Palanichamy Thevar OAM
Palanichamy Thevar OAM has become somewhat of a household name in Brisbane’s Tamil communities. Only a phone call away for many, the social worker has spent over 40 years as a dedicated community worker, helping bring change on a local scale.
Thevar has worked in disability care, has been an advocate for multicultural communities, helped refugee families, and has dipped his toes into politics. But his work started even before he first set foot into Australia.
Inspired by his own parents’ acts of service to their rural community near Madurai, Tamil Nadu, Thevar began a course in rural development and as a young adult, helped improve the lives of over 12,000 families in rural India. His move to Australia in 1996 after his MPhil in Peace Research and New Global Society, turned his focus to the struggles faced by those in migrant communities, specifically, new migrants.
“As a migrant myself, I understood the challenges and the practical issues people face when they move to a new country,” he tells Indian Link. “After living in Australia for so long, you forget how different the systems here are to the ones in India. Even grocery shopping – where there are so many different types of milk and bread available – can be overwhelming for some people.”
Despite facing the same challenges that many new immigrants face, his passion for his community never waned. Within three years of arriving in Australia, he was elected as the President of the Tamil Association of Queensland, an organisation dedicated to celebrating Tamil heritage.
“Everyone in this organisation worked together with other Indian associations to make sure the Indian community stayed united. At the end of the day, we all aim to support individuals to become good citizens of Australia,” he asserts.
His work in this role and beyond has been varied. He’s arranged community celebrations, assisted individuals seeking to obtain visas and has helped raise funds for funerals and other events.
Recalling an instance where a young mother lost her husband due to an unknown illness, he says, “I remember being so annoyed that the police officer didn’t offer any assistance, and just told the mother to talk to her community leaders. As a new migrant, she had very few links to the greater community.”
He took it upon himself to arrange for funeral preparations and to raise funds for the young mother and her children.
Whilst few would go to such lengths, Thevar, who has been known to take unpaid leave to volunteer, urges individuals to get involved in their community in any capacity.
“There are many opportunities out there, and it’s just a matter of searching for it. Talk to the people in your neighbourhood and ask if they need any assistance, become a volunteer at your local organisations,” he says.
“But more importantly, keep your eyes and ears open. Read the news and be aware of what’s going on around the world. If you don’t, then you won’t understand how to help.”
Just some of the positions he holds in the new year include being the advisor of the Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland, being the Vice President of the United Nations Association of Australia, Queensland and being an Executive Member and Conference Delegate at Together Union.
Professionally, Thevar is currently a social worker at the Ipswich Rural Mental Health Community Care Service, and at The Park – Centre for Mental Health, West Moreton Health. He also lectures at the National Academy of Professional Studies.
Being named an Australia Day honouree doesn’t change his approach to his work, Thevar claims – but reveals it motivates him to continue learning and addressing the needs of his community.
“Whenever there’s a crisis in my community, I’ll do my best to be there.”
