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On Saturday, June 27, the Bihar Jharkhand Association of New Zealand (BJANZ) celebrated its inaugural Foundation Day alongside Matariki, the Māori New Year, at the Freemans Bay Community Centre in Auckland. Held under the theme “One Sky, Many Traditions,” the vibrant cultural event highlighted the shared values of unity, gratitude, family, and hope that connect the rich heritage of Bihar and Jharkhand with the spirit of Aotearoa New Zealand.
The celebration attracted strong support from across the political spectrum and the wider Indian community. BJANZ leaders welcomed and honored distinguished guests with a traditional shawl presentation.
Among those present were National MPs Melissa Lee, Nancy Lu, Carlos Cheung (Mt Roskill), and Rima Nakhle (Takanini), along with ACT MP Paramjeet Parmar. Also attending were ACT candidates Himanshu “Ash” Parmar and Manu Singh, National candidates Gurdeep Singh and Lalit Arya, former National MP Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, Auckland Indian Association President Shanti Patel, Life Member Pushpa Lekinwala, and community leaders Shrikant Bhave and Kalyan Rao Kasuganti.
Labour MP for Panmure–Ōtāhuhu, Hon. Jenny Salesa, conveyed her greetings through a special video message, highlighting the significance of Matariki and celebrating New Zealand’s multicultural diversity.
Speakers praised the event for strengthening cultural understanding and community harmony. Melissa Lee noted that although Matariki and South Asian traditions originate from different parts of the world, both encourage reflection, gratitude, togetherness, and hope for the future. Rima Nakhle emphasized the importance of cultural diversity in building an inclusive New Zealand, while Waikato entrepreneur and ACT candidate Ash Parmar encouraged communities to strengthen connections and embrace the values that unite Aotearoa.
The success of the celebration was made possible by the dedicated BJANZ organizing team, comprising Amit Verma, Shalini Alok, Rani Singh, Kiran Singh, Reetu Kumari, Indu Nair, and Nishant Lal.
The evening concluded with a group photograph of performers and dignitaries, followed by a buffet dinner and a vote of thanks delivered by BJANZ President Amit Shankar Verma. -TIN Bureau