Abhishek Awasthi | |
|---|---|
| Deputy Mayor of the City of Greater Bendigo | |
| Assumed office 26 November 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Matthew Evans |
| Councillor of the City of Greater Bendigo for Kennington Ward | |
| Assumed office 2024 | |
| Preceded by | New Ward |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Mandi,Himachal Pradesh,India |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Labor [1] |
| Alma mater | Uttar Pradesh Technical University,La Trobe University |
Abhishek Awasthi is an Indian-Australian politician who has served as deputy mayor of the City of Greater Bendigo since 2024 and as a councillor for Kennington Ward since 2024. [2]
Awasthi was born in Mandi,Himachal Pradesh and graduated from Uttar Pradesh Technical University with a Bachelor of Technology in Biotechnology. [3] He moved to Bendigo in 2008 to study and later work at La Trobe University. [4] [5] [6] Awasthi is the president of the Indian Association of Bendigo. [7]
Awasthi contested the Kennington Ward in the 2024 Victorian local elections,achieving 58.86% of the vote against Greens candidate Gavin Hicks. [8] [9] He ran on a platform of keeping the East Bendigo pool open and advocating for the expansion of flights from the Bendigo Airport to other Australian cities. [10] [11]
Awasthi was sworn in as deputy mayor on 26 November 2024,alongside mayor Andrea Metcalf. [12] He stated that “I want to see Greater Bendigo continue to develop into an inclusive and sustainable community,while ensuring we preserve its rich history,celebrate its diversity and promote social equity,and I hope to advocate for continued access to local food security services and affordable housing.” [13] He has also advocated for linking Bendigo and his home town of Mandi as sister cities and promoting cultural exchanges between the cities. [14] [15]