Inside this Week
NEW ISSUE OUT | Diwali message | Sydney homes aglow | Kids’ Diwali designs | Diwali stories | Mithai thief | November films
Just Wanted to Say
So here are some lessons from the US mid-terms for us in Australia:
First, economic anxiety cannot be wished away. Voters may have strong views on immigration and cultural identity, but housing, employment, inflation and the cost of living remain central to their decisions. And this is true regardless of the cultural identity of the voter.
Second, immigration policy must not become a proxy for racial politics.
Third, negative campaigning has a price. It may energise a political base, but it can also alienate moderate voters and undermine confidence in democratic institutions.
As our own political conversations grow sharper, perhaps there's something to be said for listening more, dividing less, and remembering what we have in common.
And what better Diwali wish than that? Happy Diwali!
Story of the Week
Perhaps Diwali’s promise in Australia isn’t simply that we light up our homes and public buildings. It’s that, little by little, we light up each other’s worlds.
In Other News
Phantom St (in Schofields NSW), Australia’s ‘Diwali central’, is calling its decorations ‘somewhat subdued’ this year. But the bling is still there!
Peacocks, gardens and plenty of imagination! Meet the young winners of our Diwali Kids’ Art Contest 2026. Oh, and have a peek at our official Diwali card for this year!
Some come out once a year, wrapped in tissue. Others are so ordinary you’d never look twice. But for ten readers, these are what make Diwali, holding generations of memories, recipes, prayers and a few heated card games.
The Indian father has never really “eaten” a laddoo. He has rescued them, hosted them, had them blessed and occasionally encountered them standing up. Here’s how the sugar daddies run this sophisticated operation without leaving a crumb.
Things are getting out of hand in Indian films this November. The gods have come down, the cops have gone rogue and the farmers have picked up guns. Dulquer’s on-screen wife wants to go to space, and honestly, can you blame her? 🎥
Start stretching now, because your thumb needs to do some serious seat-booking. 🍿
Shoutouts
UNSW SMaRT Centre, which won the 2026 Good Design Australia Gold and Best in Class Awards under the direction of Professor Veena Sahajwalla AO.
Young cricketer Ziya Pandit of South Australia’s Under-12 cricket team, who scored 112 runs against New South Wales and 104 runs against Victoria.
Indian-origin Congressional winners of the 2026 US mid-terms: Pia Dandiya (Florida), Amish Shah (Arizona), Ro Khanna (California), Pramila Jayapal (Washington), Ami Bera (California), and Suhas Subramanyam (Virginia).
What’s On
British Indian contemporary artist Bharti Kher discusses her Powerhouse Parramatta commission Tree of Life, its symbolic references to multiculturalism, and how the Totem serves as a connection between the living and spiritual worlds.
For more, head to our What’s On page.
Say it Again
I might be more Indian than Arab…
Until next week,
Indian Link
