Dora Houpis
Taylors Lakes senior citizen Santhana Selvendra’s decades of volunteering in her local community were recognised last week when she received a Council on the Ageing award at Government House.
Minister for Ageing and Carers Colin Brooks and Victorian Governor Linda Dessau presented Ms Selvendra with a Council on the Ageing (COTA) Victoria Senior Achiever Award at this year’s Victorian Senior of the Year Awards held at Government House.
Ms Selvendra, 83, was among 13 Victorians to receive the COTA award which recognised her ongoing support to culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.
Since migrating to Australia with her family in the 1970s, Ms Selvendra has supported new migrants from south-Asian communities through educational and cultural endeavours.
She was instrumental in establishing three major Hindu temples in Sunshine, Carrum Downs and The Basin. Each temple has provided Victoria’s growing Sri Lankan and Indian communities a place for worship, connection and community engagement.
A long-time teacher in Victoria, she played an important role in introducing Tamil as a VCE subject, supported advanced students to undertake research and present their work at competitions in Canberra and wrote many books for language schools.
Ms Selvendra has also helped people connect with their culture through music and cultural events and assisted elderly community members to join in meetings and activities.
As well as large-scale initiatives, Ms Selvendra was also recognised for taking new migrants under her wing after they arrived in Australia.
A COTA senior achiever award recognises Victorian seniors for their significant contributions to local communities and the state.
The Victorian Senior of the Year Awards are held annually in October to celebrate senior Victorians who share their skills, experience, time and energy with the community. The awards are part of the state government’s annual Victorian Seniors Festival.
