Shaun Chandran is a psychologist and manager who works with children in Western Australia. He's also a clown doctor, a musician, a ukelele player, and a South Asian Australia with Indian heritgage via Singapore. This year he's become the first South Asian Father of the Year by winning Community Father of the Year at the Australian Fathering Awards.

Shaun is a migrant to Australia. He was born in Singapore, and brings a rich cultural mix with strong Indian roots.  

"I come from many cultures and communities," Shaun told SAARI. 

"Both my grandfathers on my mother and father’s side are Indian (Gujarati and Tamil)."

"I also have Chinese, Thai and Portuguese ancestry, moving from Singapore to Australia as a 14 year old, nearly 30 years ago."

Shaun served as a lieutenant in the Singapore Armed Forces, and then worked as a psychologist, helping children with behavioural issues such as autism, trauma and abuse. He has contributed to research on fathers, including fathers in prison, and been a foster carer. 

Shaun's work with children continued in a different form as a 'clown doctor' or 'humanitan clown. In 2009, he was involved in international humanitarian clown trips led by Dr Patch Adams, including the 25th Anniversary of the clown trip to Russia in 2009.

When Shaun became a father, he found it joyful but also with its own significant challenges. 

"Fatherhood is one of the most important roles in our lives. But it can also be filled with exhaustion, confusion and social isolation,” says Shaun.

Shaun transformed his isolation into a positive impact by building connection. 

“When I became a Dad, I was seeking to connect with other Dads so we could support each other and learn together.”

For 5 years, Shaun hosted Man with a Pram, a Father's Day fundraising event that brings new fathers and families together across the country to raise awareness and funds for programs that support new fathers and families.

In March 2020, Shaun founded the Belmont Dads Group with a simple yet powerful vision: to create a community where fathers could connect, support each other, and navigate the challenges of parenthood together.

What started as a small group quickly blossomed into the largest dads’ group in Australia, bringing together over 500 fathers weekly—a rarity in the country. 

In 2024, with support from The Fathering Project, Shaun launched the SMG Dads Group, focusing on dads with school-aged children. Their first event, “Paper Planes and Pizza,” drew over 200 fathers and kids, underscoring Shaun’s belief that fathers thrive when they connect as a community.

For Shaun, 'dad' is a verb. 

"I’ve always been guided by a principle of ‘why dad alone when we can dad together?’ The engagement in our dads groups emphasise the critical need among fathers to connect as a community."

The Fathering Project’s Father of the Year Awards coincides with the launch of its 2024 Father’s Day campaign, #SafeWithYou, which underscores the crucial role fathers and father figures play in ensuring the safety and well-being of children. 

Other award winners include singer Jimmy Barnes and his son David Campbell as joint Fathers of the Year, and Adam Desmond as Sports Father of the Year. Ansvar Insurance won Best Workplace for Fathers.

For Shaun, this year's message about safety is personal.

“The work of The Fathering Project resonates deeply with me because safety is found in the presence of connection and community — in creating spaces where fathers can come together without judgment, share experiences, and learn from each other.”

Sandeep Varma is dadding two young boys, and is the Founder and CEO of SAARI Collective.