ABA Executive

The Association of Bhutanese in Australia (ABA), Sydney, elected their new executive members on 24 March 2018.The Executive body also felt that the Advisers should be independent and should not be within the executive team. Hence, 2 Senior Advisers were later nominated as Advisers to the Association of Bhutanese in Australia (ABA), Sydney. The present executive team with advisers  are:

   

The present ABA Executive team is very thankful for the contributions made by the past members. Our past 2016 - 2018 executive team members include:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

President                                                 Dr Naresh Parajuli

General Secretary                              Nandalal Bhandari

Treasurer                                                Puspa Acharya

Public relation officer                       Narapati Dhimal

Cultural coordinator                        Devendra Gautam

Sports coordinator                             Parsu Acharya

Women’s coordinator                       Smriti Dhungel

Youth coordinator                              Hemanta Acharya

General welfare coordinator         Govin Gautam

Press and publicity coordinator   Nawal Khatiwada

 Senior advisors

  1. Dr Om Dhungel
  2. Om Dhungel
  3. Nakul Budathoki

Dr Naresh Parajuli, MBBS, MIPH, MM, FRACGP

President

Dr Parajuli is one of the founder members of the Association of Bhutanese in Australia (ABA), Sydney. He served as Advisor to the Association until he was elected as President to the Organization in January 2015. He is a practising GP based in Penrith, Sydney. His areas of interest include mental health of the community and cancer awareness. He has recently published a book on cancer called 'DO I HAVE CANCER?'' which is intended to increase public awareness on cancer prevention, treatment and screening. Website: www.doihavecancer.info

 

  

Om Dhungel, FAICD, JP, MBA, B.Sc. Engg.

Senior Adviser

Om Dhungel is the founding President and currently a senior Advisor of ABA Sydney. Having worked in the government, private and the NFP sectors, Om is a consultant and a practitioner of Strength-based approach to refuge settlement and community development. A Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, in the recent past, Om served as a Director on the Boards of Settlement Services International (SSI), Sydwest Multicultural Services and MTC Australia. Om is a current Westpac Social Change Fellow and a recipient of 2016 Community Service Lifetime Achievement Award and 2012 National Volunteer Award. Om was head of Planning & Development in Bhutan Telecom before fleeing the country in 1992. For further info: www.omdhungel.com

 

Dr Om Dhungyel, PhD

Ex-President and Senior Advisor

Dr Om Dhungel came from Bhutan to Australia on a FAO Fellowship for his Masters degree in Veterinary Science at the University of Sydney in 1990. After completion of Masters he did his PhD and has been working as a Senior Research Scientist at the same university. Dr. Dhungyel has been a key member of very successful Australian funded collaborative research projects in various countries. He has published his research publications in prestigious international journals and has travelled widely for his research presentations. He is internationally recognized for his field of research in animal health.

From the very early days of his life in Australia Dr. Dhungyel has been a very active and dedicated member of local communities. He is passionate about social work and promoting culture and has been instrumental in establishing and is a founding member of the Association of Bhutanese in Australia, Sydney. For his dedicated service to the community Dr. Dhungyel was awarded 2015 Australia Day Award for community service by Penrith City Council. He very much enjoys and takes as a privilege working for social and cultural community organizations.

 

Hemanta Acharya, RN, UWS graduate

Youth Co-ordinator

 Hemanta has been actively involved in community volunteering since 2008. She has played significant role on establishing women’s football in the community and founded a dance academy “Fun Fighters Academy”. In parallel to Nursing and community volunteering, Hemanta works as a TV presenter at My Nepal Television (MNTV) Australia. She represented Australia in a junior Football World cup in 2010 in South Africa and now works as a Football Coach at Football United organisation. Hemanta was awarded a Jim Anderson Scholarship in 2013 to pursue her university degree. Hemanta has been awarded  ABA Talented Artist of the year 2016,  based on her skills and interests in various fields such as drawing/painting, writing poems/stories, dance, soccer and television.

 

 

Parshu Acharya

Sports Co-ordinator

Parsu Acharya is a current Sports Co-ordinator of ABA Sydney. Parshu is a strong advocate of "sports for social development" having previously worked as a football coach and a referee. Since his arrival to Australia, he has been actively involved in organising and participating in sporting events within the community and has played a key role to collaborate ABA community teams with broader Australian community.

Parshu Acharya is an Electrical Engineer by profession graduated from Western Sydney University with honours degree. Due to his key role in forming and driving Druk Football Club and Druk Rising Stars Cricket Club he has been awarded ABA Sports Person of the Year 2016.

 

 

Puspa Acharya

Treasurer

Puspa Acharya is a Treasurer of Association of Bhutanese in Australia (ABA), Sydney. He has held this portfolio for three consecutive terms. He is  a volunteer worker and was awarded ABA Volunteer of the Year 2016 for his selfless contribution to ABA, Sydney.

Puspa  also works with Sydwest Multicultural Services ,Blacktown as Community Engagement Case worker and Senior Support Worker with Nepean Migrant Access, St. Mary.

 


The present ABA Executive team is very thankful for the contributions made by the past members. Our past executive team members include:

President

Dr Om Dhungel

Om Dhungel

 

General Secretary

Tulsiram Sharma

Suman Chhetri

Padam Kafley

Women's Co-ordinator

Pabitra Kafley

Damanta Kafley

Januka Acharya

 

General Welfare Co-ordinator

Hari Khatiwada

Tulsiram Adhikari

Kalyan Dhungel

 

Cultural Co-ordinator

Narapati Dhimal

Bhakti Khatiwada

 

Treasurer

Dukka Pokhrel

 

Youth Co-ordinator

Damber Dhungel