Fresh from the success of his recent Festival of Lights, Pradeep Tiwari wants to bring some Christmas cheer to his beloved West Footscray. He speaks with Benjamin Millar.
What is your connection with West Footscray?
I have been living in West Footscray along with my family for over 30 years. My father migrated from India to West Footscray and worked in Olex Cables, I came over when I was three years old.
I went to Scots’ Kindergarten in Essex Street, attended Footscray West Primary School, went to a private high school in Werribee and came back to Victoria University in Footscray Park to finish my business degree.
I was passed down the family business of Bharat Traders by my parents, who dealt with spices and other Indian products. It started in Barkly Street in 1991 and has since expanded in food supply and various other products.
What do you love most about the area?
I love my area because it’s home to me. I feel comfortable with everything – the atmosphere, the ambience, the people. I’ve seen a lot of changes, mostly positive.
What are the things you think of as quintessentially “West Footscray”?
Multiculturalism, diversity, open-minded and accepting human beings and even most of the pets.
Do you have a favourite local place or places?
I have adored all the food places that have come, gone and stayed over the years and these days I make sure that I visit all the cafes in the areas regularly. Podatpid, Dumbo, Brother Nancy, Tiwari Tea House and 501 all rank equally high for my double espressos, which is all I drink, day in, day out.
What has inspired you to create more community events for the area?
The reception of support the community has given to all the past recent events has been
overwhelming, and to see and hear of the joy it brings to families and people of all ages gives me an overwhelming feeling.
We recently had a lovely local lady pass away from cancer, and at her service it was mentioned she had made her way to the Festival of Lights and adorned the dance floor with the last dance of her life and expressed how thoroughly she had enjoyed the moment.
What can be a better feeling than knowing how happy we made her in her final moments?
What are you hoping these events bring to the local community?
They bring us together and I hope they make everyone in the community realise that we are not all that different to each other and enjoy a lot of the same things in life.
I hope they also draw lots of people into the area from other areas, so they get to see we are more than just “West-of Footscray”.
What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
I am the president of West Footscray Traders Association, formed in March this year. The Association represents traders in West Footscray who are striving to make the area a better place to visit and shop.
Pradeep Tiwari is the organiser of Carols in West Footscray, to be held at Shorten Reserve, Essex Street, from 4-9pm on Sunday, December 10.
