Indians around the world have proven themselves as the top position holders. From the UK’s PM Rishi Sunak and Varun Ghosh as the first Indian-origin Australian senator to Giridharan Sivaraman as Race Discrimination, we are all around the world leading, guiding, and promoting harmony.
Sivaraman is now the Chair of Multicultural Australia and a Principal Lawyer at Maurice Blackburn, where he heads the firm’s Queensland Employment Law section.
More than 200 people of Indian descent hold leadership roles in 15 nations, with more than 60 of them serving in Cabinets.
Indian-born employment lawyer The Australian Human Rights Commission has appointed Giridharan Sivaraman as its Race Discrimination Commissioner.
Sivaraman is presently the Chair of Multicultural Australia and a Principal Lawyer at Maurice Blackburn, where he oversees the firm’s Queensland Employment Law practice.
“I am honoured to be appointed Commonwealth Race Discrimination Commissioner. Also excited and slightly afraid! But there is so much work to be done, and I can’t wait to collaborate with the team at @AusHumanRights,” Sivaraman wrote in a post on X on Monday.
According to the AHRC, he has handled countless state and national race discrimination complaints, as well as managed a pro bono compensation system for underpaid 7-Eleven employees, many of whom were migrants.
Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher, President of the AHRC, welcomed Sivaraman’s appointment, stating that the battle for systemic equality and speaking truth to power have been central to his work.
“His distinguished legal career has seen him lead significant cases in workplace and discrimination law, which, coupled with his public advocacy for the rights of racially marginalised communities, has led to tangible results that have improved and empowered people’s lives,” Croucher said in a press release.
According to the commission’s president, the appointment comes at a time when there has been a significant increase in allegations of racism and hate speech in recent months.
Croucher described Sivaraman as a “widely respected champion of racial equity” and hoped he would help make Australia a more respectful and equitable society for all people, regardless of ethnicity.
“His lived experience, passion for diversity and inclusion, and deep understanding of human rights and Australian discrimination law mean he will be a powerful asset for the Commission during what is very much a delicate time in the country,” he added.
Sivaraman, a member of the Queensland Multicultural Advisory Council, spoke before a state legislative investigation, demanding law reform to better safeguard the rights of victims of racial vilification.
His work with Multicultural Australia ensures that new arrivals in Queensland continue to receive comprehensive support, and he is also devoted to protecting and promoting the rights of First Nations peoples.