On June 1, the Government announced 2020 Queen’s Birthday honours list, and six persons of Indian origin, were honoured for their contributions to the New Zealand society in their respective fields.

Appointed as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM)

Dr Arish Chakarvarthi Naresh, JP: for services to the community and dentistry

Citation: “Dr Arish Naresh has contributed to dentistry and his local community in the past 13 years since moving to New Zealand. Dr Naresh is the Manager of Dental Services for the Tairawhiti District Health Board and the former Chief Allied Health Officer for the Capital and Coast District Health Board. He initiated the first publically funded maternal oral health service Hapu Mama Oranga Niho and launched the Te Herenga Ora: He Mahi Kokiri strategy at CCDHB. He is Chairperson of the New Zealand Dental and Oral Health Therapists’ Association. He is a founding member and President of the International Oral Health Association, an international body representing approximately 100,000 mid-level oral health practitioners globally. He has founded, helped establish or supported the Tairawhiti Multicultural Council, Gisborne Colour Run for Diversity, Whanganui Festival of Cultures, Gizzy School Lunches, and a free lunch scheme for homeless and underprivileged Gisborne residents. Dr Naresh has been a board member of UNICEF New Zealand, Co-chairperson of Ship for World Youth New Zealand, National Vice President of Multicultural New Zealand, and is a National Ambassador for White Ribbon New Zealand.”

Will continue to advocate for equal opportunities in society: Naresh

Currently in Adelaide, Arish Naresh, who hails from Nandronga in Western Fiji, while talking to this newspaper said, “I am looking forward to returning to New Zealand to celebrate this with my family. While this award is humbling, my greatest award still is to have my family around me supporting me. In terms of my professional and community sector involvement, I will continue to advocate for equal opportunities in society and hopefully inspire other young migrants to dream big and to be part of Aotearoa. All going well, I want to take my OWDSOCKS movement global and also promote the use of mid-level dental providers to improve oral health access for vulnerable communities.”

Notably, OWDSOCKS movement started in 2014 when Naresh wore odd pairs of socks by mistake to an event and it was noticed by many. Intrigued that people pay so much attention to odd socks, he started the social moment of using odd pairs of socks to highlight inequalities within the world. The brand OWD now makes its own socks and uses the profits to further their education and anti-bullying projects in schools.

Apart from being the President of Tairawhiti Multicultural Council, Naresh is also the President of International Oral Health Association (IOHA) and Chairperson of New Zealand Dental and Oral Health Therapists Association. He has been an advocate for improving access to oral health care and helped set up the first publicly funded maternal oral health program, which was later adopted in other parts of New Zealand.

Meanwhile, Zaeni Dahlan, IOHA Executive Council ember while congratulating Naresh, added, “As the President of IOHA, Arish has demonstrated his charming leadership. He has also been showing himself as a role model for the international oral health therapist community with his ability to work within broader framework. I personally consider Arish as a great representative of New Zealand as his country of residence, since he has shown his best qualities especially his passion to social equality issues.”

Awarded the Queen’s Service Medal

1) Mr Chandu Daji, JP: for services to the Indian community and sport

Citation: “Mr Chandu Daji has supported the Indian community in Auckland through several organisations since the 1980s. Mr Daji has been a member of the Auckland Indian Sports Club (AISC) Executive Committee for 33 years, during which time he served on the Auckland Hockey Association Junior Management Committee, was Club Representative to the Auckland Cricket Association Board of Control, and Club Delegate to the New Zealand Indian Sports Association. He has managed hockey and cricket teams and coordinated the Golden Oldies Hockey Tournament in 1998. He has been a member of the Auckland Indian Association Executive Committee for 20 years, including as Vice President from 2002 to 2005 and President from 2005 to 2008. As President he organised a free health expo for the community, which had more than 1,000 attendees. He is currently Deputy Chairman of the Mahatma Gandhi Charitable Trust and was previously involved with the installation of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi. He chaired the committee for the publication of the Mahatma Gandhi Centre Silver Jubilee Commemoration Book in 2015. He served 20 years on the Auckland Retail Fruiterers Association Executive Committee and was President of from 1981 to 1990. Mr Daji has been a member of the Westhaven Rotary Club since 1995 and was President for two years.”

