Although Manpreet is best known as a Walkley-nominated, multi-award winning SBS broadcaster, her work across all platforms of journalism -- newspapers, radio, magazines, television and online – have earned her widespread respect and recognition in Australia and beyond. She joined SBS Punjabi program in 1993 and has made a significant contribution in areas of social justice, cultural cohesion and multiculturalism. Her work is not only helping to preserve the history of Indian arrival into Australia, but is aiding more recent migrants build their identity as Australian Indians, by showcasing their achievements, highlighting their issues and encouraging solutions to community issues. One of Manpreet’s landmark stories on SBS (about Pooran Singh, a Sikh hawker who came to Australia in 1899) has appeared as a chapter in the book “Indian Diaspora: Hindus and Sikhs in Australia”, which was released in June 2015. Manpreet’s acclaimed documentary feature investigating family violence in the Australian- Indian community, has won six national and international awards, and earned her a coveted Walkley nomination. Several other stories have also won prestigious accolades.
Apart from her work at SBS, Manpreet’s articles in Hindustan Times, India Today and Sikhchic.com continue to build the identity of Punjabi / Indian migrants of Australia, while her research on the history of Indian arrival into Australia, has now been commissioned by Educational Services Australia (ESA) as a reference tool for High School students. Manpreet has written a chapter in the book “Indian Diaspora: Hindus and Sikhs of Australia”, and her contribution was acknowledged by Prof Peter Stanley in his book .
Manpreet is a member of Media Advisory Group of Our Watch, for ethical and balanced reporting of family violence in Australia. She is part of AFL Multicultural Focus Group, to popularize Australian Rules Football in the Australian Indian community. She was also a part of the Grand Jury of world journalists that judged the 2015 New York Festivals International Radio Awards, as well as a judge at the 2014 Walkley Young Australian Journalism Awards.
Manpreet receiving the UNAA award from Heidi Victoria, MP Source: Supplied
Manpreet receiving the NSW Premier's award from Barry O'Farrell Source: Supplied
A popular stage-host, who has MC'ed many significant events including the 2013 Victorian Premier's Multicultural Gala, Manpreet is a sought after speaker who has delivered several keynote addresses and guest lectures, and has participated in many panel discussions in Melbourne, interstate and overseas. In 2017, she was invited to New Zealand to facilitate a capacity building seminar for Indian women, and in the same year, was felicitated as a global icon, when she was featured in book published in India titled '500 Sikh Role Models from various walks of life'. She has also been featured as a Sikh Role Model on an international She is also an AFL commentator, who has called matches during the in Hindi and Punjabi for four years, starting in 2013.
Manpreet was born and educated in India, where she completed a post-graduate degree in Journalism, Advertising and Public Relations. Prior to her arrival in Australia, she was a columnist and feature-writer for the daily newspaper Indian Express and also worked for the national television network, Doordarshan. She continues to write for many international publications.
Awards & Recognition:
Manpreet receiving the silver trophy at New York Festivals for World's Best Radio Source: Supplied
2019:
Winner of Best Audio Report at NSW Premier's Multicultural Communications Award (PMCA) for the stories The Dowry Trap and The Price of Marriage and Divorce. The award recognises excellence in the multicultural media and marketing industries, and acknowledge the important role marketing and media professionals play in communicating to diverse audiences across the state.
2018
Winner at 2018 Mental Health Matters Awards presented by Way Ahead and Mental Health Commission of NSW. The citation commended the effort to "raise awareness about mental health issues and its incidence, postnatal and pregnancy depression."
It added, "On top of the journalistic value, this is a service provided by SBS Punjabi that is reaching a growing Indian community. It opens a dialogue and a necessary conversation within the community."
2017
Finalist at the , the annual awards given by the Association of International Broadcasters for media excellence, in the category Best Investigative Story - Audio, for the in-depth investigation into the availability of sub-standard and banned imported foods, available in Australia. The AIBs are a well respected international award, conferred for factual video, audio and interactive journalism.
Was conferred Pride of Punjabis award at NSW Parliament House, Sydney, for contribution to Punjabi language and culture in Australia.
2014
Won silver trophy at New York Festivals International Radio Awards for World's Best Radio, with entries from over 30 countries
Won two awards at 2014 NSW Premier’s Multicultural Media awards, in the categories “best feature – any medium” and “best radio feature”
Won Legal Reporting Award from Victorian Legal Foundation
Was a judge for Young Walkleys 2014
2013
Won the UNAA Media Awards 2013 in the special category "Increasing Awareness and Understanding of Womens' Rights and Issues
Won “Media Award” at Victoria’s Multicultural Awards for Excellence 2013
Finalist at Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism.
Won GOPIO Community Service Award, along the sides of the 2013 Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas at Kochi, India.
2011
Awarded Individual award for Excellence in Media by Government of Victoria
Previously:
Manpreet’s work has been chosen as a finalist at the UNAA Media Awards on four other occasions, in categories like Promotion of Multicultural Issues, Increasing Awareness of Women’s Rights and Issues, and Promotion of Positive Images of the Older Person. In 2012, she was named a finalist at the World Sikh Awards and in 2010, she was one of the 10 torch-bearers of the Queen’s Baton Relay held in Melbourne for the XIX Delhi Commonwealth Games.
She has been a guest lecturer for Masters of Journalism students at Melbourne University, and made history of sorts by calling the AFL match between Essendon and Western Bulldogs on Fox television, as part of AFL Multicultural Round 2014. She was part of the “Indian commentary team” for AFL Multicultural Round in 2015 and 2016 as well, and hosted the Multicultural Festival in Sydney in 2017.
Presenting a sample of Manpreet's audio, video and online presentations on SBS Punjabi
The Enemy Within Episode 1 (Punjabi version)
