Vijay Sathappan Narayanan has grown from seeing English as a tool to communicate to a force that can change how people see the world.
Vijay Sathappan Narayanan is a student at Island School. Photo: HandoutIsland School student Vijay Sathappan Narayanan can still recall his first brush with public speaking: when he attempted to do standup comedy in primary school.
“I loved hearing the laughter and cheers as I cracked a joke,” Vijay explained.
As his interests evolved, the now 16-year-old student gravitated towards debate. “Public speaking became a way for me to combine the best of both worlds: the creativity of writing and the human interaction found in comedy.”
Over time, Vijay has distinguished himself on the global stage. He represented Hong Kong at the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships (WIDPSC) in 2023 and 2024, reflecting on the experiences that have significantly shaped his personal growth.
The camaraderie among his teammates left a lasting impression during WIDPSC.
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“The biggest takeaway wasn’t the judges’ feedback or the growth I saw in my skills, but the lifelong relationships I formed with my teammates,” he shared.
“We started preparing from November until mid-April. Our weekly four-hour sessions brought us closer together. More than a team, we became like family.”
These competitions also gave him fresh perspectives on the power of communication. “Before WIDPSC, I saw language as simply a means of communication.
But after the week, I began to see how I could use rhetoric to change how people thought about the world.”
Outside of debate, Vijay’s passion for education has led to the creation of BinaryFlex, a student-led initiative dedicated to teaching young people how to code. It has grown significantly since it began in 2020.
“BinaryFlex was borne out of a desire to share the same joy that made me hooked on coding,” he said. “We now cater to over 70 students across Hong Kong, and we’ve even launched volunteer programmes in other countries.”
Like many during the pandemic, Vijay faced challenges. “Our biggest challenge was adapting to social distancing policies,” he said.
“We overcame this by hosting Zoom sessions and offering hybrid lessons. Later, convincing NGOs and schools that we could effectively manage weekly lessons became another hurdle, but we built trust by growing our network through existing connections.”
BinaryFlex has had a profound impact.
“One of my most memorable experiences was when a student who completed our coding boot camp started an unofficial coding club at his school,” Vijay recalled. “It showed me that learning can be a lifelong process.”
Vijay is optimistic about the future of education in Hong Kong.
“I see it moving towards a more equitable and innovative system. There will likely be more hands-on learning, partnerships with tech companies, and personalised teaching methods to cater to individual student needs.”
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Adding to his list of achievements, Vijay was recently named the winner of the Linguist (English) category at the prestigious Student of the Year Awards, organised by the South China Morning Post and solely sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
Looking ahead, he hopes to expand BinaryFlex globally. “Fifteen years from now, I see myself combining my love for language and technology to narrow the education gap,” he said.
For now, his focus remains on balancing academics and personal development. “I’m working on growing my soft skills so I can contribute to my community.”