The challenges he faced in a new country, Mr Devnavin Madeswaran, 24, understands the struggles Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) face after moving to Singapore.
“When I was looking for advice, most of the people around me were Singaporeans or PRs (permanent residents). Much of what they shared didn’t apply to me as a foreigner,” he said.
To make that integration journey smoother for others in the same boat, Mr Devnavin turned to social media (@dev_navin on Instagram), where he shares practical financial advice informed by his work as a financial consultant at Financial Alliance, alongside empathetic and relatable reflections.
He says: “I know of PhD holders or highly qualified professionals who have become homemakers upon moving to Singapore. There is a loss of identity and a constant uncertainty that they grapple with.”
Those stories resonate deeply with Mr Devnavin because of his own experiences as an immigrant who identifies with Singapore as his homeland.
Hailing from a middle-class family that came from Tiruchengodu in India to Singapore in search of better job opportunities, Mr Devnavin’s love for Singapore was ignited very early on with a childhood experience. “I was seven years old when I first came to Singapore and enrolled in primary school. Once I was unable to find my mother in the canteen after class. A Chinese aunty saw me crying. She didn’t understand my language but she understood my tears. She came back in five minutes with my mum. That was when I understood that humanity doesn’t need language.”
That incident taught Mr Devnavin that he was welcome in Singapore’s multicultural society. Till to date, he attends Chinese New Year and Hari Raya gatherings, taking along his murukkus – a crowd favourite.
Growing up, Mr Devnavin also faced constant anxiety about his father’s work pass renewal every three years. And when Mr Devnavin had just finished his O levels, that fear became reality when his father lost his job.
“I had scored well, getting 3 points. Normally I would have been able to get into any school of my choice. However, by then we had already made up our mind to go back to India.”
But his grandfather intervened, something Mr Devnavin recounts with gratitude: “He told my father to make me continue studying in Singapore and that he was ready to sell everything he had to make it happen. His words gave us the confidence. My parents withdrew their life savings to help me continue my studies. Eventually, my father also found another job.” Mr Devnavin thus continued education at Raffles Institution, where he excelled, even taking H3 Mathematics while working part-time at banquets.
Receiving permanent residency during junior college and citizenship after National Service brought years of uncertainty to an end. It was a tearful moment for the boy who had once been nervous when reciting the National Pledge. He says: “I was like a son yearning for a mother’s love, and finally I had gotten it.”
The journey of self–discovery led Mr Devnavin to even design his own major titled Jurisdictionary Intersectionalities at the College of Integrative Studies, Singapore Management University. Currently in his first year of the degree, he studies how moving from one jurisdiction to another results in different challenges in financial planning and other life matters.
Prior to this, he had started a degree in Computer Engineering elsewhere. He says: “But then, I realised that if I enter an advisory space that targets expatriates specifically in solving their problems, I would be passionate about it.”
Mr Devnavin’s mentor, who he met at a toastmasters networking session, Ms Rebecca Low, showed him how to connect with audiences and tell his story to the world. As a result, with support from his brother, Mr Devnavin has transformed his social media journey into one marked by creativity and social impact.
Devnavin did a “100 free wills” challenge on TikTok, where he personally met social media followers to write free wills for them. He also set up social media pages for the Kabaddi Association of Singapore and the Queenstown Toastmasters Club – reaching hundreds of thousands of views in a short span.
Devnavin’s ultimate goal is to build a cross border financial planning firm that caters to people moving between countries. “Many immigrants are afraid to invest in Singapore because of the uncertainty as to how long they will remain here. I want to show them that actually, they can and should invest in this country.”
