Abhishek Awasthi is an Indian-Australian politician who has served as deputy mayor of the City of Greater Bendigo since 2024 and as a councillor for Kennington Ward since 2024.
[3] He moved to Bendigo in 2008 to study and later work at La Trobe University.
[7] Awasthi contested the Kennington Ward in the 2024 Victorian local elections, achieving 58.86% of the vote against Greens candidate Gavin Hicks.
[8][9] He ran on a platform of keeping the East Bendigo pool open and advocating for the expansion of flights from the Bendigo Airport to other Australian cities.
[12] He stated that “I want to see Greater Bendigo continue to develop into an inclusive and sustainable community, while ensuring we preserve its rich history, celebrate its diversity and promote social equity, and I hope to advocate for continued access to local food security services and affordable housing.”[13] He has also advocated for linking Bendigo and his home town of Mandi as sister cities and promoting cultural exchanges between the cities.