Associate Professor Sabaratnam Prathapan OAM

Associate Professor Sabaratnam Prathapan OAM has had a beneficial relationship with his community that goes both ways. 

Professor Prathapan has been associate professor of engineering at the Charles Darwin University, formerly known as Northern Territory University, since 2005, and is also vice-president of the Hindu Society of the Northern Territory, where he was previously president for over 20 years. 

He has also held numerous positions at the Darwin Institute of Technology, the Institute of TAFE, the Union of Australian College Academics, the Office of Multicultural Affairs Northern Territory and the Northern Territory Employment and Training Authority. 

For his work, he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to tertiary education, and to the community. 

“I have been lecturing in the field of civil engineering in Darwin for almost 42 years, since Darwin Community College to Charles Darwin University, mostly at higher education at the level of bachelor's and master's degrees," he says. 

“I raised and project-managed the build of a Hindu temple in Darwin ... I started it when there were few Hindus in Darwin and now, we have more than four thousand from India, Sri Lanka, Fiji, Singapore, Malaysia and many other countries. 

“I also managed to raise more than one million dollars and project-managed to build a community hall called Harmony Hall in Darwin. It is heavily used by the community from all walks of life, for activities such as performances, weddings ... it is also used as a cyclone shelter.” 

Professor Prathapan says he is motivated by wanting to give back to a community that gave him so much. 

“I have been fortunate with my life. Australia and Darwin have been good to me,” he says. 

“I want to put something back into the community and help the underprivileged among us. The enjoyment comes from the feeling of having a purpose in life and being a good human being.”