Australia
South Asian Leaders Honoured at the 2026 Victorian Multicultural Awards for Excellence: South Asian community leaders are being recognised for their contributions to employment, public safety, education, gender equality, refugee support, sport and healthcare at the 2026 Victorian Multicultural Awards for Excellence.
The award recipients highlighted here reflect the vital role migrants and refugees play in strengthening Australian communities. Their work spans government, healthcare, education, community organisations and grassroots initiatives, demonstrating how personal experiences can inspire meaningful social change.
Tarzon Budhathoki: Turning a Migration Journey into Employment Opportunities
Business and Employment Award — Individual Winner
Tarzon Budhathoki’s journey from international student to regional employer illustrates how personal ambition can translate into opportunities for others.
As co-founder and chief executive officer of Best Nursing Agency, Budhathoki has helped 25 newly arrived migrants find employment while contributing to efforts to address Victoria’s regional healthcare workforce shortages.
His work extends beyond business. As vice-president of Melbournepal, he supports, mentors and empowers Nepalese young people, helping them build confidence and pursue opportunities in Australia.
Budhathoki’s achievement highlights the role migrant entrepreneurs can play in supporting employment, strengthening regional communities and helping newcomers establish themselves in their adopted country.
Zabi Mazoori: Building Trust Between Police and Afghan Communities
Victoria Police Community Exemplary Award
Zabi Mazoori, an Afghan Hazara community leader, has been recognised for strengthening relationships between Victoria Police and Victoria’s diverse Afghan communities.
As president of the Victorian Afghan Associations’ Network and a team leader at Foundation House, Mazoori works to promote understanding, community safety and stronger relationships between public institutions and refugee communities.
His collaboration with Victoria Police includes delivering community safety and road safety presentations, sharing important police messages and organising Chai and Chat with Police sessions for Afghan women.
These initiatives provide opportunities for community members to engage directly with police, raise concerns and better understand public safety services.
Mazoori’s leadership demonstrates the importance of trust, cultural understanding and community engagement in building safer and more inclusive neighbourhoods.
Malavika Kadwadkar: Championing Women’s Health and Gender Equality
Prevention of Family Violence Award
Malavika Kadwadkar brings more than two decades of experience in women’s health, multicultural engagement, gender equality and family violence prevention.
As community outreach lead at Women’s Health in the South East, she works to empower migrant and refugee communities and improve access to support, information and services.
Her work focuses on engaging communities across cultural backgrounds, raising awareness of women’s health and promoting gender equality. Through outreach and community engagement, Kadwadkar helps address barriers that can prevent women from accessing essential services and support.
Her recognition highlights the importance of culturally responsive approaches to preventing family violence and ensuring women from migrant and refugee backgrounds can participate fully in Australian society.
Dr Mehwish Ghulam Ali: Advancing Diversity in the Public Sector
Public Sector Diversity and Inclusion Award — Individual Winner
Dr Mehwish Ghulam Ali, an economist and multicultural leader, is committed to creating more inclusive workplaces and communities across the Victorian Public Service.
Her work champions evidence-informed policymaking, intersectional leadership and meaningful connections between government institutions and the communities they serve.
Drawing on lived experience, Dr Ali works to strengthen public policy and leadership so that diverse perspectives are better represented in decision-making.
Her recognition underscores the importance of diversity within government—not simply as a representation goal, but as a way to improve policies, strengthen institutions and deliver more responsive public services.
Roqya Husseini: Creating Opportunities for Refugee Youth
Refugee Youth Leadership Award — Individual Winner
Roqya Husseini, a Hazara-Australian leader, has transformed her experience as a refugee into a commitment to creating opportunities for culturally diverse young people.
Working as a multicultural education aide, Husseini contributes to educational environments where students from different backgrounds can feel supported and included.
Her leadership extends across education, community engagement and government. She has also participated in the Victorian Youth Parliament, helping bring young people’s perspectives into civic discussion and public life.
