For Indian Australians weighing up life beyond Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane, a hair salon in Alice Springs offers a different picture of what settling in Australia can mean: running a small business, building friendships and becoming part of a community without leaving your cultural identity behind.
In a feature published by SBS News on 6 November, Punjab-born hairdresser Nishant Mahendru describes an unexpected journey from working around Bollywood to establishing a salon in the Red Centre. His experience sits alongside those of other local Indian business owners preparing for Diwali — and raises useful questions for families considering a regional move.
A career change that became a community connection
Known locally as Nish, Mahendru trained in Mumbai and worked in celebrity hairdressing before arriving in Australia. SBS reports that a two-week visit to Alice Springs developed into something more lasting when he found an opportunity to take over a salon lease.
With money borrowed from friends, he established Why Not by Nish. Long-time resident Sarah North encouraged him to make the move and became a regular customer, according to the report.
The business is not simply a story about entrepreneurial ambition. SBS describes a welcoming space for Indigenous clients, with music by Arrernte artists playing in the salon. Its reporting also documents Mahendru’s annual visits to the remote community of Kintore to provide free haircuts.
That connection matters in Mparntwe, the Alice Springs area, where Arrernte people are the Traditional Custodians. Becoming part of a regional community involves relationships with the people already there, not just finding customers or a place to live.
Indian businesses are part of a wider local story
Mahendru is not the only Indian Australian finding a role in the town’s everyday life.
SBS also profiles George Jacob, co-owner of Indian Chef Restaurant, who moved to Alice Springs with his brother in 2012. Ahead of Diwali, the restaurant has been preparing sweets, while local families and the gurdwara are planning food and celebrations.
Another resident, Jashan Singh, returned after spending time interstate to help manage his family’s independent car rental business. These are different experiences across different industries, rather than a single template for migrant success.
Together, they show why the Indian community in Australia cannot be understood only through its largest metropolitan centres. A salon, a restaurant and a car rental business also create places where people meet, exchange information and build familiarity over time.
Diwali is about belonging, not just the event calendar
The timing of the SBS report gives the story particular resonance. Diwali can make the distance from relatives overseas feel especially noticeable, while also creating opportunities to connect locally.
Mahendru recalls a childhood experience of sharing with a neighbouring child who had very little. In the SBS account, that memory shapes his understanding of the festival beyond clothes, fireworks and material celebration.
The regional connection extends beyond the Northern Territory. A separate SBS Hindi report published on 3 November highlights community-building through Diwali in Benalla, Ballarat and Port Macquarie.
For newcomers, the practical message is straightforward: ask local organisations about activities and ways to participate, rather than assuming meaningful celebrations only happen in the capital cities. Confirm arrangements directly before travelling; this is a community feature, not an events timetable.
Considering a regional move? Start with practical checks
One person’s positive experience is not a guarantee of suitable work, affordable housing or business success for another family. Before making a commitment, build a checklist around your own circumstances:
- Employment and business: Check actual vacancies, employment conditions or the costs and obligations of taking over a business. Do not rely on a success story as a financial forecast.
- Housing and everyday costs: Compare available rentals, transport needs and the services you would use, not just headline salary figures.
- Family needs: Investigate schools, childcare, healthcare and the support available to partners or older relatives.
- Community connections: Speak with local multicultural organisations and ask about newcomer activities, business networks and opportunities to volunteer.
- Visa conditions: If applicable, confirm your current conditions and any proposed pathway with Home Affairs or an appropriately authorised adviser before relocating.
Where to find local support
Multicultural Community Services of Central Australia lists settlement support, meet-and-greet activities, multicultural health access work and a Migrants in Business network among its services. Its services page and contact channels are useful starting points; ask which programmes fit your circumstances and what eligibility requirements apply.
For Indian Australians considering the Red Centre, the takeaway is neither to romanticise regional life nor dismiss it through a single headline. Research the practical realities, make local connections and listen to people with different experiences. Mahendru’s story offers one example of how a move can grow into something deeper: a business, relationships and a sense of home.