members of the Manipur Association of Australia became the first cohort to participate in The Indian Sun’s inaugural media training workshop—a new initiative supported by the Victorian Government to amplify multicultural voices through storytelling.
The workshop marked an important milestone for both The Indian Sun and the small but growing Manipuri community in Australia, many of whom are young professionals and recent migrants from the northeast Indian state of Manipur—a region renowned for its rich cultural heritage, especially the classical Manipuri dance.
Although the diaspora remains modest in size, with about 15 to 20 families settled across Victoria, the Manipur Association of Australia was formally established in 2022 to foster cultural ties and support its members. The media workshop provided participants with the tools to better share their stories and experiences with the wider community.
Kelvin Angom, an IT professional, said he learnt how to ensure community voices are heard and now feels confident contributing articles to his local council’s monthly newsletter.
PhD student Byonkesh Nongthingbam, who is researching invasion genomics at Monash University, said, “The most useful part of the session was learning about the visibility of small communities like ours and where to reach out to share our stories with the broader public.”
Sorobala Senjam, a dental assistant, appreciated the tips on crafting headlines and expressed interest in future sessions. Similarly, Joylakshmi highlighted the value of understanding how “media works when writing a story” and praised the use of examples in presenting cultural narratives.
Another attendee, Minolata Konthoujam, also an IT professional, noted, “We got an idea of how we can contribute to the community. If we could cooperate and help each other, and give 100 per cent to this work, we can do better to improve visibility and share our stories.” She also called for more such workshops.
Reema Maisnam, a garment technician, found the techniques for using social media and writing particularly helpful, while Ronak Tayenjam appreciated the insights into how stories are presented in the media. He expressed interest in writing not only about culture but also about scientific developments and breakthroughs related to the community.
The workshop highlighted the importance of giving diverse communities the tools and confidence to represent themselves in the media—and the potential to bridge cultural gaps through storytelling.
“This is just the beginning,” said Joylakshmi. “We have so many stories to tell, and now we know how to tell them.”
The seven attendees found the session valuable and expressed keen interest in more workshops.
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🌟#TheIndianSun's inaugural media workshop, supported by Victorian Govt, empowered Manipur Association of Australia members to share their stories. 📰 Attendees gained skills in writing, social media & community engagement.✨#TheIndianSun @VicGovtNews
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