Garrett has spent almost 40 years reporting on the Pacific and training regional journalists.

In addition to Prof. Rane and Swami Sanyuktanand, this year’s awardees include achievers from countries as diverse as Austria, Japan, the United States, and Guyana.

Jatla Siddartha’s moving film, which offers a searing allegorical critique of capitalism, was unanimously selected by the AFF Competition Jury.

Dr Martin, founder of Asha, was honoured by the University of Melbourne for her transformative work improving health, education, and socio-economic conditions for India’s urban poor.

Currently, six participants are in their second year of the program, working across key AFP areas such as Covert and Technical Operations, data analytics, software development, and hardware engineering.

Competing against over 70,000 students nationwide, Aditya secured victory with a score of 29/30 in an astonishing 1:34.433—an impressive 39 seconds faster than the runner-up.

Named as one of the top 15 women in the world in AI, Prof. Venkatesh’s AI solutions are addressing critical real-world challenges, leaving a profound impact on multiple industries.

These awards, now in their fourth year, celebrate those who have played a pivotal role in enhancing Australia’s relationships with Asia, particularly from Australia’s Asian communities.

Australian women researchers will also benefit from similar opportunities to engage with their Indian counterparts.

Leela's long-term goal is to establish a social enterprise restaurant that offers training opportunities to disadvantaged youth in remote areas.