People in Business

A quartet at law

Lawyers belong to one of the most exacting professions in the world and with so many details, secrets and private information of people tucked in their records and (worse) their fearsome memory, most practitioners would say, “One lawyer in the family would be one too many.”

But that is not so in the case of Shean Singh, who is among the most successful lawyers of Indian origin who have done the community proud. His passion for the profession not only took him on the path of growth and fame but also enabled him to encourage his wife and children to take up law and serve a growing list of clients on both sides of the Tasman.

A graduate in arts (BA), Mr Singh arrived in New Zealand from his native Suva in Fiji 36 years ago and launched his career working for a public listed company. He obtained his degree in law and began his legal career with employment at Simpson Grierson and later Buddle Findlay.

Having gained valuable experience, he established his own law firm (Shean Singh) 20 years ago on Dominion Road in Auckland’s Mt Eden. The firm specialises in sale and purchase of property, business and other commercial work.

Indian Newslink was pleased to note that he won a case recently at the Supreme Court of New Zealand, marking another milestone in his legal career.

When his eldest son Shannon obtained a master’s degree in German language from the University of Bon in Germany, Mr Singh encouraged him to study law. A chip off the old block, the young man obtained a masters degree in law from the University of New South Wales in Australia and is today a successful legal practitioner in Brisbane.

Mr Singh was all along conscious about the passion with which his wife Darsan approached the legal profession.

“It was her childhood dream, which came true when she obtained a degree (LLB) from the University of Auckland. She has joined our law firm and is launching into new areas of specialisation including immigration,” he said.

Her proficiency in Hindi, Malay and Punjabi saw her as an interpreter in the law court of New Zealand.

Their only daughter Olivia also showed proclivities towards the profession, and with their encouragement, she received her law degree (LLB) from Victoria University in Wellington, after graduating in arts (BA) from the University of Auckland.

Olivia currently lectures at the Suva based University of Fiji Law Faculty.

A methodical and meticulous man that he is, Mr Singh encouraged his wife and daughter to further their career. Darsan and Olivia were admitted as barrister and solicitor at the High Court of Auckland on August 28, 2009.

With much of his career and domestic goals achieved, Mr Singh is now keen to serve the Indian community with greater intensity and vigour.

“An increasing number of our people need legal advice and assistance in a number of areas and I am keen to serve their interests. With four of us in the family working as qualified lawyers, solicitors and barristers, there is ample scope to extend our expertise for the benefit of the community,” he said.

Telephone: (09) 6300054 Mobile: 027-2455526 Email: shean@xtra.co.nz

A crusader with a mission

For millions of people around the world, Ayurveda continues to be an enigma, although its successful practice dates back to at least 5000 years in India.

Its proper application as a preventative rather than curative medicine has neither been understood nor appreciated properly; to obviate which there are a few tireless crusaders who give their time, energy and even money to foster the concept of wellbeing among a cross-section of the society.

Dr S Ajit, Director of the Auckland based Planet Ayurveda is among a few professionals who are keen that New Zealanders should lead disease-free lives with useful and healthy lifestyles.

Located in Mt Eden, Planet Ayurveda offers a total health plan that includes Wellness and Spa facilities, complete with the Ayurvedic principles of sound mind and sound body, stress-free life and good and a staple diet.

“While the preventative aspect is underscored, Ayurveda can also treat almost all ailments, from Hay Fever to Diabetes and Cancer,” Dr Ajit said.

With 33 years of experience and expertise, he has brought solace and cure to hundreds of patients who have visited him in India and New Zealand.

Dr Ajit and his wife Rippan Sandhu have developed Ayurda, an Ayurvedic skin care range which has redefined the concept of natural skin and hair care.

Their product range (comprising cleansers, toners, moisturisers, creams, face packs, shampoos and gels) beats Western products in sophistication and effectiveness.

He was instrumental in forming the Australasian Ayurvedic Practitioners Association on either side of the Tasman. He is also a member of the International Council of Ayurvedic Medicine.

Teaching and spreading Ayurvedic science is his passion, which led to the establishment of the Australasian Institute of Ayurvedic Studies, of which he is a director. Although approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and the Vocational Education and Training Accreditation Board of Australia, the Institute is starved of funding.

Dr Ajit hopes that the John Key Government will recognise the value of this premier institution and support its activities, apart from enabling students to obtain student loans from Studentlink and other government bodies.

Planet Ayurveda Wellness & Spa Centre, 578 Mt Eden Road, Mt Eden, Auckland Phone (09) 6232651 Mobile: 021-913625 Email: drajit@planetayurveda.co.nz

Restaurateur with a heart

Indian restaurants in New Zealand have been proliferating over the past five years (there should be at least 100 of them in Auckland alone) but the privilege of extensive patronage by varied ethnic communities does not belong to all. It is the prerogative of a chosen few like Sangeet Restaurant, located at 710 Great South Road in Manukau.

Since its establishment in 1993, owner Davinder Singh Rahal has give it a culture of hospitality, good cuisine and personalised service, turning hundreds of casual visitors to regular diners.

With an excellent menu that caters to the varied tastes, Sangeet brings to life what India is famous for – embracing humanity with an innovative and indomitable spirit. It is today a rendezvous for not only the Indian community but also for a growing number of other organisations and individuals representing other ethnic groups.

