The 43-year-old Mandi native is the first person of Indian origin to hold the position in the Victorian city.
Abhishek Awasthi, a 43-year-old native of Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, has been elected Mayor of the City of Greater Bendigo in Victoria, Australia. According to The New Indian Express, he was chosen unanimously for the 2026-2027 term during a special meeting of the Greater Bendigo City Council on Monday evening.
The election took place at The Capital Theatre in Bendigo with approximately 250 attendees. Councillor Andrea Metcalf was elected as the Deputy Mayor. Awasthi, who previously served as the city's first Indian-origin Deputy Mayor for the 2024-2025 term, will lead the council for one year.
Awasthi moved to Australia in 2008 for higher education and completed studies in biotechnology and bioinformatics at La Trobe University. He became an Australian citizen in 2015 and currently resides in Greater Bendigo with his wife, Anima, and daughter, Agni.
He entered local government after winning the councillor election for the Kennington Ward in November 2024. Awasthi also founded the Indian Association of Bendigo in 2021 to connect Indian families in central Victoria through community programmes.
Following his election, Awasthi expressed gratitude to his fellow councillors, parents, and relatives on Facebook. He stated he is honoured by the opportunity and intends to work to meet the expectations of the residents of Greater Bendigo.
