The Maitri Lecture, a new annual lecture series run in partnership with the Centre for Australia-India Relations (CAIR), premieres on Sunday 1 November at 7:30pm AEDT on ABC Australia and ABC iview.
The series celebrates the achievements and contributions of Australia’s Indian diaspora community and the name Maitri comes from the Sanskrit word for friendship, kindness and goodwill.
Cardiologist and healthcare innovator Dr Rolf Gomes delivers the inaugural lecture, recorded with a live audience at ABC's Ultimo studios, and shares his life story and passion for bringing lifesaving healthcare to regional Australia.
Born in Kolkata and raised in Melbourne, Dr Gomes has changed the lives of rural and remote communities through his mobile health clinics organisation, Heart of Australia. After seeing the healthcare inequalities rural Australians face, he combined his medical expertise with his engineering background to build a fleet of trucks that now deliver specialised healthcare across the country. Since launching Heart of Australia in 2014, Dr Gomes has made a profound impact and earned the title of 2026 Australian of the Year for Queensland.
Dr Gomes said, “It’s a terrific honour to be named the keynote speaker for the Maitri Lecture, it’s so humbling and it’s been quite an interesting and enjoyable lecture to give because it took me back to my childhood.”
“Maitri which means friendship is just so fitting, because it’s through friendship and working together and discovering different cultures, that we can create new and amazing opportunities.”
“There are a lot of Indians who have chosen Australia as their home and where we can try and bring the richness of both countries together and celebrate our backgrounds and our opportunities in a program such as the Maitri Lecture. It’s a fantastic development.”
General Manager ABC International Claire M. Gorman said, “ABC International is firmly committed to championing the diverse voices of Australia and are proud to share Dr Gomes’ life story with our audiences across the region. The Maitri Lecture is a wonderful expression of our friendship with CAIR and we look forward to collaborating each year to deliver this series, highlighting the profound impact of Australian Indian diaspora.”
CEO of CAIR Ryan Neelam said, “Dr Gomes story, and the very real difference he has made to tens of thousands of Australian lives, embodies the imagination, ingenuity, tenacity and courage that so many Indian Australians have brought to our country. It’s especially important now to tell these positive stories, and how they have enriched us as a nation.”
The ABC developed and launched the Maitri Lecture series in partnership with the CAIR, an initiative of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
HOW TO WATCH
The 2026 Maitri Lecture will premiere on ABC Australia and ABC iview at 8:30pm AEDT on Sunday 1 November 2026.
Visit ABC Asia and ABC Pacific for more information on where to watch ABC Australia in your country.