Graceful hospitality

PEOPLE who like to speak in public often dream of working as a television presenter or presenter. You may have grown up listening to morning chat programs and imagined that one day you would be the one holding the microphone and hosting an event.

theSun recently spoke to Thiviya Balakrishnan, a TV presenter who has made presenting her main career as she is passionate about speaking.

The 27-year-old began her career as a talk show host and has grown over the course of seven years.

Since the age of four, Thiviya has been “talking” to herself and even staging her own fictional interviews in front of the mirror. Her love for talking to people only grew when she began entering public speaking and storytelling competitions at school.

Although her parents urged her to pursue a career in medicine, Thiviya knew that this path was not for her as she knew what she wanted out of life.

She said: “I had a strong interest in speaking and pursued it with great determination. As a result, I earned a degree in broadcasting while also beginning my career as a presenter and presenter.”

However, she had no clear idea of ​​where to start when she first entered the corporate world.

“I would apply to host their events on dozens of emails to companies and event planners. To get my profile known, I would initiate cold calling.

“I consider it a great blessing that a kind lady gave me the opportunity to host my first business conference.”

Thiviya was then offered the opportunity to host a travel program, Malaysian Trekker, as her first-ever on-air appearance of 2021.

“It was a dream come true to host all 13 episodes,” she said.

Her career quickly began to thrive after the show’s debut, which aired on Astro. She jumped at the chance and submitted her video CV after learning from a friend that Tamil speaking presenters were being sought for the educational TV channel DIDIK TV. Eventually she was hired for the position.

Thiviya is also the host of her own talk program, Tee Talks. It’s a virtual talk show she developed when face-to-face events were reduced due to Covid-19.

She explained: “When the pandemic hit we were all in the dark and I wanted to set up a platform where I could still work online.

“I interview everyone I meet. You don’t have to be popular [or well-known]. I think everyone has a story that can inspire the rest of the world.”

Besides hosting, Thiviya mainly moderates corporate events. She also enjoys moderating panel discussions.

Thiviya said she enjoys connecting with the people she talks to. Whether it’s an audience, their parents, clients or friends. Thiviya believes she takes great pleasure in entertaining and enlightening audiences in her role as presenter.

Thiviya looks forward to living and experiencing each day. She said she follows her passion and does what she loves to do.

“I’m sure my supporters will interpret that as my message.”

When asked how she would encourage others, she said she wants to motivate the next generation to live life passionately and on their own terms.

She also offered some advice to “her 18-year-old self” in a moment of self-reflection.

“No amount of cash, a big house, a fancy car, or a job position can give you the happiness and satisfaction you need to lead a happy and fulfilling life. I excelled in school and always strived to be an excellent student. I thought wealth was [equal] success at that age. Life influenced my perspective as I got older.

“For a variety of reasons, Generation Y struggles to recognize their passion and be bold in pursuing it. I’m glad I went with my gut feeling. Because to be honest, it’s not easy.”

As we finished our interview, she took the opportunity to thank her parents for the trust she had in her decision to pursue broadcasting over medicine, the business incubator platform that helped her discover her passion, and her friends who supported her despite her hectic schedule.