Former mayor inducted into Kiwi Indian Hall of Fame
Gurunathan lauded for his impact on New Zealand
Former Kāpiti mayor K Gurunathan has been inducted into the Kiwi Indian Hall of Fame. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon presented the award at a ceremony in the Cordis hotel at Auckland, hosted by the Indian Weekender.
Gurunathan, born in Malaysia in 1952, “faced discriminatory challenges with unwavering determination”, MC Wilhelmina Shrimpton said.
“His transformative journey began in 1974 at Victoria University of Wellington, setting the stage for a lifetime of trailblazing contributions.
“Aligned with the Māori activist group Ngā Tamatoa, Gurunathan played a pivotal role in historic events such as the Māori land march and Bastion Point protests.
“During the 1981 anti-Springbok tour, he bravely halted a game championing justice and equality.
“Returning to Malaysia in 1984, and then Aotearoa in 1995, Gurunathan’s impact extended from journalism to becoming Kāpiti’s first Asian councillor in 2010, and its first non-Pākehā mayor in 2016.
“His visionary leadership exemplifies a commitment to diversity and community betterment.
“As Gurunathan enters the Kiwi Indian Hall of Fame, we celebrate a man whose journey embodies courage, resilience and a steadfast commitment to building a harmonious and inclusive society.”
Gurunathan, who served two terms as mayor, told the 600-strong audience his journey was a similar story to that of people from the various Indian diasporas that had spread out from the British Empire.
“We were used as cheap labour right across the country. My forefathers ended up in Malaysia in a plantation economy.
“Education, my father stressed, was a way to escape the plantation economy.”
But “racial discrimination and quota systems” meant he couldn’t attend university in postindependent Malaysia.
“So I secured a place at Victoria University, and I thank this country for the education I had.”
He pursued his education, held two jobs, and “secretly I met some young people, Ngā Tamatoa, who again, were minorities fighting against what continued as colonial oppression. I learned a lot from them, and that has persevered to this day. I take a keen interest”.
Reflecting on the award at his home in Ō taki, Gurunathan said it came “out of the blue”.
He felt “like a fish out of water” because being in the limelight “has never been my scene”.
“It was a humbling experience because
it was the community accepting me and what I represent, and what I represent is a particular view of New Zealand.”
Everything he had done, especially supporting minorities, was simply because it was “who I am”.
He enjoyed receiving the award from Luxon, who he had engaged with over the years.
“I was quite glad to give him the compliments from my hairdresser to his hairdresser.”