Skip to content

Involvement in the Local Indian Community

Over the past two decades, there have been many sub-continent events like Independence day, Republic day displays, and events on Indian food, fashion and culture that Geraldine worked voluntarily and tirelessly to make young overseas Indian students feel at home in Melbourne and showcase and share the richness of cultural India in Melbourne. When the torch for the Commonwealth games came through Dandenong Geraldine organised a very colourful welcome with the support of Little India’s retailers showering the torch as it passed through with rose petals the sights and sounds of the sub-continent in Melbourne.

  • Geraldine readily devotes time voluntarily to share celebrate and educate Australians on the colourful diverse cultural blend of India’s rich heritage.
  • Welcoming Melbourne’s first Consul General Anita Nair.
  • With Melbourne’s Indian Consul General and Indian group community leaders.
  • The first festival began in Dandenong in my very first year as Councillor. In the year 2000. I was approached by Mr.Thomas John and Mr Paul Rajan and Mr Lucas for support and as City Councillor, I happily was in a position to be able to do so and assist them and the Malayalee and Tamil society presidents the rest, as they say, is history. This became the start of a very beautiful event that happy to say is ongoing with greater support with each year. ✝️
  • Geraldine together with her band of volunteer helpers from Little India in Dandenong and the AIII helped voluntarily to welcome Anoushka Shankar to her first performance at the Melbourne Arts Centre by creating an ambience of the subcontinent in the foyer of the Arts Centre together with a rangoli peacock carpeting the entrance to the box office of the Arts Centre.
  • At a 2016 Indian Independence Day Celebration in Melbourne. Pictured in the September 2016 edition of The Indian Voice page 46 with the Chief Editor of Indian Voice. Mr Raj Dudeja.
  • “Be the change you want to see happen” – Mahatma Gandhi in Mangalore in India 1927 – India 🇮🇳 became Independent in 1947. “Perseverance helps dreams become a reality. This is why I have kept persevering and not given up trying, to keep Democracy alive and well in the South East Metropolitan Region of Victoria. You will do well if you choose to VOTE 1 🗳 for Geraldine GONSALVEZ in the South East Metropolitan Region.
  • The dawn of hope and a new era for Melbourne’s Indian Community all poised to celebrate the first public Diwali or Festival of Lights Fair in Greater Dandenong
  • The dawn of hope and a new era for Melbourne’s Indian Community all poised to celebrate the first public Diwali or Festival of Lights Fair in Greater Dandenong
  • The dawn of hope and a new era for Melbourne’s Indian Community all poised to celebrate the first public Diwali or Festival of Lights Fair in Greater Dandenong
  • The dawn of hope and a new era for Melbourne’s Indian Community all poised to celebrate the first public Diwali or Festival of Lights Fair in Greater Dandenong

Response to Age Article – The ‘second city’ that disappeared: Dandenong is at a crossroad

Click Here for the Link to the Age Article
It is a crucial time for Greater Dandenong and the South East metropolitan region locally. The Little India precinct was positioned for a great vision amidst much opposition at the dawn of our millennium by myself who was then the Independent elected Dandenong City Councillor. It was a vision I worked hard to enhance in response to a gap and a need for support within our local community. After leaving the Dandenong Council in mid-2003 it gradually went down from bad to worse and was sadly poorly neglected and subject to political clashes. Now is the time to be at the table to push opportunity for all as its revitalisation agenda has been re-announced and in the Government’s focus. I may not have the resources but I have secured the opportunity to get nominated among the mix of candidates for the 5 vacancies in this upper house region. As I live in this region I would like very much to ensure the dream of Little India’s re-vitalisation becomes a modern reality. This can happen with your support in your No.1 vote

Questionnaire for the Bharat Times

Good Morning Venu Gopal, Thank you for contacting me and best wishes for The Bharat Times News Paper – Jai Hind. This is my busiest week. Given our Emergency 4 COVID 19 Lockdown down reality in Victoria, my campaign rests on my shoulders to a large extent is as all my dear family reside out…

by Admin

%d bloggers like this: