Three Kiwi-Indians have been named in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours List released earlier today.
Anjum Rahman from Hamilton and Shila Nair from Auckland has been named for services to ethnic communities and women and have been honoured with New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) and Engineer Arthur Robert Ashan Amputch as Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for his services to Engineering.
ONZM recipient Arthur Robert has more than 25 years’ experience in civil and environmental engineering and infrastructure development, with particular expertise in consultation and planning, design management, and tender and construction contract management. Arthur is a Fellow of the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand, elected for his contribution to the advancement of engineering practice, with special recognition for his contribution to major award-winning solid waste and environmental protection projects in which modern technology has been adopted, and for his part in documenting good practice guidelines for landfill design and management.
Community worker Anjum Rahman is a political and human rights activist working for the right of Muslim women, especially speaking against discrimination of Muslims.
Ms Rahman is based in Hamilton and known for her roles in different community organisations as board-member and has spoken for diversity and inclusiveness of Muslims in the community. She has also been a strong voice for ethnic Muslim women in the country.
Shila Nair is a counsellor with Auckland based not-for-profit group Shakti where she’s worked for more than 16 years in family violence. She started her career as a volunteer, then moved to manage crisis services, and later became Shakti’s National Coordinator.
Ms Nair, along with Quentin Hix, joined the Criminal Justice Summit last year to participate in discussions providing multiple perspectives from people affected by the system, interest groups and academics.