Key Points
- Fifth-generation Australian Punjabi Manmeet Bedi used AI tools to uncover his family's 140-year-old migration journey.
- Manmeet preserved his family’s migration story through a children’s book to pass their history on to future generations.
- The book became an Amazon #1 best-seller in Children's books on Australian & Oceanian History and in Multicultural Biographies for Children.
Melbourne resident Manmeet Bedi grew up listening to tales of his family’s migration to Australia, but there was little documentation to confirm their journey.
“I didn’t want our history to disappear with my 96-year-old grandfather. I wanted to be able to share that story with our future generation,” he told SBS Punjabi.
His investigation began with his maternal grandfather, Teja Singh Grewal, who arrived in Australia in 1947.
"I was about a year old when my father came to Australia, but I didn’t learn much about his life here until I reunited with him in 1947. Sadly, my grandfather had already passed away by the time I arrived in Queensland," Teja shared.
This was all Manmeet knew at first, before modern tools helped him uncover a much wider story.
“I always thought our family history in Australia began with my grandfather, who helped establish some of the first Gurdwaras (Sikh temples) in the country. But through modern technology, AI tools, and thorough research, I uncovered a wealth of information,” he added.
The 39-year-old discovered that his great-great-grandfather arrived in Melbourne in 1885, followed by his great-grandfather in 1901.
“I found Booja Singh’s Certificate of Exemption from the White Australia policy, his British passport, and letters he sent to his wife while living here,” Manmeet recounted.
We’ve been here for 140 years, our roots run deep in this country and we should all know that and be proud of it.Manmeet Bedi
Manmeet converted his family’s migration journey into a children’s picture book titled 'Where the Mustard Fields Meet the Southern Cross'.
What began as a personal family project soon became an Amazon number one best-seller in Children's books on Australian & Oceanian history and in Multicultural Biographies for Children.
Manmeet claims that the book not only preserved his family’s history but also helped him discover his own identity.
“This journey and this book made me realise that I don’t belong to just one culture, I belong to both. I take pride in my Punjabi heritage, and I also belong to the land under the Southern Cross,” he said.
Manmeet’s work has received support from community leaders, including NSW Nationals leader Gurmesh Singh in Coffs Harbour and the Mayor of Maribyrnong, Mohamed Semra.
“Our history is woven into the fabric of Australia; we aren’t guests here, we’ve been here for 140 years, and we should be proud of that,” Manmeet shared.
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