The Asian‑Australian Leadership Awards, organised by Asialink at University of Melbourne recently, honoured a remarkable range of Asian‑Australians across fields — from science and medicine to arts, public service, business, media and community advocacy. At the top, the Overall Winner was Dr Sonu Bhaskar, recognised for his pioneering work in neurology and global‑health research. Meanwhile, the Lifetime Achievement Award went to Hieu Van Le AC, acknowledging his decades of public service and bridge‑building between Asia and Australia.
The 2025 awardees across categories included winners such as Lyn Dickens (Arts & Culture), Alex Lee (Community & Advocacy / Not‑for‑Profit), Sangeeta Mulchandani (Innovation & Entrepreneurship), and Carys Chan (Education), among many others. In Science & Medicine, as well as in Public Sector, Corporate, Legal & Professional Services, Sports and Rising‑Star categories, individuals from diverse backgrounds were celebrated — underscoring the breadth of talent and achievement within the Asian‑Australian community.
This year’s Media & Journalism category finalist list featured Dr Amit Sarwal, a renowned academic, journalist, and co‑founder of The Australia Today. His inclusion is significant, as it highlights the recognition of independent media outlets alongside long‑established institutions and leaders. The Australia Today has emerged as one of Australia’s most impactful, fastest‑growing, and widely-read independent media organisations. This acknowledgement further affirms its journalistic standards, editorial vision, and its role in bridging Australia–Asia narratives.
Other notable winners of the 2025 Asian‑Australian Leadership Awards included Usman Khawaja in Sports; Ferdy Bong in Corporate; Neary Ty in Media & Journalism; Cynthia Yuan in Public Sector / Government; Annie Zhou as the Under‑25 Rising Star; Christina Choi in Legal & Professional Services; Dr Haihui Joy Jiang in Science; and Dr Eric Chow in Medicine.
These winners and finalists highlighted the wide-ranging impact and leadership of Asian‑Australians across multiple sectors, reflecting both professional excellence and contributions to the broader community.
Support our Journalism
No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.
