DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) may have become a contentious term over the past year – but Adelaide’s Dr Ashok Manoharan has won an award for championing it.
Dr Manoharan led a multidisciplinary project to develop a ‘toolkit’ that supports small and medium enterprises to employ people with intellectual disabilities – and took home the Young Tall Poppy Award (2025).
There is much talk about diversity and employing people with disabilities, but many barriers still exist; Dr Manoharan’s research and toolkit help turn intent into action.
The Disability Employment Action Toolkit that Dr Manoharan helped create, is a great resource designed to raise awareness about disability and also embedding inclusive hiring strategies.
“I am deeply passionate about advancing DEI through research that focuses on people with cognitive disabilities, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) workers, and inclusive workplace practices,” Dr Manoharan told Indian Link. “My work explores how diverse teams can thrive when supported by thoughtful, equity-driven strategies – both in Australia and globally.”
The disability employment toolkit was co-created through the Diversity Pathways initiative, and grew out of hands-on research that involved employers and people working across the disability sector.
Importantly, it was shaped by those with lived experience – including people with cognitive disabilities – alongside policy advisors and industry partners.
Available online as a free, self-paced learning resource, the toolkit is designed for employers and managers who want practical, easy-to-use guidance on disability employment.
The content is organised into three parts:
- building awareness about disability,
- preparing workplaces to hire, and
- working together to create lasting employment success.
Its use of short videos, visuals and clear steps shows how research can be turned into real-world action.
Dr Manoharan’s work focusses on inclusive practices to employ migrants too. Using rigorous and innovative methods, he worked out how formal policies and practices influence workplace inclusion. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, I focused on CALD employees’ career optimism, adaptability, and well-being, addressing timely and pressing issues,” he said.
He has also developed practical toolkits to support the sustainable employment of people with intellectual disabilities in the hospitality industry – a special interest area for him.
He had been a lecturer in Hospitality Management in Coimbatore before he arrived in Australia in 2008, and, interested in Organisational Psychology, had also completed a Masters in Psychology from Madras University.
In Adelaide, Dr Manoharan undertook a PhD in Business Management at University of South Australia, while his wife Sridevi supported their young family of four. His thesis was entitled ‘Does ethnic diversity matter in Australian hotels? Understanding the relationship between organisational culture, diversity management and organisational effectiveness’.
Following submission, he won a position as lecturer in the same university. Today, he is an Associate Professor in Strategic Management at Flinders University, Adelaide; a member of the Centre of Social Impact, and a research affiliate with the Flinders Factory of the Future.
“I actively mentor high school students, guide emerging scholars, and coach new migrants – using research as a bridge to empower individuals and strengthen communities,” Dr Manoharan described.
The Tall Poppy Awards
As a social scientist, it is uncommon to be recognised by the Australian Institute of Policy and Science (AIPS) that confers the Tall Poppy Awards. Traditionally, the Young Tall Poppy Award has been conferred on researchers from the pure sciences, including medicine, engineering, and physics. In the history of the award, only a handful of social scientists have received this prestigious honour, and Dr Ashok Manoharan is one among them.
‘Tall poppies’ come from the Australian idea that anyone who stands out too much gets “cut down.” It reflects a cultural instinct to distrust overt ambition, self-promotion, or success that feels flashy or self-serving.
The Tall Poppy Awards deliberately flip that idea on its head.
Instead of cutting tall poppies down, the awards protect and celebrate them – specifically researchers who combine excellence with public engagement, generosity, and impact.
“The award is not just a personal milestone, but a quiet validation of the power of social science to create real and lasting change,” Dr Ashok Manoharan said, adding, “I gratefully acknowledge my collaborators around the world and offers heartfelt thanks to my mentors – both professional guides and members of the Indian community whose support and belief shaped my journey.”
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