Tuesday, 15 August 2023
Shangri-La Hotel
Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC

Bujari gamarruwa

Diyn Babana Gamarada Gadigal Ngura

In greeting you in the language of the Gadigal, Traditional Owners of this land, I pay my respects to Elders past, present, and emerging.

• The Honourable Daniel Mookhey MLC, Treasurer, representing the Premier of New South Wales
• NSW Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Ministers
• Members of Parliament, Consuls-General, Councillors, Distinguished Guests

To put ‘spin’ on an aphorism of Voltaire, one might say that “If India didn’t exist, it would be necessary to invent it.” India with its 9 religions, more than 22 languages and over 540 dialects represents “a phenomenon (of) not just a country, but (of) cultural consciousness.”[1] I am delighted to be here to celebrate the 76-year anniversary of Independence with you.

93 years ago, Gandhi led the now-famous 24-day Salt March from his ashram at Sabarmati to Dandi. Wading into the sea, he picked up a handful of salt-encrusted deposits announcing that with this: “I am shaking the foundations of the British Empire.” This act set in chain a series of protests that contributed to the Indian Independence Bill coming into force at midnight on 15 August 1947, with Nehru as Prime Minister.

Gandhi’s role as a leader of the Independence movement is well-documented. What is perhaps less well-known, certainly in the western world, is the role of women leaders, including Kamaladevi Chattopadhya  and Usha Mehta.

Gandhi’s simple gesture of picking up a handful of salt told the story of a nation: it was salt, a mainstay of Indian life, that was a symbol of resistance and the spirit of independence.

Kamaladevi Chattopadhya, founding member of the All-India Women’s Conference, understood not only the symbolism but the pragmatism of Gandhi’s wisdom.  Salt, important to health and nutrition in its hot climate, is an important ingredient in Indian cuisine. It was also widely used in the production of village crafts and textiles, female-led industries which had long supported rural life in India. 

On 6 April 1930, Chattopadhya, led a group of women dressed in hand-spun khadis to the Chowpatty beach in Mumbai (then Bombay) to make salt on makeshift stoves or chulhas which they then sold outside the Bombay High Court and the Stock Exchange – a powerful statement by any measure.

A few days later, Chattopadhya led a raid on the Wadala Salt Depot. Arrested, at her trial, she tried to sell the ‘freedom salt’ in the courtroom, asking the judge to quit his position and join the Satyagraha movement.  A nine-month prison sentence did not dent her pride or her activism.  As she later said: “On that memorable day, thousands of women strode down to the sea like proud warriors. But instead of weapons they bore pitchers of clay, brass and copper: and instead of uniforms, [they wore] the simple cotton saris of village India”.[2]

Chattopadhya was the first woman to run for a legislative seat in India, losing by a mere 55 votes.  Post-Independence, she led the renaissance of village handicrafts, including hand-loom weaving in the new India.

Usha Mehta, a politics student at Wilson College, joined the Quit India Movement.  In 1942, at the age of 22, and with a small group of activists, she set up an underground radio transmitter to spread Gandhi’s ‘Do or Die’ message.   Operating for just over three months before she was arrested after a mechanic revealed their location, she was imprisoned for three and a quarter years. 

After Independence, Usha Mehta earned her PhD on ‘Gandhian Thought’ at the University of Bombay.  Living a frugal life, preferring to wear the handwoven khadi, crafted by village women, she taught at Wilson College for 30 years.  In 1998, she was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest of India’s civilian honours.

Today, village crafts are having an economic resurgence. A recent study revealed that craft in India is one of the largest employment drivers after agriculture.  With official figures sitting at 7 million, it is suggested that the real figure is something like 200 million people engaged in the industry.  In a recent blog by the Indian Brand Equity Foundation, it was forecast that the industry has the potential to be a multi-billion- dollar industry. 

Today provides an opportune occasion to honour those who foresaw the importance of maintaining the skills that produce the beautiful fabrics for which India is so famous.

Economic prosperity is as fundamental to national security as symbolism is to the heart of a nation.  There are many strands to the magnificent story of Indian independence. Its kaleidoscopic colour, richness and texture is reflected in the exquisite artisanship and detail of Indian mirrorwork and embroidery across all states – the sheesha and kutch; the kantha; banjara and chikan …; from the phulkari of the Punjab to the toda embroidery of Tamil Nadu.  

New South Wales, Australia’s most populous State, is the home state of choice of the Indian diaspora in Australia, who turned out in force to welcome Prime Minister Modi in May this year.  Prime Minister Albanese has already visited India and will do so again in September for the G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi.

During his visit, Prime Minister Modi rightly observed that: “Neither India or Australia could live without cricket.” A truism, for sure, and we are more than happy to have snagged local player Tanveer Sangha, a right arm leg-spinner for our One Day International squad in the upcoming ICC World Cup later this year.

And, of course, it is a great year for women … As the Matildas prepare to face England’s Lionesses in tomorrow night’s FIFA Women’s World Cup semi-final, it is important to acknowledge the Indian heritage of captain, Sam Kerr, whose grandmother is Indian and whose father was born in Kolkata. Go the Matildas!

From people to bilateral relations, our relationship is deep and it is broad - ranging from defence, with the Royal Australian Navy hosting partners India, Japan and the United States in Sydney for Exercise Malabar to education, as Indian students increasingly choose Australia for graduate and post-graduate study; to our trade relations which, for over a quarter of century have seen India’s exports to Australia increase at an annualised rate of 10.8%.

In 1925, Gandhi said: “Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and test of our civilisation.”[3] 76 years on from Independence, Gandhi’s hopes have settled well over your nation. 

To the people of India and the NSW Indian community, warmest best wishes on this 76th Anniversary of Independence. 

Namaste.