SINGAPORE - The current deputy CEO of the Singapore Indian Development Association (Sinda) will be promoted to acting CEO from July 1, it was announced on Friday (May 25).

Mr Anbarasu Rajendran will replace Mr Kumaran Barathan, who will become CEO of the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SICCI) on the same day.

It will be Mr Barathan's second stint at the SICCI having previously served as its CEO from July 2013 to June 2014.

On behalf of Sinda's board of trustees, Deputy Prime Minister and Sinda chairman Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam expressed their appreciation of Mr Barathan's service.

Mr Tharman said: "Barathan has led the organisation very well as CEO and personified the ethos of community service that Sinda represents. We are deeply grateful for his contributions."

Sinda's president, Minister Indranee Rajah, also paid tribute to the outgoing CEO, saying: "Barathan has contributed significantly to Sinda during his tenure as CEO. He introduced many new programmes and initiatives and has done much to strengthen Sinda's partnership with the Indian community. Today, Sinda is a much stronger organisation due to his efforts.

"We shall miss him at Sinda but are heartened that he will still be working for and with the Indian Community at SICCI. We wish Barathan the very best in his journey forward."

His replacement Mr Anbarasu is an education officer with the Ministry of Education, and currently on secondment to Sinda.

He was in the MOE's Curriculum Planning and Development Division and had a previous secondment to Sinda as education division director from 2010- 2012.

Sinda is a self-help group established in 1991 which aims to lift the socio-economic status of the Indian community in Singapore.