Anil Sharma talks about Bhav Dhillon’s role as a Kiwi Indian in shaping up the economic, social and institutional aspects of the country.
In continuation of my article about the important role of Indians in New Zealand – here’s another rock and stalwart of the Kiwi Indian Community – Bhav Dhillon. Bhav is a well-known community leader and an established Business Leader of repute in New Zealand.
As Managing Director of CEMIX, which is an iconic Kiwi brand that has been in NZ for over 30 years Bhav is a market leader, manufacturing innovative construction products with a nationwide presence. Cemix has been part of the Deloitte Fast50 in 2011 and a finalist in the Green Ribbon Awards. He has also been profiled by the Idealog Magazine for quality assurance and R&D led product development initiatives.
Bhav is currently appointed as the Honorary Consul of India in Auckland. With a sound understanding of most bilateral trade and community issues, he is a strong advocate for the India NZ relationship, involved with the Indian Diaspora in NZ for nearly 15 years.
He also is on the board of Foundation North, Australasia’s largest philanthropic funding agency. Foundation North holds in trust for the Auckland and Northland communities an endowment, or putea, of over a billion dollars. That endowment is used to make millions of dollars in grants each year to not-for-profit groups in Auckland and Northland.
Bhav is also the Chair of There’s a Better Way Foundation which works alongside NZ Police, Auckland Council and other like-minded organisations for creating pathways for positive change among youth at risk of gang culture and drugs.
On the business community front, he is the Publisher of The Indian Weekender, which is a trusted newspaper for the Kiwi-Indians. He is also the Founder/organizer of the annual “Kiwi Indian Hall of Fame” where the Prime Minister is the Guest of Honour. These awards are constituted to celebrate the success of individuals in the Diaspora.
Having achieved all these accolades, Bhav still remains a humble and genuinely approachable person who will go an extra mile to reach out to people around him. Due to his involvement in the welfare of the local community, he also received the Auckland Council Community Safety Award for the community project – There’s a Better Way.
Bhav’s recent major achievement was when he was honoured with Indian government’s highest Indian diaspora award – Pravasi Bhartiya Samman. Besides that, he has been the recipient of Herald on Sunday – Sideline Champs Awards 2013 due to his involvement with creating Pathways of Change for the Youth at risk.
As a torch bearer of the Kiwi Indians he is another example who has proved the significant role of the Indian community in shaping the future of the country. There is enough evidence that suggests that international migration can boost the host countries over the years, by increasing diversity thereby translating to long term economic growth.