Growing up as an Indian-Australian, I often felt like sport was something you were meant to grow out of. In many of our communities, once school is over, movement takes a back seat to study, work, and family life. Unless it's cricket, sport just isn’t seen as a priority. But for me and my younger brother, Rajas, that never sat right.

Over the years, we challenged the stereotypes we grew up with. We became surf lifesavers, competed in triathlons and marathons and both played and umpired AFL. We got used to being the only South Asians in the room which many times led to the question, "How did you end up here?".

The truth is, we never saw people like us in these spaces. That’s exactly why we stayed. Because if no one sees us doing it, then nothing changes.

Out of that experience, I founded the Australia India Fellowship (AIF). Our mission is to reconnect South Asian Australians with sport and movement in ways that feel culturally relevant and accessible. We want to make it normal for people in our communities to move with confidence, whether that means joining a local running group, learning to swim for the first time, or simply finding joy in regular movement again.

This is about more than sport. It's about identity, community and the freedom to explore all sides of who we are.

With your support, we can launch and grow programs that help people feel seen, included and empowered through sport. We can challenge old stories, break down barriers, and make movement a lifelong part of our lives — not something we leave behind.

Thank you for believing in this vision. Let’s move forward, together.