Latest news with #Mohana
The Sun
4 days ago
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
Healthy cooking with humble plants
BY all accounts, Mohana Gill's journey has been extraordinary. Born in Myanmar, the author, based in Malaysia and now in her late 80s, continues to redefine what it means to live well and eat better. With Moringalicious, her latest cookbook, she invites readers into a world where tradition meets modern health wisdom and a simple plant such as moringa takes centre stage. Life steeped in culture, change Born Rose Mohana in Pathein, Myanmar, to Indian parents, Mohana's early years were marked by the warmth of close family and a landscape rich in natural abundance. Education took her to Canada in the early 1960s. By 1965, she had returned to Malaysia and began lecturing in economics at Universiti Malaya. Not long after, she met her husband and transitioned into full-time motherhood, a period she recalls fondly: 'Those were the happiest years, caring for the kids.' It was not until 2006, with her children grown and leading lives of their own, that Mohana re-emerged in public life, this time in an entirely new role. Reinvention at 70 A conference on anti-ageing in Las Vegas sparked her creative revival. While the event focused on pills and quick fixes, Mohana saw a different path forward, one that involved food and wellness rooted in culture. Her first book, Fruitastic (2006), was a celebration of fruits from around the world, earning her a 'Best in the World' accolade from the prestigious Gourmand Awards. 'When you receive the best in the world award, you realise you are doing something right,' she said. Vegemania followed in 2007, championing vegetarian meals, and soon, children's books such as Hayley's Fruitastic Garden and Hayley's Vegemania Garden brought colour and curiosity to young readers' plates. Happylicious explored the emotional power of family meals, with Mohana lamenting, 'Kids are not eating with parents.' The message struck a chord globally, once again earning Gourmand recognition. And by 2019, Flowerlicious, a tribute to the edible flowers of her childhood added yet another accolade to her growing collection. Birth of Moringalicious The pandemic became a catalyst. Confined to home but creatively energised, Mohana found herself revisiting memories of moringa, the humble, leafy green from her youth. Noticing a lack of dedicated cookbooks on the subject, she did some research and culinary experimentation. The result was Moringalicious, a labour of love that fuses health and home cooking. With 60 recipes, including Moringa Ice-cream and Drumstick Briyani, the book is equal parts recipe collection and wellness guide. Crowned 'Best Food & Nature Book in the World' at the 2023 Gourmand Awards, Moringalicious marked Mohana's eighth global win. But accolades aside, Mohana's mission is clear: 'Grow moringa. Eat moringa.' Far from just writing about it, Mohana is backing her words with action. Her plans include moringa-centric workshops for small groups and encouragement for schools, canteens and even pet food producers to make moringa part of daily life. She is also working on four upcoming books that aim to instil healthy habits early. Featuring themes from major festivals such as Hari Raya, Deepavali, Christmas and Chinese New Year, the stories combine traditional food with cultural respect. Wisdom, wellness, gratitude Now nearing 90, Mohana exudes peace and purpose. Her advice for a fulfilling life is: 'Be very contented. Do not compete. Be grateful. Be willing to share as long as I can.' Despite her international acclaim, Mohana remains grounded and deeply connected to her community. She is often invited to speak at schools and events, sharing her journey to inspire others to embrace ageing with vitality and grace. Known for her warm, articulate presence and ever-curious spirit, she is a firm believer in lifelong learning. Mohana never stops exploring, whether experimenting in the kitchen or researching new superfoods. 'There is always something new to learn,' she said, proof that passion, when rooted in purpose, only grows stronger with age. Legacy planted Moringalicious is Mohana's boldest. With it, she reminds us that no matter our age, it is never too late to sow seeds of purpose. Mohana is inviting us all to join her garden of wellness. And with each leaf, dish and story, she continues to nourish the world. Mohana's award-winning books are available for purchase on Lazada, Shopee and Amazon. Discover the health benefits of moringa or explore vibrant plant-based recipes in her books.
