A few of our supporters have picked up on the fact that Indian Link is entering its 25th year of serving the Indian Australian community. “How do you feel?” they’ve asked.
An interesting question, because it raises a range of emotions. Happy, satisfied, proud, humbled, honoured to be trusted.
Did we expect, when we printed our very first edition to print on 24th October 1994, that in our 25th year we would be printing 72 editions a year, with over 3,200 pages of information and advertisements, that we would boast a 24/7 radio station with over seven hours daily of live programming, and that our social media platforms would have over 20,000 genuine followers? Did we expect our passion would reach a stage where it helps employees pay mortgages and support families? And finally, did we expect to have remained true to our core values? The answer is that we had no idea.
We just went on the journey, met some fantastic people, learnt a lot, opened a window into the local Indian Australian community, and helped many micro businesses get off the ground, some of which have become juggernauts.
We are proud to have encouraged discussions on issues like gay rights, elderly abuse and community association rules, without the fear of reprisals.
It is exciting to note that going forward, we can see our role as observers of the community becoming more important, as the Indian Australian community inches towards 1.3 million in the next 13 years, as per recent reports. There will be successes, failures and challenges as we evolve into our own blend of migrants, adding colour to the fabric of multiculturalism. Our job is to work with the community and ensure that in the next 25 years, we are able to reflect the journeys of our people.
We are eager to venture into new avenues. Print will remain our first love, but the thrill of taking a new idea out to the community – whether on radio, social media, podcasts or YouTube – is unmatched. Newer, technologically adept audiences are urging us on, and for that we are grateful.
And underpinning all this is the pleasure we have in delivering a trusted brand, especially in the light of fake news, fake likes and fake print-run invoices. Trust is in short supply in our current world.
For all this and more, we are thankful to our team of writers who put in late nights and weekends to be a part of the Indian Link family. They can well garage their journalistic talents and spend time in other leisurely pursuits. Instead, they are a role model to us, their friends and family for their dedication.
To our advertisers who trusted us with their money, many who have been with us from our early years, thank you for your confidence in us and we hope we have in some small way been a part of your success too.
To our own team in our office, we admire you for your dedication in taking forth the Indian Link brand and for constantly seeking ways to improve it, as well make our operations more effective in the light of the going diversity of roles we seem to be taking on.
To our readers and listeners and followers, we are deeply in your debt for your trust in Indian Link. We’ve grown together in our journeys as New Australians, and we hope to continue this journey together.