Auckland: Modi addresses diaspora at Kia Ora Modi and BAPS marks Diwali
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed thousands of New Zealand Indians at the 'Kia Ora Modi' diaspora event in Auckland, hailing the community as a living bridge between the two nations, while BAPS Auckland's annual Kids' Diwali 2025 celebrations carried on the mandir's tradition of youth-focused Hindu observance. Together the two events capture the dual currents of Auckland's South Asian community life: high-profile diplomatic moments and the quieter, year-round work of cultural and spiritual continuity.
🗳️ Modi Addresses Auckland Diaspora at Historic 'Kia Ora Modi' Event
DD News reports on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to Auckland's Indian diaspora at a landmark gathering dubbed 'Kia Ora Modi' — a phrase blending the Maori greeting with the Prime Minister's name that symbolised the bicultural context of his New Zealand visit and was widely noted as a thoughtful nod to the host country's indigenous heritage. At the event, Modi hailed the Indian diaspora in New Zealand as a living bridge between the two nations, crediting the community with strengthening bilateral ties across trade, culture, and people-to-people relations. The gathering brought together thousands of New Zealand Indians — a community that has grown rapidly over recent decades and now numbers among Auckland's most prominent immigrant groups — with participants traveling from across the country for the rare opportunity to hear the Indian Prime Minister speak on New Zealand soil. Modi's address touched on India's economic rise, the importance of maintaining cultural and linguistic connections across generations, and the role diaspora communities play in shaping India's global relationships. The DD News piece highlights New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's participation at the event alongside opposition leader Chris Hipkins, underscoring the strong diplomatic significance of Modi's Auckland visit and the cross-party welcome extended to him. The 'Kia Ora Modi' branding reflects New Zealand's acknowledgment of its own bicultural identity while celebrating the Indian community's growing civic presence — a gesture widely appreciated by attendees who saw it as recognition of their place in New Zealand society after decades of settlement. [2]
🪔 BAPS Auckland Marks Diwali 2025 with Children's Celebrations
BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha's Auckland mandir at 21 Barrhead Place, Avondale, held its annual Kids' Diwali Celebrations in November 2025, continuing a tradition of youth-focused religious and cultural programming that has made the centre a cornerstone of Auckland's Hindu community. The event brought together young devotees and their families for an evening of Diwali observance rooted in the BAPS Swaminarayan tradition, which emphasises spiritual education alongside festive celebration and places particular importance on engaging the next generation. The Auckland BAPS mandir serves as the primary institutional centre for Swaminarayan Hindus in New Zealand, hosting a year-round calendar ranging from religious festivals and devotional assemblies to academic conferences and community service programs. The Kids' Diwali event is designed to give younger members of the community a structured and spiritually meaningful engagement with Hinduism's festival of lights, ensuring that children born and raised in New Zealand develop a living connection to their religious and cultural heritage. Activities included cultural programs, devotional singing, and communal worship in the Swaminarayan tradition. The 2025 celebration sits within a broader BAPS regional program spanning Australia and New Zealand that has recently included the Sanskrit Conference in Adelaide — titled 'Apni Ekta' and inspired by the Satsang Diksha — and BSRI academic conferences on timeless Hindu teachings from mandirs across the region. These events collectively reflect BAPS Auckland's ambition to function as a centre for Hindu intellectual and cultural life in the Southern Hemisphere, nurturing both devotion and scholarship within the diaspora community across generations. [1]
Sources: [2] DD News · [1] BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha