PIOs among Australians recognised for Queens B'day honours

Almost 600 Australians, including five persons of Indian origin (PIO), have been recognised for their contribution to the community in this year's Queen's Birthday honours.

Over 550 recipients who were honoured yesterday came from all walks of life from musicians to politicians, governors, sports persons, artists, law enforcers and philanthropists.

New South Wales-based professor Nalini Joshi received the top honour of Officer of the Order of Australia in general division for her distinguished service to mathematical science and tertiary education as an academic, author and researcher, to professional societies, and as a role model and mentor of young mathematicians.

New South Wales-based Darshak Hasmukh Mehta received the medal of Order of Australia award for his services to the community through charitable organisations, while Adelaide-based Mallika Prasad-Chowta also received the medal for her service to the multicultural community in South Australia.

From Queensland, Professor Prasad Kanaka Yarlagadda was given the medal for service to the Indian community and to engineering.

Ivan Trayling, holding PIO card, received the medal for his services to the People and parliament of Victoria including promoting closer ties between Australia and India in the 1970s, both cultural and economic.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, who turned 90 on June 11, always has two birthdays, the official one on the second Saturday of June and her real birthday, which falls on April 21 as part of a tradition dating back nearly 250 years to try to ensure good, sunny weather for the monarch's official celebrations.