Melbourne/internet/Hyderabad, Feb 8 (Hydnow) Indian-origin barrister Varun Ghosh has become the first-ever Australian Senator to take the oath of office on the Bhagavad Gita.
The 38-year-old took his position in the Australian Senate with the Labour Party officially confirming him as their pick to represent Western Australia, replacing present senator Patrick Dodson.
Welcoming Ghosh in his new role, Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs and South Australia senator wrote on X. “Senator Ghosh is the first ever Australian Senator sworn in on the Bhagavad Gita. I have often said, when you’re the first at something, you’ve got to make sure you’re not the last.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Ghosh, a barrister at Francis Burt chambers, will be a “great voice” for Western Australia.
“I was so pleased to support your candidacy and I say this as well, you’ve got big shoes to fill, “Aolbanese was quoted as saying in The Sydney Morning Herald.
The PM earlier wrote on X: “Welcome Varun Ghosh, our newest Senator from Western Australia. Fantastic to have you on the team.”
Ghosh is the second Indian-origin Australian in the Senate after Dave Sharma who was sown in as a senator for New South Wales in December.
Ghosh, who joined the Labour party in Perth at the age of 17 after his parents moved from India in the 1980s, said his preselection was an honour he won’t take for granted.
“I have had the privilege of a good education and believe strongly that high-quality education and training should be available to everyone,” he said in a statement issued earlier.
At the 2019 Federal Election, Ghosh was placed in fifth position on the Australian Labour Party’s Senate ticket in Western Australia but was not elected. (Hydnow)
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