Fair go for Vino paying off

HAD he not fled Sri Lanka by boat in 2012, it’s likely Vinodas Balakirushnan would be dead.

Pride of Australia, Vino Balakirushnan is a Tamil from Sri Lanka. He came to Australia seeking asylum two years ago in 2012. He was volunteering his skills when in detention in Darwin and Queensland and Christmas Island, creating posters for Serco to use around the centers.

HAD he not fled Sri Lanka by boat in 2012, it’s likely Vinodas Balakirushnan would be dead.

Vinodas – or Vino for short – is a Tamil. He risked his life and got on a boat with 26 other people out of his homeland, where he had been tortured.

He would spend the next 18 days in cramped conditions, before arriving at Christmas Island.

Since arriving in Darwin, he has secured a full-time job, and studies graphic design at Charles Darwin University.

He has designed the poster for the past two years for World Refugee Day, put on a dance performance and has volunteered to be photographer for the day.

He has now been nominated for a Pride of Australia medal, in the Fair Go category.

Mr Balakirushnan said he was “really, really happy” to be nominated.

“This is first time something like this happened to me,” he said.

The first two years of his life in Australia were “scary and exciting”.

Mr Balakirushnan said he hoped to finish his studies, and see what opportunities they brought.

“I want to do photography and designing – it’s good, I like it.”

In the decade since their inception, the Pride of Australia awards have honoured more than 550 Australians, shared more than 19,000 inspirational stories and unearthed extraordinary feats of courage and heroism.

For more information and to nominate someone for an award, simply go to ntnews.com.au/prideofaustralia.