By Nidhi Kumari

Sheba Nandkeolyar is one of Australia’s Diaspora Business Leaders. She is the Founder & CEO of MultiConnexions Group, a diaspora, diversity, multicultural & international marketing company. She is a former National Chair of The Australia India Business Council and a former DFAT Board member of Australia India Council and has been actively engaged in promoting the bilateral business & trade between the two countries. She was a Reference group member of IES 2035 and has actively contributed to Australia’s India Economic strategy 2035. Sheba has been more recently invited for further engagement with India’s G20 business initiatives which will see her actively engaged with India in 2023. Currently, she is finalising the India launch of some nano tech products which she hoped will transform the lives of the poor and disadvantaged in India. Ultimately, Sheba is all about her family and friends. Her parents and family members are her source of energy which keeps her motivated to do more every single day.

Sheba was invited as a Government of India guest and as a speaker at the recently held Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention at Indore. Indus Age caught up with Sheba on her return for this candid conversation which takes on significance in view of the recently signed ECTA.

Tell us about how it felt being a part of the PBD 2023 platform, and how you perceive the possibilities of entrepreneurial and business avenues between India and Australia—two of the biggest democracies of the world.

Being invited by Government of India to attend and speak at the PBD convention representing Australian Indian diaspora is a huge honour and a privilege for which I am very grateful.

The Indian diaspora definitely represents business connectivity with opportunities available both in India and Australia. In fact, DFAT has recognised Australia’s Indian diaspora as a national asset. With the recent signing of the ECTA, the diaspora networks will play a huge role in both education and advocacy by showcasing India to Australian businesses and vice versa.

Australia and India share commonalities – democracy, an aspirational population, and an entrepreneurial spirit. I see the diaspora being able to contribute in terms of building entrepreneurial start-up connections and businesses which also engage India’s youth – India’s demographic advantage.

Take us through being a part of the prestigious panel, your conversations with the other dignitaries, and your experience of meeting people from across the world from varied walks of field.

I was honoured and excited to be able to share my perspective on Global Mobility, the Indian Workforce and the Role of the Diaspora. I was part of a very experienced business panel, chaired by Mr Dharmendra Pradhan, Indian Minister of Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

My fellow panellists included Hon Mrs Daureeawoo Mauritian Minister for Social Integration, Social Security and National Solidarity; Mr M A Yusuff Ali, Chairman of Lulu Group, UAE; Mr Sanjeev Sinha, SBI Group Board Member, SBI Securities Japan; Dr Siddeek Ahmed, Chairman of Eram Group, Saudi Arabia; Ambassador Anil Drigunayat (retired); and Mr Kuldeep Singh Shekhawat, Director MATV UK.

It was a very insightful session with each panellist sharing their perspective and suggestions with the Minister.

From my perspective, I shared that Australia is keen to position itself as a destination of choice for professional migrants and business/global talent. This opens up innumerable opportunities for India with its youthful population poised to be a workforce for the world. My recommendation to the Minister was to look at setting up a special organisation titled: Opportunity India – along the same lines as Skills India, Invest India and Niti Ayog. Opportunity India would ensure India’s demographic advantage remains an advantage by capitalising on the youthful aspirations and entrepreneurship available in India.

The PBD Platform is amazing as it attracted some very high calibre diaspora members from across the world. I had the opportunity to meet high achieving business leaders, researchers, scientists, fashion designers, academics, and members from the world of culture and the arts. Many of these relationships I can see will continue into the future. I have already received invitations from US and Canada for visits with some members extending their hospitality in terms of a homestay too.

Do you recollect any interesting conversation/s or incidents you have had with the Ministers there?

I had the opportunity to meet India’s Minister of External Affairs Mr S. Jaishankar. He very kindly hosted a dinner for a few of us and it was great to touch base with him on the ECTA opportunities which will fast track the bilateral business and trade relationship between the two countries.

My conversation with the Health Minister was interesting, as I found him very engaged in a nano-tech project that I am working on and some products which are being readied for launch in India.

