SATA honours Mala Lutchmanan and Fakir Hassen with Lifetime Achievement Awards

THE Tamil Association of South Africa (SATA) has honoured two stalwarts of the media industry in South Africa, the late Mala Lutchmanan and Fakir Hassen, with Lifetime Achievement Awards when the organisation marked Kalai Thiruvhiza at the Patidar Theatre in Lenasia last Saturday.

Lutchmanan was a Tamil expert, author and former Lotus FM presenter. Hassen is a journalist, author and former Radio Lotus station manager.

The event featured a range of cultural items from mainly the expatriate Tamil community that SATA represents and a few local artists.

"Some voices don’t fade… even in silence, they echo. Today, we pause to honour the life and legacy of a formidable voice, a champion of Tamil culture, and a beloved stalwart of South African radio, the late Mala Lutchmanan,” said MC Shasti Shulochan.

“Through her unwavering dedication to promoting Tamil language, arts, and identity, Mala became more than a broadcaster. She became a bridge between generations, a source of pride, and an icon in our cultural journey. Though she is no longer with us in person, her spirit lives on through every song, every word, and every life she inspired. In recognition of her immeasurable contributions, we are humbled to confer this Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously,” Shulochan added.

A video played on stage highlighted the diverse areas that Lutchmanan had been involved in before her award was presented to her nieces - Jay-Sayuri Pillay and Kumoni Pillay - by Elavarasan Varadharajan and Poobalan Les Govender, the Deputy Chairman of the National Council of Provinces.

These included Lutchmanan’s philanthropic causes, her fervent promotion of the Tamil language and culture, and the many publications that she authored, including the translation of the Thirukkural into isiZulu.

The co-MC, Lakshmi Janaki, said Hassen’s award was to celebrate, honour, and express SATA’s admiration for his contributions across radio, television, and print media.

“We also pay tribute to his legacy as an author, whose body of work will continue to inspire generations to come. With unwavering courage and dedication, he became a chronicler of truth, a beacon of integrity, and a storyteller whose words have transcended borders and time.

“The South African Tamil Association takes immense pride in honouring Mr Fakir Hassen with the Lifetime Achievement Award - a recognition not only for his distinguished career but also for the profound impact he has had on countless lives, the generations he has mentored, and the rich stories he has preserved for posterity,” Janaki said before India’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Prabhat Kumar, presented him with his award.

SATA President, Ramnath Arunachalam, said the new Tamil migrants to South Africa had made a connection with their local counterparts, who have been here for 165 years, through Lotus FM, especially through Lutchmanan’s programmes.

“That was a big connection for us because Mala was the only person who spoke fluent Tamil. I called her in December last year and she was very happy when I told her that we wanted to give her this award. Unfortunately, she passed on in February, but we kept to our word with the posthumous award,” Arunachalam said.

“Our chief patron is the Consul General of India, who recommended Fakir Hassen for the second award, which we supported fully because he cuts across languages and has promoted not just Tamil culture, but Indian culture across the globe through his work for nearly five decades now. We also learnt that he was the station manager, who first gave Mala her job. These awards were our way of saying thank you to the South African community that has given us so much." 

Both Govender and Hassen, in their addresses, made a plea for SATA and the local South African Tamil Federation to unite to create a broader platform to promote Tamil arts and culture.

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