Former High Commissioner to Malaysia K. Kesavapany was yesterday honoured for his work in helping the needy in Singapore.

The 79-year-old - a founding committee member of the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS) - received the sixth Community Champion Award from the English weekly newspaper tabla!

Its editor Patrick Jonas described Mr Kesavapany as "a rare gem in the Indian community", saying: "He raised funds for the Indian Association Welfare Fund and uses it to help the needy who would otherwise fall through the cracks.

"He reaches out to new Indians and PRs and helps them integrate better with Singapore. tabla! could not have found a better candidate this year."

Mr Kesavapany is a man of much experience. He was the director of the Institute of South-east Asian Studies, Singapore from 2002 to 2012. Prior to that, he was the High Commissioner to Malaysia from 1997 to 2002.

He also served as Singapore's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva.

Launched in 2011, the annual award is given by tabla! to a member of the Indian community who has carried out distinguished work with the less fortunate.

Mr Kesavapany is currently a governor on the board of the Singapore International Foundation and president of the Singapore Indian Association, where he initiated a programme offering financial aid to the needy.

At the Singapore Indian Development Association, he is a member of the Indian Community Aftercare Council, which runs programmes to help ex-prisoners and drug offenders integrate into society.

Mr Kesavapany's award comes with a cash donation of $10,000 from the State Bank of India, which will be given to the Indian Association's welfare fund and the Dyslexia Association of Singapore.

Correction note: The story has been edited to say that tabla! is an English weekly newspaper.