CHANDIGARH: India-born Abhishek Awasthi, 43, who hails from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, has been elected Mayor of the City of Greater Bendigo in Australia, becoming the first person of Indian origin to hold the post.
He was unanimously elected for the 2026-2027 term at a special meeting of the Greater Bendigo City Council on Monday evening. The election was held at The Capital Theatre in Bendigo, with around 250 people attending the event. Councillor Andrea Metcalf was elected Deputy Mayor.
Awasthi, who previously served as Deputy Mayor, will lead the council for a one-year term. He became Greater Bendigo's first Indian-origin Deputy Mayor for the 2024-2025 term, serving alongside then Mayor Andrea Metcalf.
The City of Greater Bendigo is a local government area in Victoria, Australia.
After being chosen for the position, Awasthi thanked his fellow councillors for their support and expressed gratitude to his parents, relatives and all those who had supported him throughout his journey. He also said he would work to meet the expectations of Greater Bendigo residents.
“I am truly honoured and humbled to have been elected Mayor of the City of Greater Bendigo. Thank you to my fellow Councillors for their trust and confidence, and to our community for the opportunity to serve,” Awasthi wrote on Facebook.
Awasthi hails from Lower Samkhetar in Mandi and went to Australia in 2008 to pursue higher education. He enrolled at La Trobe University, where he completed studies in biotechnology and later earned a master's degree in bioinformatics. Alongside his studies, he also took up part-time work. He became an Australian citizen in 2015 and lives in Greater Bendigo with his wife, Anima, and daughter, Agni.
Over the years, Awasthi held several important positions in the Victorian state government. After settling in Bendigo in 2010, he began engaging with local community groups, taking up volunteering opportunities and participating in initiatives aimed at promoting multiculturalism.
He entered local government after winning the councillor's election from the city's Kennington Ward in November 2024. Greater Bendigo has nine wards.
He also founded the Indian Association of Bendigo, which was officially formed in 2021. The organisation works to connect Indian families across central Victoria through cultural events, charitable initiatives and community support programmes.
Awasthi's parents, who were present at the swearing-in ceremony along with other relatives, shared in the occasion. His father, Surender Pal, is retired from the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), while his mother, Champa Sharma, is a homemaker.