THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Barry O’Farrell AO has announced three Direct Aid Program (DAP) grants for Kerala. The projects will cover road safety, engaging STEM education for marginalised young children, and financial literacy and entrepreneurship training for women.
They will be implemented through Rajagiri institution, the Women’s Organisation for Socio-Cultural Awareness (WOSCA) and the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India. The total funding would be about Rs 28 lakh. The announcement was made during the High Commissioner’s visit to Thiruvananthapuram on Friday to advance Australia’s ties with Kerala.
The High Commissioner was accompanied by Consul-General for South India Sarah Kirlew. “With the entry into force of our free trade agreement, Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) and the growing Indian diaspora in Australia, there has never been a better time in our bilateral relationship. We see lots of potential to do more with Kerala in the fields of education, trade and cultural ties,” the High Commissioner said.
The High Commissioner called on P Rajeeve, Minister for Industries, to discuss ECTA opportunities in Kerala. He also held a roundtable meeting with Chief Secretary V P Joy and Venu Rajamony, Officer on Special Duty (External Cooperation), to review progress in the Australia-Kerala relationship. The High Commissioner encouraged students from Kerala to consider studying in Australia.
“Australia deeply values our international students, and students from Kerala are very welcome. For Australian alumni in Kerala, I encourage you to apply under the fourth round of the Australian Alumni Grant Scheme (AAGS), which is open for applications. AAGS provides seed funding for Australian alumni based in India to support their innovative ideas for strengthening Australia-India bilateral ties. We are also interested in exploring skills collaborations with Kerala,” said the High Commissioner. O’Farrell and Kirlew also met Shashi Tharoor MP.
80k Malayalis in Australia
High Commissioner O’Farrell recognised the significant contribution of the Malayali diaspora to Australia’s multicultural society. According to the Australian Census 2021 data, around 80,000 people speak Malayalam at home in Australia, the third largest Indian language group. “The Indian diaspora is the fastest growing in Australia. Our diaspora is a living bridge between our two countries and can also help to facilitate trade and investment ties,” he said.