2) Mr Pravin Kumar, JP: for services to the Indian community

Citation: “Mr Pravin Kumar led the establishment of the Shri Ram Mandir temple in West Auckland and has been a Managing Trustee of the Shri Ram Mandir Charitable Trust since 2011. Mr Kumar had observed an acute need for a community centre and a place for religious activities to serve a fast growing Indian and Hindu population in the West Auckland Area. He led the Shri Ram Mandir Charitable Trust in negotiations to purchase the land and plans for the temple and then engaged with the Hindu community across New Zealand and overseas to raise money for construction, with the project being completed in 2015. All functions at the Mandir are fully catered and he has assembled a large team of volunteers that cook, serve, and clean up. He uses his lifestyle block in West Auckland to grow vegetables and provide milk for the Mandir. He has organised the Ramathon charity walks over the years, raising funds for a range of organisations. He played a key role in the creation of the Waitakere Indian Association, serving as its Vice President from 2004 to 2008. Mr Kumar was President of the Waitakere Hindi Language and Cultural School from 2008 to 2011 and has been a member of the Waitemata Police Ethnic Advisory Board since 2017.”

3) Mr Afiff Shah, JP: for services to the Muslim community and football

Citation: “Mr Afiff Shah organised a place of worship for Muslims at a vacant New Zealand Army barracks at Walters Road, Takanini in the 1990s. Following notice that the barracks would be removed, Mr Shah initiated the buying of a property for a permanent place of worship in conjunction with others in the Muslim community. This led to the establishment of the Al Irqa Islamic Trust in 2000 and the purchase of a property in Takanini. He has been a member of the South Auckland Muslim Association for the past 30 years, assisting Muslims on a voluntary basis, and was Council Chairman of the Association from 2009 to 2011. He was Chairman of the Papatoetoe United Football Club from 1998 to 2000, and Coach of the club from 1997 to 2000. He was also the founding President of New Zealand Fiji Soccer Inc., now known as New Zealand Fiji Football Association Inc., from 2006 to 2010. He was instrumental in establishing the Association. Mr Shah is a volunteer adviser for the Pakuranga Citizens Advice Bureau Immigration Clinic and has been a Justice of the Peace for the past 15 years.”

4) Mr Suresh Chunilal Patel, JP: for services to the community and sport

Citation: “Mr Suresh Patel has been active in sport and business in the Tararua district for a number of years. Mr Patel was the Chairman of the Dannevirke Chamber of Commerce on two separate occasions, originally between 2008 and 2012 helping to prevent it from going into recession and then driving the growth of the association over the past 13 years. During his time as Chairman from 2013 to 2015 he revitalised the Dannevirke Christmas parade, which has grown over the past five years under his leadership. He was the Chairman of Dannevirke Cricket Association from 2002 to 2010 and President of the Central District Indian Sports for 14 years from 1996 to 2010. He has been a delegate and selector with the New Zealand Indian Sports Association for a number of years and has helped to organize various New Zealand Indian Sports tournaments. He has been a coach, referee and a member of a number of different sports clubs and teams across cricket, hockey, and rugby. Mr Patel was made an Honoured Member of the New Zealand Indian Sports Association in 2012, and Life Member of the Central District Indian Sports Club in 2016 and the Dannevirke Chamber of Commerce in 2017.” (Pic courtesy: Dannevirke Chamber of Commerce FB handle)

5) Mrs Maher Angez Singh: for services to seniors and the community

Citation: “Mrs Maher Singh has volunteered in the aged care sector and the wider community for the past 20 years. Mrs Singh has been an executive member of the New Zealand Indian Senior Citizens Association (ISCA) and the New Zealand Fijian Senior Citizens Association (FSCA) since 2000. She was the Chair of ISCA from 2007 to 2011 and is the current Chair of FSCA, having originally been its founder in 2012. She works with the New Zealand Police and social support providers to assist seniors who are victims of elder abuse. She frequently visits seniors at their homes, rest homes or in hospital, as well as organising outings and monthly meetings. She voluntarily organises and implements a lunch delivery service for low-decile schools in Manakau and frequently fundraises for vulnerable families, victims of domestic violence and other people and groups in need. She is regularly involved in collecting donations for the Blind Foundation and has volunteered to provide catering for a cricket tournament for blind players. Mrs Singh has been a member of the Point Chevalier Lions Club, through which she has been involved with several community projects.”

Our double-page-spread honouring the achievers in the latest Volume 3 Issue 8: