Mr Jambulingam Rajamanickam Karthikeyan

J R Karthikeyan is recognised for his visionary leadership and transformative impact across Singapore’s social service landscape. As Chief Executive Officer of AWWA, he is a dynamic changemaker who has spearheaded inclusive, multi-sector initiatives that uplift individuals and families across various life stages.

Under his leadership, AWWA’s early intervention services have grown to support over 2,000 children annually. He launched Kindle Garden, Singapore’s first inclusive preschool, in collaboration with Lien Foundation and SG Enable. He also introduced initiatives such as the virtual Inclusion Resource Centre, Development Support-Plus (DS-Plus), and Early Intervention Under-2s (EI Under-2s), many of which have since been scaled nationally. His holistic approach spans the disability and inclusion continuum, from supporting the expansion of a second Special Education School at Bedok for students with autism to launching the AWWA Home and Day Activity Centre for adults with moderate to severe physical and multiple disabilities.

Karthik piloted Care Beyond Walls, a programme that empowers seniors with dementia to volunteer beyond care settings through partnerships with 12 host organisations. It is now one of over 10 AWWA Village initiatives supporting more than 2,000 seniors. He also played a key role in launching Singapore’s first randomised controlled trial of cash transfers for lower-income families – the Family Empowerment Programme – with funding from Temasek Trust and Standard Chartered Bank.

In 2023, he introduced AWWAcademy to upskill staff through e-learning, hands-on training, and initiatives like Syncposium, a multidisciplinary learning conference. Through the Inclusion Experts Series, he has upskilled thousands of educators and early childhood professionals. His innovation initiatives include AWWAke, a cross-departmental ideation platform, and Lab Integrate, a makerspace driving assistive tech solutions for clients of all ages.

He also established one of Singapore’s largest therapy hubs at AWWA and spearheaded eldercare initiatives such as the Air Master programme, stroke and cancer rehabilitation in collaboration with Tan Tock Seng Hospital, as well as women’s health services and community-based early intervention for infants with complex medical needs in partnership with KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

Nationally, Karthik serves on over 15 cross-sector committees, including the Enabling Masterplan Steering Committee, Ministry of Health's Allied Health Professions Council, NHG Health’s Population Health Collective Leadership Council (POPCollect), and National Council of Social Service' Leadership and Fellowship Panels. A tireless capability builder, he has taught at the National Institute of Education for nearly a decade and led AWWA to four consecutive Charity Transparency Awards and the 2024 SkillsFuture Employer Award (Gold).

For his bold vision, collaborative spirit, and unwavering dedication to inclusive service, Karthik is awarded the President's Award 2025.