CBAA celebrates Shankar Jayapandian as part of National Volunteer Week

As part of National Volunteer Week, today CBAA is celebrating Shankar Jayapandian, a volunteer for Radio4EB – TamilOli (Tamil language), a Brisbane based community radio station that supports fifty ethnic languages, and the Tamil Language is one of them. He is known as Shankar to the Tamil community and Shankar Anna (Elder brother) to the youngsters. TamilOli broadcasts seven hours of programming weekly. Shankar’s journey with the station began as a volunteer broadcaster in 2016.

Having moved to Brisbane, Shankar connected with as many community organisations as possible because he loves interacting with people. Shankar’s natural love for his mother tongue brought him to Radio4EB - TamilOli at the same time he joined other associations. They include: Thaai Tamil School, Tamil Association of Queensland, Queensland Tamil Mantram and Tamil Literary Association TamilNathi are just a few in the long list.

In addition to Radio4EB-TamilOli broadcast, he hosts regular programs to SBS-Tamil. Shankar also works as a volunteer language teacher at Thaai Tamil School, which is part of the After-Hours Ethnic Schools, Queensland. He regularly serves as Master of Ceremony for public events, including the major public event Pongal Festival and Deepavali function. Apart from this, Shankar volunteers at the temple during festival season, fundraising events to support the community during natural disasters, provide training to students for broadcasting radio shows and literary competitions. He also provides voluntary adjudication duties.

Without a doubt, Shankar’s community volunteer work enhances Radio4EB’s profile, encouraging wider community involvement in the station.

Shankar was a finalist for CBAA’s 2021 Outstanding Volunteer Contribution award. If you know someone who you think has made an outstanding volunteer contribution to your station, you can nominate them for the Outstanding Volunteer Contribution award in the 2022 CBAA Awards.