Media Release AIMA Awards 2026

MEDIA RELEASE

40 Inspiring Stories. One Stage. One Community.

AIMA Awards 2026 Celebrates Australia’s Unsung Multicultural Heroes and Demonstrates a Different Model of Community Recognition

Melbourne, Australia – 16 August 2026

The Australia India Multicultural Awards (AIMA) 2026 successfully brought together hundreds of members of Melbourne’s multicultural community on Sunday, 16 August 2026, celebrating 40 inspiring stories of individuals and organisations making a meaningful contribution to Australian society.

Held at the Church of Scientology, Ascot Vale, Melbourne, AIMA Awards 2026 brought together award recipients, nominees, community leaders, dignitaries, entrepreneurs, artists, filmmakers, educators, volunteers, multicultural organisations, performers, media representatives, sponsors, partners, families and supporters.

But behind the celebration was a bigger purpose.

AIMA 2026 set out to demonstrate that community recognition can be built differently — with merit before money, contribution before connections and community before groupism.

40 Inspiring Stories Revealed on One Stage

At the heart of AIMA Awards 2026 were 40 stories of individual and organisational achievement, revealed and celebrated on stage.

Recognition covered contributions across areas including:

• Community service

• Volunteering

• Arts and culture

• Music and performing arts

• Film and creative industries

• Education

• Entrepreneurship

• Innovation and technology

• Leadership

• Media

• Professional achievement

• Multicultural engagement

• Not-for-profit and community impact

The afternoon was filled with joy, emotion, tears, celebration and gratitude as people whose contributions often happen quietly behind the scenes were given an opportunity to have their stories heard.

For AIMA, these were not simply award categories.

Behind every award was a story.
Behind every story was a person or organisation.
Behind every recognition was impact.

Recognition Based on Merit – Not Money

One of AIMA’s fundamental principles is simple:

Recognition should be earned through contribution and impact — not purchased.

AIMA Awards 2026 was designed around practical measures intended to reduce financial and social barriers to participation.

Award recipients were not required to pay nomination, entry or award acceptance fees to receive their recognition.

Performers were not required to purchase tickets as a condition of performing.

Judges and volunteers were not required to purchase tickets to contribute their time and expertise.

Guest tickets were kept at a modest level with food included.

AIMA worked with a limited number of sponsors and delivered the event without relying on government grants.

These principles were intended to ensure that recognition remained focused on the nominee’s actual work, leadership, service, achievements and positive contribution to Australian society.

No Groupism – Demonstrating That a Different Model Is Possible

One of the strongest messages behind AIMA Awards 2026 was:

No Groupism. No Unnecessary Gatekeepers. Merit First. Community Always.

AIMA does not claim that human bias can simply be eliminated by a slogan.

Instead, the organisation sought to demonstrate through its processes that a different model of multicultural recognition is possible.

The same merit-focused philosophy was applied to AIMA’s engagement with award recipients, judges, dignitaries, delegates and community representatives, with emphasis placed on credibility, contribution, leadership, service and community impact rather than popularity, financial status or group affiliation.

AIMA Founder & CEO Prabhakar Agraja said:

“For me, ‘No Groupism’ is not simply a slogan. It means creating an environment where we stop asking which group someone belongs to, who they know or how influential they are, and start asking a much more important question: What have they actually done for the community?”

From ‘Look at Me’ to ‘Look at the Incredible Work This Person Has Done’

One of the most encouraging outcomes of AIMA 2026 was the spirit in which nominations were received.

People did not simply seek recognition for themselves.

Community members came forward to nominate and celebrate other people.

Colleagues recognised colleagues.

Community members recognised volunteers.

Individuals recognised organisations.

People identified artists, entrepreneurs, educators, professionals and community leaders whose contributions they believed deserved greater visibility.

AIMA was particularly encouraged to see men nominating and supporting women for recognition, alongside women coming together to celebrate the achievements and leadership of other women.

For AIMA, this represented an important shift in the culture of recognition:

From “Look at me” to “Look at the incredible work this person has done.”

Prabhakar Agraja said:

“When people start using a platform to recognise someone else rather than only seeking recognition for themselves, something beautiful happens. Community recognition becomes less about status and more about gratitude.”

Six Weeks. Forty Stories. A Growing Community.

AIMA Awards 2026 was delivered following approximately six weeks of focused planning, supported by volunteers, partners, performers, judges, community members and technology-driven coordination.

Within approximately 28 days, around 350 people connected through the AIMA WhatsApp community, creating a rapidly growing network of professionals, artists, entrepreneurs, volunteers, business owners and community leaders.

Technology played an important role throughout the initiative, supporting nominations, communications, coordination, promotion and event delivery.

Rather than depending heavily on traditional gatekeepers, AIMA used direct community engagement and digital platforms to connect people and create opportunities.

The experience also required the organisation itself to learn, unlearn and rethink established practices.

AIMA believes innovation is not only about introducing new technology. Sometimes it is about having the courage to question whether old ways of doing things still serve the community.

Did AIMA Accomplish Its Mission?

AIMA 2026 began with an ambitious question:

Could a flagship multicultural recognition event be created where merit comes before money, contribution before connections and community before groupism?

The outcome speaks through the people who participated.

40 inspiring stories were recognised.

Hundreds of people connected.

Award recipients were recognised without an award acceptance fee.

Performers shared their talent without being required to buy their opportunity to perform.

Judges contributed their expertise.

Volunteers contributed their time.

Sponsors and partners supported the vision.

