(in Alphabetical Order)
Mr Raja Segar is currently Editor, Tamil Murasu, the only Tamil Newspaper under SPH Media Trust. As Editor, he oversees both the print and digital platforms. Besides Tamil Murasu, his team also puts out Tabla, an English weekly tabloid, Balar Murasu, a Tamil weekly paper for pre-school children and Manavar Murasu, a Tamil weekly paper for primary school children.
Before SPH, Mr Raja Segar was CEO of Hindu Endowments Board (HEB) for 7 years in-charge of HR, Finance, IT, Logistics and Communications functions serving four temples in Singapore.
He was also the Director of Strategic Planning and Coordination at the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), an applied university. He has also served at the Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA) as CEO for 6 years and as AVP of MediaCorp’s Channel, Vasantham.
Mr Raja Segar is a trained teacher and taught Economics and Finance at both government and private schools.
Mr R Rajaram is a senior executive in the education sector. His current role as the University Registrar of National University of Singapore requires him to oversee key student activities, co-ordinate policy making academic committees such as the University Senate and develop and maintain student related IT systems and processes.
Mr Rajaram has varied involvement beyond the higher education sector. He is currently the Chairman of the Indian Heritage Centre which showcases the history the Indian community in Singapore and Advisor to the Tamil Language Council, both entities under auspices of the National Heritage Board.
He also served a stint as a member of the Executive Committee at Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA), Tamil Language and Learning Promotion Committee (Ministry of Education), the Lee Kuan Yew Fund for Bilingualism (Ministry of Education)and as Vice Chairman of the Indian Programme Advisory Committee (IMDA)
For his services, Mr Rajaram was presented the National Day Award for public service in 2011 and since 2020 serves as a Justice of the Peace, which is awarded to Singaporeans who have made significant contributions in their professions, the public service, social services and the community at large.
Ms Akila has been a member of the Board of Directors for Agrocorp International since inception. Initially she was the head of HR & Admin at the company. She brings a unique perfective to Agrocorp's Board being a 4th generation family member of one of India's largest media companies, the Hindu Group and continues to serve on the boards of its companies.
She is also an entrepreneur in her own right, having started Arte Compass, a production company in Singapore, to promote ethnically Indian art forms for amulti-cultural audience. Arte Compass has organised more than 30 world class performances involving globally renowned artists and musicians for over two decades in Singapore’s premiere arts venues such as the Esplanade, Victoria Concert Hall and Star Theatre.
Ms Akila is a member of the Hindu Advisory Board, also heads the cultural Committee of the Hindu Endowments Board. She is also an advisor to Singapore Project Smile, a Singapore-based charity that provides relief and skills training for disadvantaged women in Singapore.
Ms Maria Bhavani Dass is the General Manager of the Indian Heritage Centre (IHC) – a Heritage Institution of the National Heritage Board. She leads her team to develop IHC into a leading heritage institution and a focal point for the diverse Indian community in Singapore. As the only cultural destination focusing on Indians in Singapore, IHC strives to be a top-of-mind destination of historical and cultural significance for visitors and the community.
Prior to this, she was an educator for 20 years – a Tamil Language Teacher and Head of Department for ICT and thereafter as Assistant Director at the Mother Tongue Languages Branch at MOE. She was previously the Head Secretariat of Tamil Language Learning and Promotion Committee and is currently a committee member.
She also sits in various panels that includes, the NationalTranslation Committee – Tamil Resource Panel, the Peoples’ Association’s Indian Culture & Language Advisory Panel and in Greendale Primary School’s School Advisory Committee.
In 2023, she was presented the National Day Award - the Public Administration Medal (Bronze) and the Long Service Award.
Mr Mammathu is a well-known musicologist, not only in India, but also all over the world. He is a distinguished figure in the realm of Indian music. Serving as Director and Head of the Department of Indian Music at MMFSA, Madurai since 2016, he is also the Principal Investigator Cum Organizer at the Tamil Music Research Centre, Thyagaraja Arts & Science College, Madurai.
