I joined Wellington Hindi School in 2007 as I felt I could contribute to Hindi education especially for our young people. Bringing up own child gave me an opportunity to keep myself refreshed in Hindi. I work at Early Years as a head teacher and am actively involved at Hare Krishna and their Bal Vikash Programme. I am passionate about keeping my culture and identity life which I achieve by teaching at Hindi School and working with other Indian organisations.

My ONE Vision for New Zealand: Our people have appropriate opportunities to be themselves.I am married to Dev, with two daughters Srishti & Anuksha. I joined Wellington Hindi School in 1995 and am passionate about preparing young minds for the future. With a colleague, I founded the Bharatiya Bhasha evam Shodh Sansthan (Indian Languages and Research Foundation). I create teaching and learning resources, publish in international journals and regularly present at conferences on culture maintenance and my experiences in education in a community-based environment. As the president of Community Languages Association of New Zealand, I lead/collaborate projects that are aimed at building heritage language capability. I’m a Human Resource professional specialising in people capability development. ​I love to catch up with friends over chai, research and write about my multi-faceted heritage, write for children, teach driving to migrant women, coach young people & migrants for employment, and support several NGOs and Charities in advisory roles.

I am a public servant and programme manager with several years of experience in healthcare and governance.I am former president, tangata tiriti of New Zealand's national association of occupational therapists. I come from a Hindi speaking background from Bihar, India, and am passionate about promoting Hindi.

नमस्ते, 

My name is Sonakshi Sharma, presently the school principal at Wellington Hindi school and a full time Mathematics Teacher at an Upper Hutt based College. I hold Bachelor of Education and Master of Science (Maths) degrees. 

I joined Wellington Hindi School as soon as I came to New Zealand in late 2018. Since then, it has been so satisfying and enriching experience teaching my mother tongue Hindi to younger generations. I originally hail from New Delhi, India and come from a family of teachers. 

With a passion for education and a commitment to excellence, I strive to create a supportive and inclusive learning environment for our students. I am honoured to work with a team of dedicated teachers and staff who share my vision of fostering linguistic and cultural proficiency in Hindi. Together, we aim to inspire our students to become culturally strong, confident, responsible, and compassionate individuals who will make a positive impact in their communities.

धन्यवाद 🙏

Ramram, bula and namaste. My name is Harshaa Prasad. I was born in Fiji and have lived in Aotearoa for most of my life. My mum was my first Hindi teacher, and I'm proud to be on the WHS Board, enabling others, especially our next generation, to learn their mother tongue. I love music too and am currently learning kathak as a new way to experience music and rhythm.

Born and raised in Fiji in a Hindi-speaking family, I have had a lifelong connection with the Hindi language and Indian culture. This passion has inspired my commitment to preserving and promoting our language and heritage for future generations.

I bring extensive experience in governance, education, finance, and community service. Over the years, I have served as Treasurer of Nadi Arya Samaj & Commercial Properties and Nadi Arya Samaj Primary School, Executive Member of the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Fiji, and a member of Finance, Tender, and Salary Review Committees.

I also served for over ten years on the Council of the University of Fiji, where I chaired the Audit and Disciplinary Committees and also being a member of the Finance and Tender Committees.

Since moving to New Zealand, I have continued my community involvement and currently serve as President of Arya Samaj Wellington and as one of the Purohits as well.

As Associate Secretary and Board Member of Wellington Hindi School, I am honoured to support the school's mission of promoting Hindi language learning, cultural awareness, and community engagement, helping future generations stay connected to their heritage.

I currently work in the banking sector with one of New Zealand's largest banks. Before moving into banking, I held leadership roles as a Retail Store Manager in New Zealand and as a Manager with insurance companies in Delhi, India.

Originally from Delhi, India, I come from a Hindi-speaking family and take great pride in my linguistic and cultural heritage. I am a parent of two children. My elder child is in high school and is fluent in Hindi, while my younger child, who is five years old, will soon begin learning at Wellington Hindi School to strengthen his connection with his mother tongue, Hindi (Matr Bhasha).

I am deeply passionate about promoting and preserving the Hindi language. Living overseas, I believe that Hindi schools play a vital role in helping children remain connected to their language, culture, and traditions. Wellington Hindi School provides an excellent platform for the next generation to develop confidence in speaking Hindi while fostering a strong sense of cultural identity and belonging.

Namaste! I am Sonal Agrawal, CA, and I am pleased to serve as the Associate Treasurer of our Hindi School.

I come from a Hindi-speaking family in India and moved to New Zealand in 2016. I am a proud mother of two children, Shirley and Shivansh. As a family, we joined Hindi School with the hope that our children would develop a strong connection with the Hindi language and their Indian heritage. For us, it is important that Hindi is not a language barrier for our children, but rather a language they can speak confidently and naturally as one of their primary languages.

Professionally, I am a fully qualified Chartered Accountant (CA) with Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ). I look forward to bringing my professional experience and skills to my role as Associate Treasurer and contributing to the continued growth of the Hindi School and our wider community.

I feel privileged to be part of a community that helps the next generation stay connected with their language, culture, and roots.

Dr Pushpa Bhardwaj-Wood, a resident of Wellington, originally comes from Delhi, India. She has made significant contributions to Hindi language teaching, Hindi translation, and the development of curriculum for Wellington’s early Hindi schools. She is also credited with pioneering the teaching of Hindi to adults in Wellington. In 2019, she developed a Hindi Language Teaching Competency Framework, based on information gathered from a nationwide survey of Hindi teachers.

In 2016, Dr Bhardwaj-Wood was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in the Queen’s 90th Birthday Honours for her services to financial literacy and interfaith relations. She is the first person in New Zealand to receive such recognition for contributions in both interfaith relations and financial literacy. She is also the first Indian woman in New Zealand to be honoured at such a high level and for achievements in two distinct fields.

Dr Bhardwaj-Wood was also the person who introduced the teaching of Sanskrit at Victoria University of Wellington. Her passion for Hindi language and literature began in childhood. She was the first student in New Zealand to undertake research on the topic “Religious Dimensions in Medieval Hindi Literature.” For her PhD, she produced an English-language critical study of the works of Kabir Das and Tulsidas. Over the past 35 years, she has worked as both a Hindi translator and interpreter and currently assists with the assessment and evaluation of interpreters.

Dr Bhardwaj-Wood’s writings have been published in Bharat-Darshan. She played a major role in organising the Golden Jubilee Celebrations hosted by the High Commission of India in Wellington in 1997. Her bilingual stage compere role in Hindi and English at this event is still remembered by many. Much of the Hindi-language material produced by various New Zealand ministries, organisations, and businesses has benefited from Dr Wood’s translation expertise and dedication. She is currently working on a Hindi e-book, Hindi teacher training initiatives, and Hindi curriculum development.

Although she has been interested in Hindi writing since childhood, she has never actively sought publication of her work. As a result, she has submitted her writings only to Bharat-Darshan and Garbhnal for publication. She has regularly participated in online poetry gatherings and literary events. A particular area of her commitment has been raising the standards of Hindi teaching, educational resources, and teacher training for Hindi educators working outside India.