Women and men celebrated each other’s achievements.

Previously disconnected people formed new relationships.

Community members nominated other community members.

And people whose work may otherwise have remained behind the scenes were given a stage.

For AIMA, this demonstrates that a different model is possible.

Giving Australia’s Unsung Heroes a Stage

Founder & CEO Prabhakar Agraja said AIMA’s purpose extends far beyond presenting trophies.

“There are incredible people across Australia doing extraordinary work without seeking attention or recognition. AIMA was created to find those people, bring their stories onto the stage and simply say: we see your contribution, we value your service, and Australia should know your story.”

He believes recognition should create a new beginning rather than mark the end of an achievement.

“An award should not be the end of someone’s journey. It should inspire them — and others watching them — to do even more for the community.”

From COVID Geethmala to Australia India Multicultural Awards

The AIMA journey began during one of the most challenging periods experienced by Australian communities.

In April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Prabhakar Agraja initiated COVID Geethmala, encouraging people to remain connected through music while communities stayed home.

The initiative subsequently developed into the Australia India Music Awards, providing a platform to encourage and recognise artists and performers within the Indian-Australian community.

But the community surrounding AIMA continued to grow.

So did its purpose.

The platform expanded beyond music to recognise people contributing across leadership, business, volunteering, education, innovation, arts, culture and community service.

That evolution led to a new identity:

Australia India Multicultural Awards – AIMA

The name changed.

The community expanded.

But the original purpose remained:

Give deserving people a platform to be seen, heard and recognised.

Leadership Behind AIMA

AIMA is led by Founder & CEO Prabhakar Agraja, together with Vice President Simran Kaur Agraja, supported by a growing network of community leaders, judges, volunteers, partners and supporters.

Simran played a significant role in AIMA 2026 through community engagement, strategic relationships, coordination and hands-on support throughout the event journey.

Reflecting on AIMA 2026, Simran said:

“Behind every recognition was a human story — years of service, sacrifice, resilience, leadership and commitment that may never have received public attention. Seeing those stories celebrated together was incredibly special.”

The involvement of women throughout AIMA 2026 — as nominees, award recipients, leaders, judges, volunteers, performers, partners and supporters — was another important part of the event’s multicultural community spirit.

More Than an Awards Ceremony

AIMA’s vision does not end when the trophies are presented.

The organisation aims to develop an ongoing multicultural ecosystem connecting:

• Community leaders and volunteers

• Artists, musicians, filmmakers and performers

• Entrepreneurs and businesses

• Educators and professionals

• Not-for-profit organisations

• Multicultural and community organisations

• Media and creative professionals

• Sponsors and strategic partners

• Women leaders

• Young and emerging changemakers

• People whose contributions deserve greater visibility

Through recognition, partnerships, networking and community engagement, AIMA aims to encourage Australians from diverse backgrounds to:

Connect.
Collaborate.
Contribute.
Recognise one another.
And grow together.

A Community Achievement

AIMA acknowledges that an event of this scale can never be the achievement of one person.

The organisation extends its sincere appreciation to the Church of Scientology team for its support and hospitality, together with everyone who contributed to AIMA Awards 2026.

AIMA thanks its:

Judges.
Dignitaries.
Award recipients.
Nominees and nominators.
Performers.
Volunteers.
Sponsors.
Community partners.
Gifting partners.
Media partners.
Photographers and videographers.
Supporters.
Friends and families.

AIMA particularly acknowledges every person who took the time to nominate someone else and say:

“This person deserves to be recognised.”

That spirit represents what AIMA wants community recognition to become.

AIMA 2026 Was Not the Finish Line

The success of 16 August is not intended to be the end of the journey.

It is the beginning of AIMA’s next chapter.

Following AIMA Awards 2026, the organisation intends to continue developing its community engagement, strategic partnerships, business networks, artistic opportunities and multicultural recognition initiatives.

AIMA welcomes individuals, businesses, professionals, artists, volunteers, community organisations and partners who share its commitment to:

Merit.
Service.
Integrity.
Leadership.
Inclusion.
Collaboration.
Positive community impact.

AIMA will continue learning from its community, improving its processes and creating opportunities for deserving stories to be heard.

40 Inspiring Stories. One Stage. One Community.

AIMA Awards 2026 demonstrated what can happen when people come together not merely to seek recognition, but to recognise each other.

That is the culture AIMA wants to build.

Merit before money.

Contribution before connections.

Impact before popularity.

Community before groupism.

At the heart of AIMA remain the philosophies that inspired its journey:

“Serving Humanity is Serving God.”

“Maanava Sevey Maadhava Seva.”

“Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – The World Is One Family.”

AIMA – Honouring Excellence. Celebrating Impact. Uniting Communities.

ABOUT AIMA

Australia India Multicultural Awards (AIMA) is an Australian multicultural recognition and community platform that evolved from the Australia India Music Awards.

Established from a community initiative that began during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, AIMA celebrates individuals and organisations contributing across arts, culture, community service, leadership, volunteering, education, entrepreneurship, innovation and multicultural Australia.

AIMA seeks to provide merit-focused recognition while building connections between communities, businesses, artists, professionals and changemakers.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES & INTERVIEWS

Prabhakar Agraja
Founder & CEO
Australia India Multicultural Awards (AIMA)

📞 0433 601 248
📧 pa@cateredu.edu.au
🌐 aimaawards.com.au
▶ YouTube: @AIMATVLive

Media interviews, event photographs, award recipient stories and further information are available on request.