With a prolific career, Mr Mammathu has authored over 12 books in Tamil music and culture. Some of which include, Tamilisai Thazhirgal (2007), Thollisai Suvadugal (2016), Thamilar Thinai (2016) and Enrum Thamilisai (2016).
He also has garnered more than 16 awards, showcasing his profound expertise and contributions to the field. Namely, Best book award – Tamil Sangam, Tripur (2007); Life-time Achievement award, FETNA,USA (2008); Tamil Nadu Kalai Ilakkiya Perumandra Viruthu (2011) and AnaithulahaIslamiya Tamil Illakiya Viruthu, Kumbakonam (2014).
His stupendous work Tamil Isai Peragarathi(Lexicon of Tamil Music (Terminologies) won him State Government's BharathiarAward.
Mr Arumai Chandran is the Chairman of 8 Point Group of Companies. He began in the dynamic realm of Marine engineering and extended his influence across diverse sectors including Film Production, Human Resources and Manpower Consultancy, establishing himself as a multi-faceted successful entrepreneur. He further diversified his business portfolio by venturing into International Event Management, establishing a reputation for delivering events on a global scale.
He is an active volunteer who uplifts the less fortunate and the larger community through his active involvement as Chairman, Indian Activity Executive Committee, Keat Hong Constituency; President, Tamil Pattimandra Kalai Kazhagam; Chairman, School Advisory Committee, Concord Primary School; Auditor, Community Club Management Committee (CCMC) - Keat Hong Constituency; and Executive Member, Citizen Consultative Committee (CCC) - Keat Hong Constituency.
His accolades include receiving the Public Service Award in recognition for Volunteering to the Community – “Pingat Bakti Masyarakat (PBM)” and The Service to Education Award Public Service Medal 208 for the contribution to the school’s education(SAC member Concord Primary School).
Mrs Jessica is the founder and owner of Akshaya Asian Weaves, Director of Maestro Productions Global, Maestro Productions Canada, Maestro Productions Australia, and Finance Director Prodigy1nation. Jessica's journey encompasses not only the realms of fashion and entertainment but also the dynamic landscape of the education industry. With a decade of experience spanning various roles from teacher to management head and investor, she brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to every endeavour.
At Maestro Productions, she strategically plans initiatives that delivered its triumphant series of seven sold-out shows with the biggest artists across the globe, captivating audiences from Australia to Canada to the UK. She had staged, for the first time in Singapore, Anirudh Ravichander’s concert, that had a 360-degree stage. It is the first Indian rock concert that had a 12,000-strong crowd in Indoor Stadium.
Jessica's fashion label, Aksha Weaves, stands as a testament to her commitment to celebrating cultural heritage and promoting sustainability. Each saree produced under the Aksha Weaves banner is not merely a garment but a storytelling piece, reflecting Jessica's dedication to ethical sourcing and supporting weavers from India while exploring contemporary design aesthetics.
She continues to uniquely inspire aspiring creators across industries of fashion, entertainment, and education.
Mr Japhire Gopi Kannan is the Founder of Anandha Traditional Arts & Music Ltd (ATAM), that aims to promote, protect and preserve Traditional folk arts.
Inspired by his father CPT (RET) M Govindaraju and his late brother, Anandha Kannan, he has entered the arts and heritage realm and has accomplished a couple of noteworthy productions such as AK50 (2023), a groundbreaking musical with over 100 artists. He is also the Executive Producer of Anandha Koothu, the first Tamil webisode series for Pre-schoolers in Singapore, a project endorsed by LKYFB.
He is the Executive Producer of the upcoming Anandha Kondaattam - Singapore Indian Traditional Folk Arts Festival 2024 that is to be staged in Esplanade, Theatres by the Bay in August 2024.
Beyond the arts scene, Japhire is a serial entrepreneur, founding innovative Insurance Technology platforms such as DoctorShield, HaxSafe, Tate&Livingston and Jaguar Transit in regional countries. He is also a Cover holder of Lloyds.
His innovations have been listed as Asia’s Top Innovators by The Insurance Business Asia and InsurTech Connect Forward50 APAC.
If you wish to support and be part of our initiatives in preserving and promoting Traditional Folk Arts, please contact us.
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