GROWING up as one of five siblings, Karthigesu Muniyandi’s (pic) life took a difficult turn at age 15 when his father passed away.
From then on, survival depended on resilience. His mother worked relentlessly – mornings at a restaurant, and afternoons into late nights at a petrol kiosk. His older brother stepped in to help hold the family together.
Amid these challenges, Karthigesu and his family had a daily ritual: reading The Star newspaper. It was a source of information and quiet comfort.
One day, while he was reading the newspaper at his university library, Karthigesu came across an advertisement for the Star Education Fund.
Encouraged by his uncle, he applied for a scholarship, unaware that the decision would shape the trajectory of his life.
At the time, he was already pursuing a bachelor’s degree (honours) in electrical engineering at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, while stretching himself further by taking electives in electronics and telecommunications.
But his academic pursuit was shadowed by a growing burden. The cost of higher education weighed heavily, and he was determined not to add to his mother’s already overwhelming load.
Receiving the scholarship in his second year at university lifted a significant financial strain, allowing him to focus more fully on his studies while continuing to work part-time during semester breaks to support his family.
It gave him the freedom to pursue his education without guilt, he said, adding that the scholarship opened the door to an internship and eventual employment at The Star.
As an engineering graduate in the media company, he quickly realised that while journalists created content, engineers ensured its seamless delivery. This behind-the-scenes role gave him a new sense of purpose and confidence in his chosen field.
Starting in the maintenance team, he steadily rose through the ranks, taking on increasingly complex responsibilities - from troubleshooting programmable logic controllers and managing million-ringgit projects to leading teams of up to 60 staff.
A pivotal moment came when he was entrusted with circulation operations, moving from maintaining machines to optimising systems and managing business functions.
Today, the 48-year-old serves as a senior manager in the circulation team, overseeing budgets, monitoring distribution and managing digital platforms such as ePaper and subscriptions.
Reflecting on his journey, Karthigesu credited the Star Education Fund as the foundation of his career, noting that it provided him with direction, exposure and invaluable industry experience.
Some of his most defining lessons, he said, were gained in the early hours of the morning, racing against print deadlines - moments that built resilience, sharpened problem-solving skills and harnessed his inner strength.
His advice to aspiring scholarship applicants is to “know your why”.
“Academic results may open the door, but it is passion, authenticity and attitude that truly set candidates apart,” he said.
This feature is part of a series highlighting beneficiaries of the Star Education Fund (SEF), in celebration of Star Media Group’s 55th anniversary. Since its inception in 1994, the SEF has benefited 4,601 scholarship recipients, with a total value of RM176 mil. Applications for the 2026 edition are now open at https://www.thestar.com.my/edufund. For enquiries, email edufund@thestar.com.my or call 03‑7967 1388 ext 1466.
With the theme of the article in mind, carry out the following English language activities.
1 Browse through the newspaper and explore its different sections, such as news, sports, lifestyle and advertisements. In groups, discuss what readers can learn from each section.
2 To “know your why” means to understand your purpose and goals in life. Reflect on your dreams and ambitions. Create a mind map showing one goal you hope to achieve and the steps you can take to make it happen.
The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE)
programme promotes English language learning in primary and secondary schools nationwide. For Star-NiE enquiries, email starnie@thestar.com.my.
