Contributions To The Community
As Chairman of the Hindu Advisory Board (1974–76), Arasu persuaded the Hindu community to abandon the age-old practice of open cremation by firewood and opt for closed cremation by gas. He also persuaded the Government to provide special facilities at the crematorium to perform Hindu funeral rites and ceremonies. Arasu also served as member of the Hindu Endowments Board for a few terms.
As President of the Tamil Language and Cultural Society, from 1984 to 1998, he invited young professionals to join the organsization and encouraged them to play a greater role in the community. Tirukkural Vizha, which was his initiative, became a popular annual literary and family event. Under his guidance, the society produced four attractively illustrated Tamil story books for children from the ages 4 to 7. The Society's nation-wide parental education programmes and its representation to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Group Representation Constituency are its other achievements.
Arasu also served as a trustee of Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA) from 1991 to 2000.
He was the first chairman of the Tamil Language Council, a national organisation set up to promote the wider usage of Tamil in Singapore.
He also served as one of the Secretary-Generals of the International Association for Tamil Research since 1987 till the 2000s.
While Arasu's involvement with Indian community issues and promotion of Tamil extended throughout the last 50 years of his life, he also devoted considerable time and effort on matters of common interest to all Singaporeans. His work at the Preservation of Monuments Board (1975-1992) particularly as chairman of the Board's Research and Publicity Committee from 1979 is one example. He had also served as member of the National Archives and Oral History Board. and several other committees relating to arts and literature and social issues.
The Singapore government conferred on Arasu the Efficiency Medal in 1985 and the Public Service Medallion (PBM) in 1999. The National University of Singapore’s Centre for the Arts honoured him for his services at the conference on “Tamil in the International Arena.” in January 2002
Arasu died at the age of 83, on 4.11.2008 from complications linked to pancreatic cancer.
He is survived by his wife, son and four grand children.
Read more about this topic: V.T. Arasu
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