Ballarat Citizen of the Year – Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District

Former Chair of Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District President, and ECCV Board Member Dr Sundram Sivamalai has been announced as the City of Ballarat’s 2021 Citizen of the Year at the Australia Day Awards.

City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Daniel Moloney announced the 2021 Ballarat Citizen, Young Citizen and Community Activity of the Year award winners at a special ceremony at Ballarat Regional Soccer Facility on evening of Monday 25 January, 2021. Dr Sundram Sivamalai has been announced as the City of Ballarat’s 2021 Citizen of the Year.

Ballarat Citizen of the Year 2021 – Dr Sundram Sivamalai

Sundram Sivamalai had a professional life in nursing and nurse education, and at the same time as been a community advocate, mentor, inter-cultural facilitator and academic. He established the Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council which is the peak multicultural agency in the Central Highlands Grampians Region. This organisation partners with other community and cultural associations and members to actively promote multiculturalism, cultural diversity and the well-being of all migrant communities throughout the region. Sundram was awarded the Centenary Medal from the Commonwealth Government for his work with migrants.

A Ballarat local since 1988, Sundram and his wife Subrata raised their two children in here.

Dr Sundram Sivamalai previously resided in Shepparton and was Chair of the Shepparton Ethnic Council and District.

Ballarat Citizen of the Year Awards — Left to right: Ballarat Deputy Mayor Cr Amy Johnson, 2021 Ballarat Community Activity of the Year Award winner Heather Luttrell, 2021 Ballarat Citizen of the Year Dr Sundram Sivamalai, 2021 Ballarat Young Citizen of the Year Gabriel Gervasoni and Ballarat Mayor Cr Daniel Moloney following the award ceremony on Monday 25 January.

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	The Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District acknowledges the Yorta Yorta People of the land which comprises the Goulburn Valley. We pay respect to tribal Elders, past, present and emerging and we celebrate their continuing culture and acknowledge the memory of their ancestors.
	The Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District is a peak body whose mission is to promote and represent the social, cultural and economic well-being of ethnic communities in the Goulburn Valley Region through the provision of quality and innovative settlement, refugee support, community development, and information and advocacy services.