“Three streets will be collectively known as ‘Little India’, a suburb to welcome people and a destination in New South Wales,” said Sanjay Deshwal, president of the Little India Harris Park Business Association.
“We’ve been talking about this for a long time, the wheels are in motion and it’s not going to stop.”
A multicultural suburb
More than 600,000 people in Australia were born in India, according to the 2021 Census. That includes 45 per cent of Harris Park’s residents, a suburb home to around 5,000 people.
Source: SBS News
Gurmeet Tuli migrated to Australia from Punjab 30 years ago and now owns a jewellery business that has a shop in Harris Park. He is also the president of non-profit community organisation Little India Australia.
He says while many in the community have long informally referred to the hub of Indian restaurants, grocers, convenience stores, and fashion shops as ‘Little India’, the official name change will boost trade.
Harris Park is home to one of Gurmeet Tuli’s jewellery shops. Credit: SBS News.
“In Harris Park, I will say ‘Little India’, 90 per cent of the business people are of Indian origin,” he said.
“We would be very lucky to develop this as a cultural precinct.”
Mr Modi’s exact itinerary for his trip is not yet confirmed but Mr Panchal says reservations have been flooding in from interstate and overseas, with customers eager to take part in what has been dubbed by some as ‘Modi mania’.
Suraj Panchal is the co-founder of the Chatkazz Indian restaurant chain, which has a restaurant in Harris Park. Credit: SBS News.
“We’ve been trying to pump up the momentum of everyone here,” he said.
“We’re so excited. If the Indian prime minister walks into Harris Park, it will be a huge boost for businesses here.”
Source: SBS News
It’s a hope shared by Nirav Desai, the managing director of nearby Indian vegetarian restaurant Hara Bhara.
“Him being here is quite the excitement for the Indian community and it’s morale-boosting for small businesses like us.”
Community concerns
Mahesh White-Radhakrishnan is the acting Australia-New Zealand chair for Hindus for Human Rights and said some Indian Australians have concerns about issues in their homeland.
Mahesh White-Radhakrishnan said some community members have human rights concerns. Credit: Stephanie Morris, National Library of Australia.
“There are concerns around human rights, around the treatment of minorities and the freedom of the press, and we’d like these to be raised by Prime Minister Albanese,” they said.
A multi-faith walk was held in Harris Park on Sunday to bring together members of the local Indian Australian diaspora.
Business owners and community leaders in Harris Park. Source: SBS News / Jennifer Scherer
“Different faith practices are joining together to show solidarity to the community – that’s the society we live in, in Australia,” said organiser Parag Shah, chairperson of the Indian Community Forum.