Jagdeep Sukhija, founder of Compassionate Hands Inc, and Mahendrakumar Patel of United Seniors Club have been honoured for their contributions at the 2026 Victorian Seniors Awards.
“I’m feeling top of the world – it’s a lifetime achievement for me because I migrated 18 years back and worked very hard for my community,” Jagdeep Sukhija told Indian Link on receiving the award.
“It’s an exciting and proud moment for not only me, but those who have supported United Seniors Club,” Mahendrakumar Patel said to Indian Link.
At the ceremony held at Government House on Tuesday night, Ben Rogers, CEO of COTA Victoria and Seniors Rights Victoria praised the compassion displayed by the awardees.
“These honourees are united by a determination to help others feel valued, welcomed, and connected,” he said.
“Their generosity and commitment challenges outdated assumptions about ageing and demonstrate the lasting impact older people make across this state.”
In Compassionate Hands
Founding Compassionate Hands Inc in 2020 after his retirement, Jagdeep Sukhija has changed the lives of 175 seniors and multicultural families, receiving the Council on the Ageing (COTA) Victoria Senior Achiever Awards.
“[Lockdown] was at peak and everyone was depressed, lonely…most of the members are above 65, they have heaps of life experience they can share, but the biggest trouble is how to now spend their time. For that, you need compassion,” he says of founding the group.
Located in the outer south-east, Compassionate Hands helps ease the transition to elderly life with social, educational and cultural activities, from Baisakhi celebrations to literacy classes, nature cleaning drives, and excursions.
His events help members remain connected and engaged in their old age, ensuring they continue to feel valued as their families grow and change.
“About two years ago, I took the members for an excursion at Burlington Beach. One man came to me with tears in his eyes, saying he’d been in Australia for three years, but he was seeing the beach now for the first time because his children have no time for him,” Sukhija recalls.
Sukhija has played a significant role in health awareness amongst his community; a Breast Cancer Screening Program he organised changed the lives of two women when they successfully discovered and treated their cancer early.
“After this, I organised a a workshop on organ and tissue donation. Unfortunately, one of my members died, but there was awareness among the family members, so they donated seven organs of her body, all due to my workshops and awareness bringing,” Sukhija says.
Driven by a strong sense of duty towards his community, he says the love he receives in return makes his work worthwhile.
“I’ve been taught a lesson from my father – if you want to have peace in your mind, serve humanity without any expectations,” Sukhija says of his mission.
Cooking with Care
As secretary of the United Seniors Club, Mahendrakumar Patel has brought the organisation to a thriving 380 members and has been recognised with an Emerging Impact Award.
Like his peer Sukhija, Patel recognised the loneliness Indian elders were experiencing during COVID and decided to intervene.
“It was a very difficult time…they came to help their family and found their kids and grandkids are busy and nobody has time to talk to them. They felt very isolated and uprooted, and many wanted to go back,” he remembers.
From driving tests to healthcare seminars, Patel is there for his community as a mentor in Gujarati and Hindi, helping elders become independent and confident in their own lives.
“Seniors have worked very hard and had success, but when they come here, they are isolated because of language or cultural barrier. To get back their confidence is very important,” Patel shares.
Best known for his ‘Cooking together’ program, he has coordinated over 10,000 sustainable, low cost and nutritious vegetarian meals for the elderly, as well as implementing reusable crockery.
“It’s our iconic program…because of this, everyone feels relaxed and shares their story, and learns new things,” Patel says.
For Patel, the motivation for his volunteering comes from seeing members find connection over food or gain control over their life.
“When we solve that problem or are able to help them and then we see the smile on their face – that keeps me doing all this work,” he reveals.
Reflecting on the responsibility of seniors in society, Patel is keen for his community to demonstrate the message of ‘Vasudeva Kutumbakam’.
“We are all the representatives of India, and how we behave reflects the credibility and importance of the Indian people. We should motivate others to obey the rule of the land…to spread this message, that is a senior’s responsibility,” he concludes.
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