2026 October - Meeting with Mr. Kathiravan: Exploring Media Engagement for THINAI

Mr. Manoharan and I met Mr. Kathiravan, originally from Sungai Petani and currently based in Kuala Lumpur. He is associated with THR Raaga Radio, where he works as an announcer and is also involved in developing scripts and programmes for the station.

This meeting was particularly meaningful to me because Mr. Kathiravan was previously my student at Al-Bukhary International University (AIU) in Alor Setar, Kedah. I taught him during his Foundation and Bachelor's degree studies around 2012 and 2013.

During that period, we established an Environmental Awareness Group at the university. The group provided students with opportunities to move beyond classroom learning and actively engage with environmental and community-related activities.

Some of the activities included:

Vermicomposting and organic waste management

Gardening and campus greening activities

Recycling initiatives

Visits to nearby communities

Fundraising for charitable activities

Educational support and classes for orphanage children

Community development and compassionate action

Through these activities, students were encouraged to combine environmental responsibility, compassion, community engagement and practical action. Mr. Kathiravan was one of the students who actively participated in these initiatives during his time at AIU.

After leaving the university, Mr. Kathiravan developed a successful career in the Malaysian media and entertainment field. For more than a decade, he has been involved in radio and media-related work. He is also a talented performer with skills in mimicry, scriptwriting and performance, making him a familiar personality among the Malaysian Indian community.

The meeting was arranged with the support of Ms. Kalaiaarasi and Dr. Vinothini, who brought Mr. Kathiravan to meet us at a restaurant in NU Sentral, Kuala Lumpur. During dinner, we had a productive and enjoyable discussion about the possibilities of media engagement for THINAI.

Mr. Manoharan introduced the THINAI programme, its vision and its potential role as a community education and action model. Mr. Kathiravan responded very positively to the concept and was convinced that the programme could be effectively taken to communities through creative and engaging media.

We discussed the possibility of Mr. Katiravan contributing as a THINAI Media Person and Media Engagement Partner. He expressed interest in developing a media team that could help communicate, promote and take the message of THINAI to wider communities across Malaysia.

The discussion also explored the need for creative media strategies, including storytelling, scripts, performances, radio programmes and other engaging communication methods to make THINAI accessible and attractive to different sections of society.

The evening concluded with encouraging discussions and preliminary planning for a THINAI Media Strategy for Malaysia.

This meeting demonstrated how the seeds of environmental awareness, community service and compassionate action planted during student life can continue to grow and reconnect with new movements many years later. Mr. Katiravan's journey from an Environmental Awareness Group member at AIU to a potential THINAI media collaborator could become another meaningful bridge between education, community action and public communication.

This is a powerful THINAI story of continuity: AIU Environmental Awareness Group (2012–2013) → Student Community Engagement → Media and Creative Career → THINAI Media Engagement (2026)

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