Victoria’s Indian community donates $200,000 to help state’s bushfire victims

“Victoria has the biggest and the best Indian community in our country,” said Premier Daniel Andrews while thanking the community members for the donations.

Victoria's Indian community raises nearly $200,000 for the state's bushfire victims. Source: SBS

Various sections of Victoria’s Indian community have banded together to raise nearly $200,000 to help and support the bushfire victims, many of whom have been forced to leave everything behind, including their homes. 

Community representatives, religious organisations, business owners and individuals gathered in Melbourne to handover the donations to Premier Daniel Andrews on Friday.

Devastating bushfires have already destroyed more than a million hectares and hundreds of buildings, displacing thousands of people and leaving many families in desperate need of help, largely in the state's eastern and north-eastern regions.

Thanking the community for its generosity, Mr Andrews said the donations would be donated to the impacted families and communities to help rebuild their lives.

“We have seen hundreds of homes, many thousands of cattle and sheep, fencing shedding and tragically we have had three people die at the as part of these fires.

“I’ll be delighted to be able to pass on these donations to the bushfire appeal. One hundred cents in every dollar of the funds you have donated will get to people who have lost property, people who have lost their homes,” he added.

 

Funds raised will be donated to the impacted Victorian families and communities to help rebuild their lives. Source: SBS

The Premier added that Victoria's worst-ever fire season would continue to need the support of the Indian community to overcome these challenging times.

“I know that across the different groups within the Indian community, there are a series of common threads, family, friendship, handwork, the importance of education and the importance of looking after those who are the least fortunate. They are such strong values.”

Luckee Kohli of Australia India Strategy Group said he was delighted and proud of “such generous show of unity” by the Indian community.

“I’m hopeful that the Indian community will keep donating more funds for the bushfire relief,” he said. 

Mr Andrews said he always knew that Victoria was home to Australia's largest Indian community, but “today there is simply no doubt that it is also the best Indian community in our country.”

Donations can also be made online at www.vic.gov.au/bushfireappeal or in any branch of the Bendigo Bank. 

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