Born in a small rural village in India, Palani O. Thevar’s early life was shaped by grassroots movements and community development. He pursued academic studies grounded in social justice and peace, earning a bachelor’s degree focused on Rural Development, a master's in Madurai Kamaraj University, Tamil Nadu and an M.Phil. in Peace Research from Gujarat Vidyapith—an institution founded by Mahatma Gandhi. His career in social work formally began after completing his Social Work degree at the University of Queensland, Australia. Since then, Palani has been a committed member of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) and is currently undertaking doctoral research in Social Work at James Cook University. He is also foundation member of the Brisbane Institute of Strength Based Practice.
Professionally, Palani has extensive experience in Health and Disability Services within the Queensland Government and his academic and professional work is consistently underpinned by his commitment to community-based social work. Over several decades, he has offered crisis intervention, domestic violence support, and bereavement counselling—particularly within multicultural and migrant communities. He has also led the South West Brisbane Disability Network, supporting the sector through significant reforms, including the rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in Queensland.
Deeply rooted in both Gandhian principles and Australian multicultural values, Palani’s approach to social work, which blends advocacy, leadership, and culturally sensitive service delivery, has also contributed to the oral history, documented by the National Library of Australia, standing as testimony to his dedication to strengthening emerging communities. Through teaching, research, and direct community engagement, he remains devoted to advancing the field of social work across Australia.