A Sydney springtime investiture

On a beautiful sunny Spring afternoon, Mrs Kalpana Sriram OAM was relaxing with her husband and daughter by the fountain at Government House, Sydney. In the background classical music wafted over the gardens courtesy of a wind trio from the Australian Navy. About an hour before Mrs Sriram had stood at the front of the Ballroom whilst the citation for her Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) award was read out. 

“Actually, until I was receiving the award, I was a bit nervous because the process makes me very nervous. It’s very friendly, it’s just my own psychology - I’m a backstage person, I’m not very in front, I just quietly work, nobody knows what I do.” 

Once she had received her insignia, talked to the Governor, and met with her family after the ceremony had finished, it was a different story. 

“But then after the whole thing I’m feeling so elated, so beautiful, it is so nice to be here with everyone, it just amazing.”  

Mrs Sriram had been awarded the OAM for service to community health. She was delighted to have her husband and daughter by her side. 

“Basically, I wouldn’t be here without my family. They have been so understanding, so patient with me. In the citation they were reading out … what I did with different hospitals, well I’m on a pager and I go from work to work. My husband was doing a top job, but he would promptly ring at three o’clock to make sure the kids had arrived home. And he has always been empowering me, building me up, saying ‘you can do it – don’t worry – you can do it’. I wouldn’t have done anything without that support – that’s why the family is so important.” 

Mrs Sriram could think of others in her local community that could be nominated. “There’s lots out there”, she said. 

Of her experience of Government House? “It will be very hard to put in words when I tell my friends.” 

Kalpana Sriram OAM was invested in the Order of Australia at the Spring 2023 ceremonies at Government House, Sydney.