A man who once cut the hair of Bollywood actors and Indian cricket icons has traded the glamour of Mumbai for the red dust of Alice Springs, where he now runs a salon that has quietly become one of the town's most beloved community spaces.
Nishant Mahendru, known around Alice Springs simply as Nish, grew up in the Punjab region of northern India. Defying his parents' wishes, he left his hometown after school to pursue hairdressing, a craft that carries little prestige in India.
"In India, hairdressers don't get paid well, or they don't even get treated well," he says. "And I just said, 'I want to go to Mumbai because I'm going to work with Bollywood.'"
A career among Bollywood stars and cricket legends
Mahendru made good on that ambition. Training with L'Oreal Paris in Mumbai opened the door to a position at a celebrity salon, where he found himself working alongside some of India's biggest names. Among his clients were Bollywood actors Sunny and Bobby Deol, along with cricket stars Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli and Ishant Sharma.
From there, his career took him around the world. He worked on a political campaign across India, stayed in five-star hotels and travelled in chartered planes. By most measures, it was an extraordinary life. But Mahendru grew restless.
"I was living a very fancy life. But then I got bored. I was like, what's next for me?" he says.
Australia caught his attention. He applied for a Skilled Regional visa (subclass 489) and was granted it in August 2019. Just two months later, the visa category was closed to new applicants. "Sometimes I just get blessed," he says.
Alice Springs: An unexpected destination that felt like home
Mahendru's first stop in Australia was Alice Springs, intended as a two-week holiday. The welcome he received immediately surprised him. Having heard troubling accounts of the town beforehand, he stepped off the plane braced for the worst. Instead, the first words he heard were: "Welcome to paradise."
The town's spiritual energy and the warmth of its community drew him in. When the opportunity arose to take over the lease of a local hair salon, Mahendru borrowed money from friends and seized it. His salon, Why Not by Nish, takes its name from his own easy-going philosophy.
"Deep down somewhere in my mind and heart, I did want to have my salon one day, but I didn't know how to do that. But this place made it happen so organically that now I think I can open 10 more salons," he says.
A space for community in a complex town
Why Not by Nish has built a reputation that extends well beyond haircuts. Music from Arrernte artists, the Traditional Custodians and First Nations owners of Mparntwe (the Alice Springs area) and the broader Central Australian region, often fills the salon. The space has become known as a welcoming and inclusive environment for Indigenous clients.
Long-time Alice Springs resident Sarah North, 69, was among those who encouraged Mahendru to take the leap and buy the salon. She is now a regular. "It's up to each of us to sing loud from a song sheet that's really positive," she says. Stories like Mahendru's speak to a broader truth explored in discussions about Australia's identity as a multicultural and First Nations nation.
"I think Nish has got quite a following in this town. Usually when I come here, there's stacks of people here that I know," North says.
Keeping culture alive as Diwali approaches
Even as he builds his life in the Northern Territory, Mahendru remains connected to his Indian heritage. As the festival of Diwali draws near, those ties carry renewed meaning. Celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains, Diwali is widely associated with the triumph of light over darkness, and is considered one of the most significant cultural and spiritual events on the Indian calendar.
For Mahendru, the festival is a reminder that the journey from Punjab to Alice Springs has not required leaving behind who he is. If anything, it has given him room to become more fully himself.
