Þ¬ê æMò‹ 2019
SPECIAL AWARD : FRIEND OF ARTS
CøŠ¹ M¼¶ : è¬ô á‚°MŠð£÷˜
A well-known Indian performing arts enthusiast, Sam Raghu, also known
as Asokan, has been a highly supportive individual for budding talents
from his alma mater, Queenstown Secondary Technical School. As an
old boy of the school, Asokan initiated and started the Indian Cultural
Society in the school in the late 70’s and provided a platform for many
Indian students, especially Tamil students to showcase their talents at
inter-school competitions. As an advisor to this society, Asokan was
instrumental in providing guidance to the executive committees of the
society that successfully organised the annual ARPANAM cultural shows that drew student
crowds from across the island in the 80’s and 90’s. Asokan managed to harness the support
of former students who came back to perform in the shows organised by the school.
In the process, a Bhangra Dance group was formed under the leadership of a capable old boy
named Baldave Singh. A few years later, an old girl of the school named Mallika Vasudevan,
took charge of a folk dance group and made the Arpanam Group even more popular.
When S Gunasegaran, one of the old boys of the school, took part in a Tamil Talent Time
Udhaya Tharagai organised by Mediacorp TV in 1984, Asokan spearheaded a group of ex-
students of QSTS and gave the singer all the support he needed to make it to the grand finals.
Gunasegaran eventually won the second place in the competition and became a sought-after
singer in Singapore. A few years later, Asokan organised Gunasegaran’s Nite at World Trade
Centre, to a sell-out audience to honour the singer.
Till today, Asokan is holding the Arpanam Group together for more than 30 years.
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