Says Mr Rahal: “Every customer is important for us at Sangeet, irrespective of ethnicity, status, income or other considerations. We aim to provide the best possible food with the best possible service at the best possible price. We do not compromise on any of these, which I believe is the reason for our growth and success.”

None of these of course came on a silver platter overnight. The restaurant’s rise to prominence was the result of dedication and hard work, accompanied by authentic and quality Indian cuisine.

His wife Jivan Jyoti has been a partner true to her name – The Eternal Light in Life – offering support, advise and of course love and understanding, while their children, two sons and a daughter, have been raised with cultural and religious values.

Mr Rahal’s colleagues and competitors say he has demonstrated how hard work leads to business success.

“His involvement with the hospitality industry led him to close association with people and community affairs,” they say.

Such concern for the community saw his involvement with the construction of the Gurdwara in Bombay Hills near Auckland and a host of other projects.

As well as being a Justice of the Peace, he is Chairman, New Zealand Guru Ravidas Sabha Incorporated, President, Auckland South Chapter of the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin International and Treasurer, Counties Manukau Ethnic Council Inc and Founder Member, the Supreme Sikh Council NZ Inc.

Telephone: (09) 2623445; Email: rahalmail@gmail.com; Website: sangeet.co.nz

A Specialist to the Core

After spending 23 years in a number of fields including pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, food, meat, poultry, fast moving consumer goods, engineering, plastics, printing and packaging and electronics, it was time for Vishnu Rayapeddi to establish his own enterprise and bring his extensive experience to the larger benefit of businesses and entrepreneurs in New Zealand.

He is specialised in implementing process improvements using Lean and Six Sigma methodologies such as DMAIC (Design, Measure, Analyse, Improve and Control), Value Stream Mapping, Problem Solving Skills, 5S (translated from Japanese to mean Sorting, Setting, Sweeping Standardising and Sustaining), Visual Management, Standard Work, Pull, JIT and Kanban.

Among his other professional attributes are key change management skills including business process and Gap Analysis (an assessment tool), identifying improvements, bench marking and ways to implement change.

He established Productivity Solutions Limited two years ago venturing into such specialised areas as Lean and Supply Chain Management consulting manufacturing,  job shopping, logistics and supply chain services, healthcare and office and administrative services, offering simple and sophisticated solutions that are tailor made to large, medium and small enterprises.

Mr Rayapeddi and his professional staff offer New Zealand businesses consulting, training and coaching services to improve their operational efficiency.

The company has associates in Australia, Canada and India.

“Productivity Solutions Limited is a market driven company, designed to create value to clients, irrespective of their size or field of activity. It helps small, medium and large organisations to achieve higher performance through lower costs, improved productivity and quality, and decreased time-to-market. Our experienced business consultants work with clients’ staff to find the right solution for their specific business needs,” he says.

The feedback that he has received for his training courses testify his credentials.

Life Technologies (formerly known as Oceania Invitrogen) Human Resources Manager Roger Jordan said, “We asked Vishnu to run a workshop at a finance conference, introducing Lean Thinking to our finance and administration area. This was a difficult task since Lean is seen as a manufacturing process. But Vishnu was able to engage and lead our team from project to start.”

The company’s clients represent a wide range of activities in which Mr Rayapeddi and his colleagues have vast experience, including electronics, engineering and fabrication, pharmaceuticals and biotech and industrial and consumer products. 

Phone: 021-1731060. Email: info@solutions4productivity.com

Website: Website: www.solutions4productivity.com

Achievement Warrants Awards

Those who moan and groan about lack of opportunities and racial and other discrimination that preclude them from progress in their profession should follow the simple philosophy of Naushad Khan: “Do your work with diligence and commitment, success and recognition cannot be far behind.”

He has proved that hard work and sincerity seldom go unnoticed. Mr Khan was recently honoured with the Station Managers Award for being the ‘Best Manager of the Year’ at Vehicle Testing New Zealand Limited (VTNZ), which has 80 stations throughout the country.

Getting on top of the system with such an accolade was not new for Mr Khan, who received the Cameron Award (named after former Chairman Alan Cameron) for being the Best Employee of the Year in 2007.

“I am humbled by these Awards and they motivate me to perform better by serving customers to the best of my ability and promoting the image of the company,” he said.

A native of Fiji, Mr Khan joined VTNZ in 1997 (then a state-owned enterprise) as a vehicle inspector. His initiative and drive saw him rise to the post of a supervisor the same year.

Vehicle testing is not only a testing profession in itself with the roadworthiness of vehicles resting on judgement and competence of people but also a challenge to meeting customer demands.

Mr Khan soon became adept in the extensive range of services that VTNZ provides, including Certificate of Fitness, Driver Licensing, Entry Certification, Heavy Vehicle Brake Rule and Brake Tests, Pre-Purchase Inspection, Red Book Personalised Vehicle Valuations, Road User Charges, Vehicle Condition Assessment, Vehicle Registration and Warrant of Fitness.

When his promotion as Manager was announced, it did not surprise many.

“I have found that maintaining good relations with superiors, staff and customers is the key to success. Qualities of honesty and integrity cannot be comprised,” he said.

As the Manager of two VTNZ stations (Mt Wellington and Glen Innes), he is responsible for a complement of 45 staff, who look up to him as a role model.

Phone: (09) 573115 Mobile: 027-2101658 Email: khan@vtnz.co.nz