My interaction with Minister Pradhan was very timely considering the opportunities unfolding in terms of Indian migration into Australia. The opportunities in bilateral education partnerships and entrepreneurial opportunities to fast track start up partnerships between the two countries are immense.

I had the opportunity to thank Chief Minister of MP personally at a dinner hosted by him. At that time we discussed the ECTA opportunities and he was certainly keen to look at investment & business opportunities between Australia & MP.

But I guess hearing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi from a distance of less than 10 metres away was the highlight – his passion in building Brand India and his appreciation of the diaspora members contribution positioning them as `Rashtra Dhoots’ was amazing. I was also honoured to be invited for a luncheon hosted by PM Modi.

How do you look at the relationship between India and Australia in terms of how it was 10 years before and how it is today and what are the positive outcomes you see now?

The relationship has come a long way.

It was in 2014 that Australia India Business Council hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a business leaders address in Australia. The FTA discussions had just commenced, and Australia – frankly speaking – was pretty focussed on with doing business with other neighbouring countries. The India opportunity was widely unknown.

Today, the India story is dominating global discussions in terms of its GDP and growth rate. It is a very positive environment today.

Australian businesses are waking up to the scalable opportunities available in India. Indian businesses and delegations are also making steady in-roads in Australia.

In fact, I am pleased to share that my company MultiConnexions will be hosting a major buyer seller meet for CHEMEXCIL next month in Melbourne. The Government of India is to be commended for moving so quickly after the ECTA signing. This will be the first major delegation comprising of over 25 companies from India visiting Australia.

Tell us the last time when you visited India and share some of your fond memories from India.

On my last trip, I visited Indore, Delhi and Kolkata. I must add that Indore impressed me beyond words! A beautiful city and a clean city with delicious vegetarian cuisine which I enjoyed thoroughly.

Of course, my parents and relatives are based in Kolkata. I also completed my higher education and MBA in Kolkata. I started my working career in the city too – and hence Kolkata will always hold fond memories for me.

It is a matter of honour that women entrepreneurs are achieving great heights. You are quintessential women’s empowerment. Please throw some light on the bright future of women businesswomen and your take on that.

Thank you for the kind compliment! I truly believe in women’s unique ability to lead as entrepreneurs, innovators, and women in business. Many women balance various competing demands on their time – from work, to family, and other responsibilities. It tends to make us natural multitaskers and masters of time management.

I am aware that if women are gainfully employed they can double the GDP growth and contribute vastly to the economy. Personally, I am passionate about gender diversity.

I was very honoured to be selected as the first woman National Chair for the Australia India Business Council and the inaugural Chair for the Women in Business Chapter. My vision is to see women own or lead fifty per cent of all new bilateral businesses set up.

Is this the first time you have been to the PBD?

Actually, I have been to the PBD a couple of times as a participant.

I attended both PBD conventions in 2015 in Ahmedabad and in 2017 at Bangalore. Both times I travelled as a DFAT Australia India Council Board member and loved connecting with Government of India as well as other diaspora participants who came from over 70 countries.

2020 was held virtually due to the COVID situation. I was honoured to speak and represent Australia at the virtual PBD convention.

But this year was certainly an exception the rise of India was very evident, so proud of being a diaspora member and of my Indian roots and heritage.

Please share your final comments for our readers.

I would like to wish Indus Age and your readers a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2023.

Community media communicating with diaspora members by keeping them connected with news from Australia and India will continue to play a very strong role in growing this bilateral relationship. Please do keep up the great job you are doing!

PBD Convention is the flagship event of the Government of India that provides an important platform to engage and connect with overseas Indians and enable the diaspora to interact with each other. The theme of this PBD Convention was ‘Diaspora: Reliable partners for India’s progress in Amrit Kaal’.

PM Modi while addressing the PBD gathering stated that he calls every Pravasi Bhartiya a national ambassador of India as they echo the voice of a powerful and capable India when the world evaluates their contributions. “You are the Rashtradoots of India’s heritage,” he said.