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IABCA HALL OF FAME

The Lifetime Achievement of the Year is of the highest honour and our most coveted award. This award is non-contested, meaning candidates cannot nominate for this category. They are selected by our IABCA jury in collaboration with the board. The award honours an individual who has significantly contributed to the Australia India Relationship.  

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IABCA 2022 Lifetime Achievement Winner

Ambassador Anil Wadhwa

 Former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs Government of India
Author, Australia Economic Strategy Report 2020

Ambassador Anil Wadhwa was a member of the India Foreign Service from 1979–2017 and has served as the Indian Ambassador to Italy, Thailand, Oman and Poland. As Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs of India he oversaw relations with South East Asia, Gulf and West Asia, Pacific and Australasia.

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IABCA 2021 Lifetime Achievement Winner
Ashok Jacob
Executive Chairman of Ellerston Capital (NSW), Chair Australia India Council DFAT

Mr Jacob is the Executive Chairman of Ellerston Capital. He is also a Director of MRF Ltd, one of India's largest tyre companies based in Chennai. Mr Jacob is a director of Thorney Opportunities Limited. Mr Jacob was the Managing Director of Thorney Holdings, the investment arm of the Pratt Group, from 1991 to 1998, after joining in 1984.

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IABCA 2019 Lifetime Achievement Winner

Professor Jane den Hollander

Vice-Chancellor 

Deakin University

Professor Jane den Hollander AO has most recently retired from full time work, as Vice-Chancellor at Deakin University. At Deakin, Professor den Hollander introduced LIVE the future, an aspiration for Deakin to drive the digital frontier in higher education, harnessing the power, opportunity and reach of new and emerging technologies in all that it does.​

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In 2017 den Hollander was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to tertiary education through a range of executive administration and advisory roles, as a supporter of professional educational organizations, and to the community

Professor Arun Sharma, 2018 IABCA Lifetime Achievement Award Winner

IABCA 2018 Lifetime Achievement Winner

Professor Arun Sharma

Deputy Vice-Chancellor 

Queensland University of Technology

Professor Arun Sharma has been the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Commercialisation) at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) since June 2004. In this role, he has overseen one of the fastest growths in research trajectory of any university in Australia (more than three-fold increase in annual research funding and a two and half-fold increase in the number of PhD students graduating annually). This performance has helped QUT climb from 18th position to 9th nationally in research block grants, and to rapidly rise in global rankings – QUT is today ranked in the top 250 in both the Times Higher Education and QS rankings and has climbed more than 200 places in the Academic Ranking of World Universities over the past three years to be in the top 300.

Neville Roach AO, IABCA 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner

IABCA 2017 Lifetime Achievement Winner

Neville Roach AO

Chairman Emeritus

AIBC

Neville Roach is a graduate of the University of Bombay, India, majoring in economics and political science. Mr Roach is a well-known ICT industry leader. He has served as Chairman and CEO of Fujitsu Australia Limited, Chairman of the Australian Information Industry Association and President of the Asian Oceanian Computing Industry Organisation. In 2008 he received the Pearcey Medal for lifetime achievement and contribution to the ICT industry, research and professions. He has made a significant contribution to Education and Research. He is a member of the NSW Premiers Advisory Council for International Education. 

Peter Varghese AO, IABCA 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner

IABCA 2016 Lifetime Achievement Winner

Peter Varghese AO

Chancellor

The University of Queensland

Peter Varghese AO is the Chancellor of the University of Queensland. His thirty eight year public service career included Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Director General of the Office of National Assessments and senior adviser on international issues in the office of PM John Howard. Mr Varghese was High Commissioner to India (2009 to 2012) and has also served as High Commissioner to Malaysia and in diplomatic positions in Tokyo, Washington and Vienna. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the Australia India Institute and was IABCA's Ambassador of the Year in 2016. He sits on the board of AMP and AMP Capital Holdings. Born in Kenya, his parents hailed from Kerala, India and the family migrated to Australia in 1964.

Dhruv Deepak Saxena, IABCA 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner

IABCA 2015 Lifetime Achievement Winner

Dhruv Deepak Saxena

Managing Director

ROBE

DD Saxena and his team have built from a start up greenfield site one of the largest and best canola oil seed plants in Asia that provides Australia with a sustainable and growing industry in providing non GMO food oil not just to Australia. Exports to Asia and US with markets opening in Europe with DD and his engineering team (talent also sourced from India) have taken a position of leadership to show the local industry what the export opportunity is. 

Manjit Gurjal, IABCA 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner

IABCA 2014 Lifetime Achievement Winner

Manjit Gujral

Founder

Manjit's Indian Restaurant

Mr. Gujral arrived in Australia in 1984, and over the last 3 decades has pioneered Indian cuisine in the Australian community. Over time, he spread his magic from restaurants, to catering, events and function Centres. Everyone today knows that Manjits is synonymous with flawlessly executed events and utmost professionalism in the industry.  Over the course of his career, Mr Gujral has worked with some of the biggest and most exclusive venues in Sydney.

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