Sydney, 1 September 2026: The
South Indian Cultural Association of Australia (SIAA), in association
with Indian Overseas Congress Australia (IOC Australia), successfully
hosted a grand Onam celebration on Sunday, 23 August 2026, bringing together
thousands of members of the Indian and wider multicultural community for an
unforgettable celebration of Kerala’s culture, traditions and community spirit.
The
event emerged as one of the largest Onam celebrations held in Australia,
with more than 2,000 guests attending throughout the day. One of the
major highlights was the traditional Onam Sadhya, enjoyed by approximately
1,700 attendees, reflecting the extraordinary scale, organisation and
community participation in the celebration.
The
celebration was led by Mr Antony Yesudasan, President of SIAA and National
Vice President of IOC Kerala Chapter, along with Mr Shaibu C. Balan,
General Secretary of SIAA and National Secretary of IOC Australia, with the
dedicated support of the entire SIAA Executive Committee, volunteers and Indian
Overseas Congress Australia team.
Mr K. P. Jose, Chairman of SIAA, also played an important role in supporting the successful
organisation of the celebration.
Renowned
Indian cine artist Vimala Raman, who joined the celebration as a special
guest and Brand Ambassador, added further distinction and glamour to the
occasion.
The
event was honoured by the presence of several distinguished guests and
community leaders, including:
●
Hon Dr
Andrew Charlton MP – Chief
Guest, Federal Member for Parramatta, Cabinet Secretary and Assistant Minister
for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy
●
Warren
Kirby MP – Member for Riverstone, Parliament of New South
Wales
●
Gabe
Kavanagh – Special Guest Speaker and Divisional
Secretary of Public Health, Health Services Union
●
Vimala
Raman – Renowned Cine Artist and Brand Ambassador
●
Dr V. R.
Krishnan – Patron, SIAA and National Advisory Board
Member, IOC Kerala Chapter
●
K. P. Jose – Chairman, SIAA
The
cultural program was one of the major attractions of the celebration, featuring
outstanding performances by renowned artists Amritha Suresh and Abhirami Suresh
with the Amrutham Gamaya team, along with Gautham Vincent and Vishnu
Vardhan.
Their
energetic and memorable performances brought the vibrant colours, music and
festive spirit of Kerala to the Australian stage and received an overwhelming
response from the audience.
Special
guests representing the Indian Overseas Congress family included Mr Manoj
Sheoran, National President of Indian Overseas Congress Australia, and Mr
Gurjinder Singh Gavy, National President of Indian Overseas Youth Congress
Australia.
Mr
Gurjinder Singh Gavy also serves as Chairman of the NRI & Overseas
Congress Cell, Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee, and President of
Student Union India–Australia.
SIAA
sincerely acknowledges the valuable support extended by Mr Manoj Sheoran and
Indian Overseas Congress Australia towards the organisation and successful
delivery of this major community celebration.
Their
cooperation, encouragement and continued support contributed significantly to
bringing together the wider Indian community and strengthening the spirit of
unity and multiculturalism.
The
success of the celebration was made possible through the tireless efforts of
SIAA office-bearers, Executive Committee members, volunteers, performers,
sponsors, community organisations and supporters who worked extensively behind
the scenes.
SIAA Leadership
Antony Yesudasan
President, SIAA
National Vice President, IOC Kerala Chapter
Shaibu C. Balan
General Secretary, SIAA
National Secretary, IOC Australia
K. P. Jose
Chairman, SIAA
Dr V. R. Krishnan
Patron, SIAA
National Advisory Board Member, IOC Kerala Chapter
SIAA Executive Members
●
Dilip
Ramanunni
●
Remya
Pookot
●
Smitha
Antony
SIAA
President Antony Yesudasan and General Secretary Shaibu C. Balan,
on behalf of the organisation, expressed their heartfelt gratitude to every
Executive Committee member, volunteer, sponsor, performer and supporter whose
dedication and hard work contributed to the success of the event.
They
also thanked all the distinguished guests, community leaders and the more than
2,000 attendees who joined the celebration and made the occasion truly
memorable.
SIAA
stated:
“Onam
is more than a festival. It represents unity, equality, happiness, cultural
pride and togetherness. Seeing more than 2,000 people from different
backgrounds come together to celebrate Onam was an extremely proud moment for
the entire SIAA family.
We
sincerely thank every individual, organisation, volunteer, artist, sponsor and
community leader who supported us and helped make this celebration such a
remarkable success.”
The
organisation also extended special appreciation to Mr Manoj Sheoran,
National President of Indian Overseas Congress Australia, and the entire IOC
Australia team for their valuable support and cooperation with SIAA.
The
overwhelming turnout and community response demonstrated the growing
contribution and strength of the Indian and Kerala communities in Australia,
while reinforcing Australia’s strong multicultural values.
The
event also highlighted the importance of preserving India’s rich cultural
heritage and passing its traditions to future generations while sharing them
proudly with the wider Australian community.
SIAA extends its sincere gratitude to everyone who attended, supported
and contributed to making the 2026 Onam celebration one of the most memorable
and successful Onam celebrations in Australia.
SIAA looks forward to continuing its work in bringing communities
together through cultural, social and multicultural initiatives across
Australia.
Issued by:
South Indian Cultural Association of Australia (SIAA)
Antony Yesudasan
President, SIAA
National Vice President, IOC Kerala Chapter
Shaibu C. Balan
General Secretary, SIAA
National Secretary, IOC Australia