As a result of a partnership supported by Mr Julian Leeser MP, between the Hindu Council of Australia and the Hornsby RSL Sub-Branch, with a grant from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the cenotaph has been erected in the Cherrybrook Community and Cultural Centre.
This memorial includes the names of 12 soldiers of Indian origin who fought for Australia in the first world war. However, the names have been questioned by renowned historians Lenn Kenna and Crystal Jordan.
Source: Vivek Asri
Mr Kenna and Ms Jordan have been researching on Indian-Australians for over three decades. The historian duo believes that the list is not correct and some names have been omitted deliberately.
“Our concern is that the list is incomplete and has erroneously named three Sikhs who after enlistment were discharged, on medical grounds or other reasons. The list does not include any Muslim names, despite the fact a number of Muslim Indians did enlist, including the famous Cass Mahomet, the " Indian Digger” and Charles Khan, who received a Meritorious Medal at Gallipoli,” said Mr Kenna.
When questioned, The Hindu council president Prakash Mehta clarified that the list had been verified with the War Memorial archives in Canberra.
Source: Vivek Asri
“We sent the list to the war memorial archives, and they verified it. However, we are happy to add more names to the list as and when they come to our knowledge as it is about honouring the soldiers of Indian origin,” said Mr Mehta.
However, Ms Jordan alleges that the names of non-Hindu soldiers have been omitted deliberately which Mr Mehta has denied.
“Many Muslim Indians did enlist, including the famous Cass Mahomet, the "Indian Digger” and Charles Khan, who received a Meritorious Medal at Gallipoli. Several Anglo-Indians did enlist in the A.I.F. including Major General William Birdwood and Charles Henry Fairbeard, to name two, who was born in Kirkee, India. Why their names are not there,” asks Ms Jordan adding that “Hindu Council of Australia is unlikely to be a right platform for such commemorations. India is a secular nation.”
Source: Vivek Asri
This is not the first memorial of its kind in Australia though. A monument was unveiled by the Australians of Indian Heritage War Memorial Committee (AIHWMC) in November 2017, at Sunnybank, Queensland recognising Indian Soldiers from both WWI and WWII.
