Newly appointed as a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, Dame Ranjna Patel has dedicated her life to uplifting others and driving meaningful change in the communities that need it most.
Her King’s Honour is a tribute to decades of unwavering service across ethnic communities, healthcare, and the prevention of family violence. Yet for Dame Ranjna, recognition has never been the goal. “If you listen to people at the grassroots and work out a solution that works for them, you’re more likely to get buy-in—even for something completely different,” she explains.
This commitment to community-driven solutions, coupled with a bold spirit of innovation, has allowed her to tackle some of the most pressing yet often overlooked challenges in ethnic communities—from disparities in health to hidden cycles of family violence. For Dame Ranjna, giving back isn’t just a responsibility—it’s who she is.
One of her most impactful initiatives is Gandhi Nivas, established over a decade ago. The groundbreaking programme provides 24/7 free support for men at risk of committing family violence, while also supporting women and children. By addressing the roots of harmful behaviour before it escalates, Gandhi Nivas has helped nearly 900 men over five years achieve a 60% non-reoffending rate. Originally aimed at South Asian families, the service now supports all ethnicities and has drawn international interest, including from overseas police forces.
Dame Ranjna is also the co-founder of Tāmaki Health, one of New Zealand’s largest primary health networks. From its origins in a single clinic in Ōtara, it has grown to serve more than 300,000 people nationwide, always focused on achieving equitable access to healthcare—particularly for Māori, Pacific peoples, and underserved populations.
Her focus on community began early, working in her family’s fruit shop in Herne Bay. There, she learned the value of empathy, respect, and responsiveness—principles that still guide her work today. These values were embedded in the health movement she and her husband, Dr Kantilal Patel, began in 1997: affordable, accessible care grounded in trust.
She later founded Mana 4 Mums, a free wraparound service supporting Māori and Pasifika women under 23 from the moment they discover they’re pregnant until their baby turns 15 months. The initiative provides essential care during the most vulnerable early stages of motherhood.
Beyond health, Dame Ranjna’s influence spans social, cultural, and philanthropic spheres. She and her husband funded and gifted the Swaminarayan Temple (ISSO) and Swaminarayan Complex in Auckland—a spiritual and cultural hub open to all New Zealanders.
As an executive trustee of the Total Healthcare Charitable Trust, she advocates for a holistic approach to wellbeing—mental, social, physical, and more. She has also played a key governance role for over a decade with the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, championing policies that support the wellbeing of New Zealand’s diverse populations.
Her leadership and service have been widely acknowledged. In 2024, she received the Ethnic Governance Leadership Award at the Women in Governance Awards, recognised as a pioneering leader for women, particularly those from ethnic backgrounds. In 2021, she became the first woman to win Innovator of the Year at the New Zealander of the Year Awards and was a finalist for the top honour. That same trailblazing spirit was recognised again in 2024 when she was inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame, becoming the first woman of Indian heritage to receive this distinction. She also serves as a kaitiaki (guardian) for Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures, led by Sir Peter Gluckman at the University of Auckland.
Other Indian-origin recipients of this year’s Royal Honours include:

• Narendra Bhana, Parminder Kaur, and Narayanan Kutty Pulloothpadath, awarded the King’s Service Medal for community contributions.
• Panchanatham Narayanan, appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for longstanding service to communities.
• Lalita Vanmali Kasanji and Sunit Prakash, a husband-and-wife duo recognised with the Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for their work in technology and innovation.

Together, these leaders represent the spirit of service, inclusion, and innovation that continues to shape a better future for all New Zealanders. -TIN Bureau