Husseini’s recognition highlights the importance of empowering refugee and multicultural youth through education, leadership development and participation in democratic institutions.
Her journey also illustrates how young people with refugee backgrounds can become active contributors to the communities in which they live.
Abdul Basir: Using Sport and Culture to Strengthen Communities
Sport and Recreation Award — Individual Winner
Abdul Basir is a multicultural community leader and team leader of community programs at Uniting Vic/Tas.
He designed the Keeping Afghan Girls Active initiative to encourage participation in physical activity and create opportunities for Afghan girls to engage in sport and recreation.
Basir also founded Afghan Culture Day in Australia, creating a platform for cultural expression, community connection and greater understanding of Afghan heritage.
Through his wider community work, he supports programs focused on inclusion, resilience, employment and social cohesion for refugee and multicultural communities across Victoria.
His initiatives demonstrate how sport and cultural activities can help overcome barriers to participation, build confidence among young people and bring communities together.
Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll Recognises Lasting Contributions
The Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll recognises individuals whose contributions to multicultural Victoria have made a lasting difference.
Dr Majid Naeem Gondal: Advancing Healthcare Equity
Dr Majid Naeem Gondal is a Victorian general practitioner and community leader committed to equitable healthcare and culturally safe medical services.
Through clinical practice, education and governance, he works to improve access to healthcare for multicultural and vulnerable patients. He also supports international medical graduates as they navigate professional pathways and contribute to Australia’s healthcare workforce.
His work promotes greater workforce diversity while helping ensure that patients from different cultural backgrounds receive appropriate and accessible care.
Gondal’s recognition highlights the importance of culturally responsive healthcare and the contribution of internationally trained medical professionals to Australia’s health system.
Saleha Singh: Championing Multicultural Women and Preventing Family Violence
As a founding member of the Multicultural Women’s Alliance Against Family Violence, Saleha Singh has dedicated more than a decade to supporting multicultural communities through grassroots leadership and community advocacy.
Her work spans family violence prevention, refugee support and community engagement, helping build bridges between essential services and culturally diverse communities. Through her sustained efforts, Singh has empowered hundreds of people, helping individuals and families access support, navigate challenges and build stronger futures.
Singh’s leadership reflects the importance of community-driven initiatives in addressing family violence, supporting vulnerable populations and ensuring that women from multicultural backgrounds have access to the resources and assistance they need.
Her contribution has helped foster a legacy of inclusion, dignity and hope, demonstrating how grassroots leadership can create meaningful change in the lives of individuals and families across Victoria.
Dr Umber Rind: Representing Multicultural Australia’s Living History
Dr Umber Rind is a Baloch Muslim Indigenous doctor whose cameleer and Yamatji Badimaya heritage reflects the complex and interconnected histories of Australia’s multicultural society.
For more than two decades, Rind has provided healthcare to thousands of vulnerable Victorians, including Aboriginal children and refugee families.
Alongside her medical practice, she advocates for Muslim women, women of colour and multifaith communities. Her work brings together healthcare, cultural understanding and advocacy for communities that may face barriers to representation and access to services.
Rind’s recognition acknowledges both her sustained contribution to healthcare and her advocacy for a more inclusive society.
South Asian Leadership Making a Difference
The achievements of these award recipients demonstrate the breadth of South Asian contributions to Australian public life.
Their work spans entrepreneurship, employment, policing, education, women’s health, family violence prevention, sport, refugee support and medical care. Several also lead or contribute to organisations that connect multicultural communities with essential services and opportunities.
Their stories highlight a shared theme: migration and cultural diversity can be powerful sources of leadership, innovation and community resilience.
From helping newly arrived migrants find jobs to encouraging Afghan girls to participate in sport, supporting refugee students and improving culturally safe healthcare, these leaders are turning experience into action.
Their recognition at the 2026 Victorian Multicultural Awards for Excellence celebrates not only individual achievement but also the wider contribution of South Asian and refugee communities to Victoria’s social, economic and cultural future.
