Sithara Doriasamy

Introduction

Sithara Doriasamy has work experience across diverse fields and industries in both the private and government sectors. She has excellent skills in strategic planning, editorial and content management, corporate presentation, marketing, fundraising and coordinating national and international conferences. Prior to joining ISAS, she led the corporate communications department at the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority. Her previous roles include producer of international news at MediaCorp’s Channel NewsAsia, news editor and senior political correspondent with Singapore Press Holdings’ Tamil Murasu newspaper. She started her career at the Singapore Trade Development Board (presently known as International Enterprise Singapore), where she assisted the senior librarian to set up the Design Centre Library. She was one of the pioneer officers of the Singapore Indian Development Association and was responsible for the setting up of its communications division.

At ISAS, Sithara works closely with the chairman, director, and management team in the overall management and administrative functions of the office and charting strategic directions. She is the secretary to the ISAS management board and executive committee. She manages the institute’s endowment fund and oversees the Singapore India Partnership Foundation (Singapore).

Sithara is a senior grassroots leader. She holds key positions in several grassroots and community organisations, focusing on community engagement, community development, and thought leadership. Among her key roles, she is appointed patron of the People’s Association Narpani Council at the national level, member of a Citizens Consultative Committee, vice chairperson of a Community Club Management Committee and assistant secretary of a Racial and Religious Harmony Circle (an appointment by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth), among others. She is a trained and qualified mediator with the Ministry of Law’s Community Mediation Centre. She is appointed a member of the panel of assessors on the National Council on Problem Gambling, by the Ministry of Social and Family Development.

Sithara was part of the Singapore government’s Remaking Singapore Committee (Beyond Cars Sub-Committee). She has served as a member of the Tamil Language Curriculum and Pedagogy Review Resource Panel, Ministry of Education and Community Safety and Security Programme Publicity Committee, Ministry of Home Affairs. She has also served as a member of a secondary school advisory committee and the Singapore Press Club’s management committee. She has been awarded the distinguished toastmaster (DTM) title by Toastmasters International.

She has received several awards for her outstanding contributions to grassroots and community service. In recognition of her significant contributions, Sithara was conferred the National Day Awards of Public Service Star (Bintang Bakti Masyarakat – BBM) in 2022, and the Public Service Medal (Pingat Bakti Masyarakat – PBM), in 2013, by the President of Singapore.

Sithara has a Master of Science degree in International Relations from the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies, Nanyang Technological University. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Media Management, from the University of South Australia, and has a post-graduate diploma in Community Leadership and Social Development, from the Singapore University of Social Sciences.