Australian Sikh Awards for Excellence in Sydney recognises contributions of unsung heroes

In an Australian first, the Australian Sikh Awards for Excellence (ASAE) were held on 17 June 2023 amongst dignitaries, business professionals and community organisations at the Shangri-La Hotel in Sydney. Over 300 guests attended the event to recognise and celebrate the many achievements of the finalists and winners.

Conceptualised by Sikh Youth Australia (SYA) and the Young Sikh Professionals Network (YSPN),  this national awards platform aims to recognise the contributions of unsung heroes from the Sikh  community who have gone above and beyond in their contributions to the socio-economic development of Australia.

Spread across eight categories, the awards focussed on the significance of contributions made by an individual in their respective category, and the impact of their efforts on the broader Australian  community.

An independent panel of seven representatives from across Australia was established with diversity  across geographies, professions, gender and age groups. Mr Tarandeep Singh Ahuja, Chair of the  ASAE Panel, said, “We had an independent, national selection panel of distinctive leaders from  across our society who rigorously reviewed and assessed these nominations, selecting three finalists  in each category. There were so many inspiring stories of achievements and selfless contributions, and in our eyes, every one of them is a winner.”

Michelle Rowland MP, Minister for Communications and Member for Greenway, Mark Buttigieg MLC, Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural NSW, and Harinder Sidhu, Australian High Commissioner to New Zealand were among the dignitaries.

The winners for the 2023 Australian Sikh Awards for Excellence include:

Excellence in Agriculture: Prof. Zora Singh

A highly acclaimed horticulture researcher and educator, Prof. Zora Singh has made ground-breaking contributions to global food security.

Excellence in Arts, Culture or Music: Sukhdeep Singh Bhogal

Known as “L-FRESH the LION”, Sukhdeep is an award-winning Sikh hip hop artist from Sydney, breaking barriers in Western hip hop with cultural appreciation.

Excellence in Community Service: Tejinder Pal Singh

Tejinder Pal Singh has been selflessly serving the Darwin community, using personal funds to feed locals in need for the past 13 years.

Excellence in Leadership: Jasbir Singh Randhawa

Assistant Director at the Australian Hydrographic Office, Jasbir Singh Randhawa advances

hydrographic surveying, helping boost Australia’s reputation globally.

Excellence in a Professional Field: Prof. Jaswinder Singh Samra

A highly respected surgeon and Clinical Professor of Surgery at the University of Sydney, Jaswinder Singh Samra leads the renowned Royal North Shore pancreatic surgery unit, co-founded the Australian Pancreatic Centre, and is a pioneer in robotic surgery and liver resection.

Excellence in Sports: Jason Jaskirat Singh Sangha

An accomplished Australian cricketer and captain of the Sydney Thunder Big Bash team, Jason Jaskirat Singh Sangha holds records as the second-youngest player to score a century against  England and is the leading run-scorer in the Under-19 Cricket World Cup.

Australian Sikh Woman of the Year: Dr Parwinder Kaur

An award-winning scientist and professor, Dr Parwinder Kaur inspires the next generation of diverse scientists. She leads biotechnology research, founded DNA Zoo Australia, and established Ex Planta Pty Ltd.

Young Australian Sikh of the Year (under 30 years): Sukhjit Kaur

A trailblazer in the arts sector, Sukhjit Kaur is an award-winning Young Australian Sikh known for her spoken word poetry and theatre productions.