Deepak-Raj Gupta, OAM
Member of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly
for Yerrabi
In office
23 July 2019 – 17 October 2020
Preceded byMeegan Fitzharris
Personal details
Born1966 (age 57–58)
Agra, India
CitizenshipAustralian
NationalityAustralian
Political partyAustralian Labor Party
Alma materPunjab University, Chandigarh
ProfessionPolitician, Community Leader

Deepak-Raj Gupta is an Indian born Australian politician and community leader. He was a Labor member for Yerrabi in the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly from July 2019 to October 2020.[1][2][3]

Biography

Gupta was born in the city of Agra in Uttar Pradesh, India, and raised in Chandigarh.[4] He completed his Bachelor of Arts at Punjab University in Chandigarh. In 1989 he emigrated to Australia to complete an information technology diploma at the Holmesglen Institute in Melbourne. Gupta moved to Canberra in 2001. In Canberra, Gupta worked for a private insurance company and briefly became a project manager at the Department of Defence. In 2015, Gupta was involved in an ACT Government delegation to India to promote trade and business between India and Australia. Gupta currently lives in Gungahlin with his wife and two children.

Community engagement

Gupta was the president of the Australia India Business Council (AIBC) ACT Chapter for 10 years and is now a member of the AIBC National Executive Board of Directors. He has helped organise several popular multicultural programs in the annual National Multicultural Festival as well as starting events such as the 'India in the City' program and the World Curry Festival. Deepak celebrates community engagement and is particularly keen to assist local businesses.

In 2012, Gupta was awarded the ACT Community Advocate award. In 2015, he was awarded the Community Service Excellence Award in Sydney, NSW. The award was in recognition of Gupta's work in promoting multicultural harmony, acceptance, mutual respect and understanding among the ACT's diverse communities.

Political career

Under the Australia Labor Party in 2016, Gupta was the first person of Indian origin to run in an ACT election. Gupta was sworn in during July 2019, he became the first Indian-born person to hold the position of MLA in the Australian Capital Territory. He was also the first MLA to be sworn in on the Bhagwat Gita, representing his Hindu faith.[5]

Gupta's maiden speech focused on education, health, supporting small business and multiculturalism.[6] During his time in the Assembly, Gupta has pushed forward support for increased water efficiency, providing cost of living support through a strong climate strategy and recognition of Canberra's designer Walter Burley Griffin.[7] In 2019, Gupta joined Chief Minister Andrew Barr on a delegation to India, to discuss education and tourism, and to promote trade relationships between the ACT, New Delhi and Mumbai. Gupta was unsuccessful at the 2020 ACT election.[3]

Award and recognition

On 26 January 2022, Gupta has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in recognition of his service to Canberra.

References

  1. ↑ "Deepak-Raj GUPTA". Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly.
  2. ↑ Jervis-Bardy, Dan (22 July 2019). "'Big shoes to fill': Deepak-Raj Gupta to be the ACT's newest parliamentarian". The Canberra Times.
  3. 1 2 "Yerrabi - ACT Election 2020 Electorate, Candidates, Results". ABC News. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  4. ↑ Leigh, Andrew. "Deepak-Raj Gupta - Speech, House of Representatives". Andrew Leigh MP. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
  5. ↑ "Once washed cars, India born Deepak Raj Gupta takes oath as MLA in Australia with Bhagwad Gita in hand". WION. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  6. ↑ "Inaugural speech" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Australian Capital Territory: Legislative Assembly. pp. 2354–2358.
  7. ↑ "Deepak pushes for local recognition of the Griffins". CityNews. 18 February 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
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