Chennai woman Sripriya does India proud
It is not every day that one gets awarded and recognised for one’s hard work and when the recognition comes from the government it is certainly an extraordinary achievement. Kiwi Indian Dr Sripriya Somasekhar, who received the prestigious New Zealand Public Service Medal award, is an inspiration for all.
Established by the Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the New Zealand Public Service Medal is part of the New Zealand Royal Honours system and honours public servants who go above and beyond what is expected to serve the people of New Zealand.
Sripriya, who works as Principal Advisor, Inclusion and Diversity, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, was among the ten New Zealanders who got medals at an award ceremony held in Wellington recently.
Indian Weekender caught up with the proud Indian to know more about her journey, her inspirations and her plans, among others.
The 36-year-old, who graduated with a PhD in Community Psychology from the University of Waikato authoring: “What will people think?”: Indian women and domestic violence in Aotearoa/ New Zealand in 2016, says, “The award stands for representation of women of colour and the issues at hand with regards to inclusion and diversity as well as family violence and the visibility it is getting. It does not belong to me. It belongs to my ancestors, all women of colour who wake up and break barriers for our future generations to thrive here in New Zealand. I want to break down the barriers that prevent women from reporting incidents of domestic violence. We all know that lot of racism and discrimination gets brushed under the carpet and we don't talk about it due to the fear of consequences.”
Sripriya, who hails from an orthodox Tamil Brahmin family in Chennai, says that the honour was unexpected, and she feels humbled. “I was overjoyed and had a lot of tears when I got to know that I am getting this medal which was around a month ago. My entire family including my husband and parents were thrilled as it was unexpected. I feel so humbled,” says Sripriya, who is passionate about both inclusion and diversity and family violence particularly within the migrant communities.
Sripriya calls herself an active advocate for inclusion and diversity in several contexts with a strong sense of social justice, and a desire to have a positive impact on vulnerable communities. Giving more details, Sripriya, who has worked with police, NGOs and a lot of agencies in how to provide culturally appropriate services for our families with regards to family violence, says, “I want to be the voice for women of colour who don't have one yet. I want to raise issues at a high level where they will get attention. I want to Influence, change and challenge status quo and build more equitable New Zealand,”
On the personal front, Sripriya, came to New Zealand along with her husband Jobi George Mathew and son Advait Jobi Mathew in 2012, who she considers her pillars of strength and aroha. She says, "When I am not working, I love spending time with my family and my wider whanau. Apart from that, I love reading, baking and doing yoga.”
It is not every day that one gets awarded and recognised for one’s hard work and when the recognition comes from the government it is certainly an extraordinary achievement. Kiwi Indian Dr Sripriya Somasekhar, who received the prestigious New Zealand Public Service Medal award, is an inspiration...
It is not every day that one gets awarded and recognised for one’s hard work and when the recognition comes from the government it is certainly an extraordinary achievement. Kiwi Indian Dr Sripriya Somasekhar, who received the prestigious New Zealand Public Service Medal award, is an inspiration for all.
Established by the Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the New Zealand Public Service Medal is part of the New Zealand Royal Honours system and honours public servants who go above and beyond what is expected to serve the people of New Zealand.
Sripriya, who works as Principal Advisor, Inclusion and Diversity, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, was among the ten New Zealanders who got medals at an award ceremony held in Wellington recently.
Indian Weekender caught up with the proud Indian to know more about her journey, her inspirations and her plans, among others.
The 36-year-old, who graduated with a PhD in Community Psychology from the University of Waikato authoring: “What will people think?”: Indian women and domestic violence in Aotearoa/ New Zealand in 2016, says, “The award stands for representation of women of colour and the issues at hand with regards to inclusion and diversity as well as family violence and the visibility it is getting. It does not belong to me. It belongs to my ancestors, all women of colour who wake up and break barriers for our future generations to thrive here in New Zealand. I want to break down the barriers that prevent women from reporting incidents of domestic violence. We all know that lot of racism and discrimination gets brushed under the carpet and we don't talk about it due to the fear of consequences.”
Sripriya, who hails from an orthodox Tamil Brahmin family in Chennai, says that the honour was unexpected, and she feels humbled. “I was overjoyed and had a lot of tears when I got to know that I am getting this medal which was around a month ago. My entire family including my husband and parents were thrilled as it was unexpected. I feel so humbled,” says Sripriya, who is passionate about both inclusion and diversity and family violence particularly within the migrant communities.
Sripriya calls herself an active advocate for inclusion and diversity in several contexts with a strong sense of social justice, and a desire to have a positive impact on vulnerable communities. Giving more details, Sripriya, who has worked with police, NGOs and a lot of agencies in how to provide culturally appropriate services for our families with regards to family violence, says, “I want to be the voice for women of colour who don't have one yet. I want to raise issues at a high level where they will get attention. I want to Influence, change and challenge status quo and build more equitable New Zealand,”
On the personal front, Sripriya, came to New Zealand along with her husband Jobi George Mathew and son Advait Jobi Mathew in 2012, who she considers her pillars of strength and aroha. She says, "When I am not working, I love spending time with my family and my wider whanau. Apart from that, I love reading, baking and doing yoga.”
Leave a Comment