognising local residents who play an active role in promoting the ACT as a welcoming and inclusive city.
We are seeking people, who in their travels, and through their extensive people to people links, can put the best of Canberra forward as great place to visit, study and do business.
The appointed Honorary Ambassadors will represent the Territory when travelling to one or more of the ten target countries to promote local trade, education, investment and tourism opportunities. The target countries are Singapore, China, New Zealand, United States of America, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Thailand and South Korea.
The Ambassadors will also raise awareness of Canberra as a welcoming and inclusive multicultural city.
More information about the Multicultural Honorary Ambassador program is available at http://www.communityservices.act.gov.au/multicultural/programs/honorary-ambassador-program
Applications close Wednesday 7 August.
The Magical Strings of Josh - Sat 24 August 2019
In keeping with the ethos and thinking of promoting an awareness of Indian culture locally and globally, Joshua Feinberg (www.joshfeinbergmusic.com), a classically trained Sitar player, who resides in Portland, Oregon, US will be touring Australia in August. Josh has trained with such stalwarts as Ustad Ali Akbar Khan of the Maihar Senia Gharana, amongst others. Josh has also learned to play the Tabla from Pandit Anindo Chatterjee. In addition, Josh is an accomplished bass player.
Josh will be accompanied by Jay Dabgar from Melbourne on the Tabla.
Josh is committed to the ideal of music as a universal language, as music holds universal appeal and is not necessarily bound by materialistic divisions!
Sponsorship Appreciated for FINACT Events
We understand that one of the main reasons to sponsor a tournament and any event could be to promote one’s business and generate goodwill in the community. Sponsoring the FINACT events will give you brand recognition among the fastest-growing community group of Indians in the ACT and increase sales or traffic to sponsor’s website through their banner on our website (www.finact.net.au ).
Indians are the fastest growing population in Australia. This has resulted in increased air traffic between India and Australia; increased telecommunication; and enhanced trade and cultural ties. For sporting events - players and their supporters make playing cricket a fiercely competitive and memorable event. They will promote the game and use your services to show their appreciation.
In addition to providing an excellent opportunity to connect with the Indian sub-continent communities, the FINACT events' sponsorship will:
- enable sponsors to reach out to wider community groups in ACT and surrounds
- fulfil sponsors business objectives and attract sizeable potential customers
- provide a lasting impression of their business
- promote sports and physical activities in the community
- motivate and assist young players participating in the tournament and community activities
- attract favourable feedback from organisers and media partners
- generate great feel-good stories in Indian community and back to India and neighbouring countries and
- fulfil sponsor’s corporate and social responsibilities
If you are willing to or interested in sponsoring our events, please contact us soon.
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