Ambassador Kesavapany’s biography ‘From Estate to Embassy – Memories of an Ambassador’ raised $12,800 for low-income families

On 5 April 2019, Mr K. Kesavapany launched his biography, co-authored Anitha Devi Pillai. The Guest-of-Honour, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan graced the event at the PGP Hall.

The royalties and proceeds from sales of the first 300 signed books were donated to the DAS Bursary Fund to financially support low-income families’ by providing their children access to appropriate educational services to help them learn.

Service Before Self: The Story of an Individual Dedicated to the Well-Being of Fellow Singaporeans.

DAS pays homage to Ambassador Kesavapany, one of its founding and current executive committee members, in conjunction with the launch of his book entitled “From Estate to Embassy. Memories of an Ambassador”.

Ambassador Kesavapany played a key role in promoting awareness about dyslexia, bringing it from initial years of many Singaporeans not wanting to admit that their children were dyslexic until wide acceptance of it as a learning difference today.

DAS hopes that his story will inspire Singapore’s younger generation to contribute to the society, using the impact that he has made on the lives of people with dyslexia over the past two decades as an example. Ambassador Kesavapany drew inspiration himself from the late former President of Singapore, Mr S R Nathan, his lifetime mentor in social service and his belief of “we are little persons serving a great cause – touching lives, healing rifts and filling needs”. Mr Nathan had supported dyslexia as one of his key areas of concern, in line with his encouragement to the society to help those, especially the young, who face problems that do not readily attract sympathy like in the past but serious enough to merit attention.

This article was published in FACETS Vol 1. 2019 read it here!