When Roneel Chandra joined the Australian Defence Force as a rifleman, there were only two 'Chandras' in the entire force. He and his brother.
"That's like 20 years ago, but now I look at the email list on the directory, and there's like over ten Chandras in the defence force and all these other names from all over the world," says the senior health officer with the Australian Navy.
Highlights:
- Lieutenant Commander Chandra is the son of Fiji-Indian parents.
- He joined the Australian Army in 2000 as a rifleman.
- in 2018, he transferred to the Australian Navy.
Lieutenant Commander Chandra is the son of Fiji-Indian parents who migrated to Australia 'to give a better life to their children.'
Listen to Lieutenant Commander Chandra's story in his own words:
LISTEN TO
'Make the most of Australia but don't lose ties with your homeland': Lt Cdr Roneel Chandra
SBS Hindi
12:25
He started his career as an infantry soldier 20 years ago. He studied nursing and rose to the rank of major as an Army nursing officer.
In 2018, he transferred to the Navy and working onboard HMAS Adelaide visited his homeland Fiji recently after Tropical Cyclone Yasa left the country shattered.
Lieutenant Commander Chandra says his father was apprehensive when he expressed his wish to join the ADF.
Lieutenant Commander Roneell Chandra (R) onboard HMAS Choules' MRH-90 Maritime Support Helicopter, during a medical evacuation. Source: Royal Australian Navy
"My dad just had these images of 'A Rainbow' and all these other war movies. And I told him the military is not like that. It's quite a safe job, and it's not like what you see in the movies," recalls Lt Cdr Chandra emphasizing that his life could not have been this much fun without Army.
He says every day is an adventure.
"There's always new experiences, I'm always learning. I've seen more countries than I probably ever would have seen in this way," explains Lt Cdr Chandra, who has been to Afghanistan, East Timor, Malaysia, Indonesia, among others.
His visit to India was special, though, as it evoked various emotions.
Royal Australian Navy Nursing Officer Lieutenant Commander Roneeel Chandra prepares to treat a patient onboard HMAS Adelaide during Exercise Sea Wader. Source: Royal Australian Navy
"It was always on my bucket list to go back to India because there are huge ties for Indians in Fiji back to motherland India. I just felt like it was a really good experience, and I could relate a lot to it.
"I had a really good time, especially engaging with the Indian Defence Force. They saw my name Chandra, and I was able to build a report with them straight away and also show them, hey, yeah, there are lots of Indians in the Australian Defence Force."
He returned from an extraordinary mission in January where he helped with the rehabilitation work on Galoa Island after the tropical cyclone.
Source: Roya Australian Navy
"It was good in a way that I was returning to help my mother country. But also, we knew that strategically being a close partner to Fiji, we were doing the right thing because they needed us."
Lt Cdr Roneel Chandra grew up in the small Australian town of Nowra in New South Wales.
HMAS Adelaide arrives at her homeport of Fleet Base East in Sydney, New South Wales, after deploying on Operation Fiji Assist. Source: Royal Australian Navy
He says Australia is a great country, and everyone should embrace it without severing ties with their home countries.
"Australia is a great country. We welcome everyone. It gives you lots of opportunities, and I think it's important to make the most of your new country.
"But, also hang onto the ties that you have in your old country as well because we don't want to lose all those experiences that you have from your previous life in your country of origin because that's what makes us great," says Lt Cdr Chandra who regrets not learning Hindi.
It is so valuable, and it's one of my bucket list things to do now is get back to my roots and learn how to speak Hindi.
"One of my regrets is not hanging onto my second language. It's so important, even as a nurse practitioner, that's my job and my profession. I can engage with a patient or engage with another country because you can talk to each other in the same language.
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