West Australian
26-04-2025
- West Australian
Coroner's impossible job to make sense of mass stabbing
A year on, Bill Mohana is still haunted. "It never leaves you," he recalls of his witnessing the aftermath of the stabbing spree at Sydney's Bondi Junction shopping centre in which seven people were killed and 12 others injured including a nine-month-old girl. "When I tell the story, it's like it was yesterday," he tells AAP. Mr Mohana went to work at Hair Royale salon in the Westfield complex on April 13, 2024 thinking it was an ordinary day. However, he was forever changed by the fear of uncertainty and then sheer violence that unfolded as 40-year-old Joel Cauchi stalked through the floors of the centre with a 30-centimetre knife. Not knowing what was going on amid the chaos and screams, Mr Mohana turned off the music and lights in his shop, shut the door and told his staff to hide in a back room. "It was horrific, terrifying - honestly it was like a near death experience," he says. "You're just pretty much waiting to die." Dawn Singleton, 25, Ashlee Good, 38, Jade Young, 47, Pikria Darchia, 55, Yixuan Cheng, 27 and security guard Faraz Tahir, 30 were those killed in the attack. Mr Mohana is one of many now looking for answers from an inquest into the mass stabbing due to begin on Monday. Hearings before Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan at Lidcombe are expected to run for five weeks. She will hear evidence from experts and eyewitnesses examining myriad issues including Cauchi's background, mental health and treatment, and his communication with NSW and Queensland police. The 40-year-old lived a largely transient life until he was shot and killed. He stopped receiving treatment for schizophrenia in early 2020 and moved from Queensland to Sydney's east in December 2023. Ms O'Sullivan will examine how security guards employed at Bondi Junction Westfield and the media both responded as the tragedy unfolded. She will make recommendations, if needed, after the evidence wraps up. Psychiatrist and forensic mental health expert Lee Knight says families of the victim and those there on the day will have experienced untold trauma. "They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time," he says. "That's really senseless and it's really difficult to make sense of." The psychological effects went well beyond those who were there, Mr Knight says, and could also impact those with panic disorders or anxiety who were already afraid of going out in public. He welcomes the inquest, saying it is important to find out what potentially went wrong to prevent similar tragedies in future. In reporting on events like this, the media has to take steps to remain sensitive to victims and their families while not stigmatising mental illness, Mr Knight says. The hope is that the inquest's findings will help an under-resourced mental health industry prevent people like Cauchi falling through the cracks, he adds. The media's reporting has already been thrown into the spotlight, with Ms Singleton's fiance Ashley Wildey suing Channel Nine in the NSW Supreme Court. He claims Nine's 60 Minutes program and sister outlet the Sydney Morning Herald breached copyright with images of the 25-year-old. In court earlier this month, Wildey's barrister Sue Chysanthou SC called the situation "extremely distressing". The mass killing also amplified wider safety concerns for those working in the security industry, according to Nicholas Richard of the United Workers Union. He hopes the inquest will scrutinise how sub-contracting impacted the safety of security guards, the level of training supplied and whether guards were taught how to properly use protective equipment on the job. "Clients and companies in the security industry need to understand the issues facing security workers and make fundamental changes to keep workers and the public safer," he says. Ahead of the anniversary, a memorial was established at Bondi Junction with displays of photographs and messages on floral tributes laid after the mass homicide.
Perth Now
26-04-2025
- Perth Now
Coroner's impossible job to make sense of mass stabbing
A year on, Bill Mohana is still haunted. "It never leaves you," he recalls of his witnessing the aftermath of the stabbing spree at Sydney's Bondi Junction shopping centre in which seven people were killed and 12 others injured including a nine-month-old girl. "When I tell the story, it's like it was yesterday," he tells AAP. Mr Mohana went to work at Hair Royale salon in the Westfield complex on April 13, 2024 thinking it was an ordinary day. However, he was forever changed by the fear of uncertainty and then sheer violence that unfolded as 40-year-old Joel Cauchi stalked through the floors of the centre with a 30-centimetre knife. Not knowing what was going on amid the chaos and screams, Mr Mohana turned off the music and lights in his shop, shut the door and told his staff to hide in a back room. "It was horrific, terrifying - honestly it was like a near death experience," he says. "You're just pretty much waiting to die." Dawn Singleton, 25, Ashlee Good, 38, Jade Young, 47, Pikria Darchia, 55, Yixuan Cheng, 27 and security guard Faraz Tahir, 30 were those killed in the attack. Mr Mohana is one of many now looking for answers from an inquest into the mass stabbing due to begin on Monday. Hearings before Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan at Lidcombe are expected to run for five weeks. She will hear evidence from experts and eyewitnesses examining myriad issues including Cauchi's background, mental health and treatment, and his communication with NSW and Queensland police. The 40-year-old lived a largely transient life until he was shot and killed. He stopped receiving treatment for schizophrenia in early 2020 and moved from Queensland to Sydney's east in December 2023. Ms O'Sullivan will examine how security guards employed at Bondi Junction Westfield and the media both responded as the tragedy unfolded. She will make recommendations, if needed, after the evidence wraps up. Psychiatrist and forensic mental health expert Lee Knight says families of the victim and those there on the day will have experienced untold trauma. "They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time," he says. "That's really senseless and it's really difficult to make sense of." The psychological effects went well beyond those who were there, Mr Knight says, and could also impact those with panic disorders or anxiety who were already afraid of going out in public. He welcomes the inquest, saying it is important to find out what potentially went wrong to prevent similar tragedies in future. In reporting on events like this, the media has to take steps to remain sensitive to victims and their families while not stigmatising mental illness, Mr Knight says. The hope is that the inquest's findings will help an under-resourced mental health industry prevent people like Cauchi falling through the cracks, he adds. The media's reporting has already been thrown into the spotlight, with Ms Singleton's fiance Ashley Wildey suing Channel Nine in the NSW Supreme Court. He claims Nine's 60 Minutes program and sister outlet the Sydney Morning Herald breached copyright with images of the 25-year-old. In court earlier this month, Wildey's barrister Sue Chysanthou SC called the situation "extremely distressing". The mass killing also amplified wider safety concerns for those working in the security industry, according to Nicholas Richard of the United Workers Union. He hopes the inquest will scrutinise how sub-contracting impacted the safety of security guards, the level of training supplied and whether guards were taught how to properly use protective equipment on the job. "Clients and companies in the security industry need to understand the issues facing security workers and make fundamental changes to keep workers and the public safer," he says. Ahead of the anniversary, a memorial was established at Bondi Junction with displays of photographs and messages on floral tributes laid after the mass homicide.
