Raja is an electrical engineer who completed his studies and 13 years of experience in the field in India before migrating to Australia in 2000. As a secondary student himself, living in India, Raja used to regularly visit the nearby village to help the local kids with their studies.
Raja is experienced in managing a team of workers, delegating work, and knowing what needs to be done. Skills which he developed in his role as train Testing and Commissioning Officer with UGL in Sydney. Raj has eleven years of experience working for UGL Rail, Downer Rail and Bendigo Rail Workshops as an electrical engineer, Testing and Commissioning Officer and Reliability Engineer.
Before country borders closed due to COVID-19 Raja travelled regularly to India to visit the coordinators and teachers, and to develop professional relationships with them and other potential coordinators and teachers. These important trips will resume when possible.
Raja is experienced in teaching and equipping others in the field and is a born leader. He is able to manage and carry the responsibility of a charitable organisation that seeks to develop the future prosperity of forgotten and disregarded poor children of India through humanitarian works.
He lives in Bendigo with his wife Rebecca and their three children Dante, Ursula and Marlon.
Our Team
NWM Board member Profiles
Raja Amalraj President
Rebecca Amalraj- Treasurer, Marketing Manager
Rebecca is an Australian registered Primary and Secondary Teacher with 6 years’ experience including teaching experience in Victoria, Darwin, India, and New South Wales. Her area of teaching expertise is Visual Art, and has experience implementing new curriculum in three different school settings, one being in India. Rebecca is familiar with the Indian government syllabus and knows what is required of students in India. She is experienced in payroll management for the team of teachers and coordinators of New Way Ministries, which has been running free tuition in villages for 4 years.
Rebecca currently teaches part-time in Bendigo and lives with her husband Raja and their three children Dante, Ursula and Marlon. They have been married since 2008 and in 2014-2016 spent two years living in India with the children to invested energy and resources to implement New Way Ministries Tuition programs.
Lilly Devi- Secretary
Lilly was born in Fiji, into a very strict Hindu family. She spent some of her teenage years in Chennai, South India where she developed a passion to support the needy. Lilly moved to Sydney Australia in the 80s.
During more recent years, with her husband, she has made 5 trips with New Way Ministries to visit the tuition centres in South and North India. These trips have provided a chance to meet the people and be a part of their lives for a short time. Lilly supports the work further by using her knowledge of the Hindi language to communicate on a regular basis with the teachers in their own language. For the last 11 years Lilly has worked for a disability organisation called Australian Foundation for Disability (AFFORD), which has proven to be an effective platform to provide support for the vulnerable and needy in the Sydney community. Currently Lilly is a Customer Care Manager for her organisation.
Lilly has two grown children and is a much adored grandmother too!
We are so excited to have Lilly join us as we meet the needs of young people in India.
Akshay David- Board Member
Akshay is an engineering professional currently working as a Project Manager at the Department of Defence. He has over five years of engineering and management experience across the Electronics and Defence industries. Akshay has highly developed leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills with experience co-ordinating and managing projects. While studying at university, he tutored high school students, and has a heart to see underprivileged young people reach their potential. Akshay moved to Australia with his family from India when he was in primary school and has lived in Sydney since. He is now married.
Tony Bezzina- Policies and Compliance Manager
Tony recently completed studies to become an Officer with the Salvation Army alongside his wife Nicole. Tony and Nicole, with their two children have since been posted to the north coast of New South Whales to start thier first church.
Tony has traveled to India and has been a key support in the planning stages of New Way Ministries’ charity. Tony’s background as a Rail Safe Manager and Trainer with Sydney Metro trains for 10 years gives him the knowledge and expertise needed to provide guidance in the area of policies, procedures, safety and compliance.
We are excited to have Tony on the team as he brings a genuine love for people wherever he goes.