by
Soundara Nayaki Vairavan with A P Raman
'The Tamil Community and the Making of Modern Singapore'
The Tamil Community and the Making of Modern Singapore by AP Raman and Soundaranayaki Vairavan documents the journey of the Tamil community within the larger Singaporean context. It establishes the Tamil community as one which is vibrant and dynamic that has made a significant and meaningful contribution to the development of Singapore.
Tamil is a thriving spoken and written language among the majority of Indians in Singapore. Our students study it in schools from primary to university levels and there are several opportunities to read, write and speak the language at various language related events, at school and at home.
The Tamils in Singapore are also an ancient people with a profound sense of their history, language and culture. The Pongal Celebrations by LISHA and the annual Tamil Language Festival by the Tamil Language Council are examples of events that bear testimony to a vibrant Tamil community in Singapore which is proud of its language, culture and way of life.
This book has been in the making for more than a year. It aims to serve as a record of the role played by several pioneering individuals in the community in various sectors ranging from politics, civil service, arts and education in the development of Singapore. The authors have traced
the journey of the community from its arrival in Singapore through independence and their participation in various facets of life in Singapore. They have also met with several members of the community for useful insights and information on the book. I am confident The Tamil Community and the Making of Modern Singapore will find its rightful place among the Tamil community in Singapore.
R Rajaram
Chairman
Tamil Language Council
Mr AP Raman and Mrs S Vairavan have embarked on an unique journey to recount the contributions of the Tamil community to the making of modern Singapore,
Coming on the eve of the second millennium of Singapore's establishment, the book will help members of the community, both Tamil and non-Tamil, particularly the younger generation, to know where the Tamils came from and where they are headed to.
In this regard, the insights provided by Minister Iswaran in an interview given to the authors (the transcript of which has been reproduced in full), serve as valuable markers for the position of the Tamil Community in the National Conversation.
On behalf of the Singapore Indian Association, I thank both authors for their noble endeavor.
K.Kesavapany
Emeritus President
Singapore Indian Association.
The idea to write a book on this topic came to my mind some three years ago. I started writing on this topic by researching the books, interviewing the pioneers of the community and getting feedback from people familiar with the subject. To do justice to this vast and important topic, I was on the look out for a co-author with a combination of the knowledge on the subject, expertise and command over language and last but not least, the person with whom I could work with ease.
I have known veteran journalist Mr A P Raman as a humble and a perfect gentleman, who always greets me warmly, whenever we meet. So, without a second thought, in 2017, I approached Mr Raman at his house and expressed my wish. After some discussion and listening to me carefully, he said 'Yes, we can. I told this to Mr K Kesavapany, the former diplomat, who supported this idea.
Then Mr Raman and I started to write the book. Mr Raman, with his expertise, moved on so quickly and delivered the chapters in no time. A mother of two growing children, I had to juggle with a number of responsibilities. However I was able to keep pace with Mr Raman's speed, on account of the huge support from my husband and children, as always.
Mr Raman and I thank the Singapore Indian Association for helping us launch the book. We are grateful to Mr S Iswaran, Minister for Communications and Information for the interview he gave to the book. We thank Mr R Rajaram, President, Tamil Language Council for writing the Foreword and Mr K Kesavapany, Emeritus President, Singapore Indian Association for a message.
Our special thanks to Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs for gracing the occasion and launching the book.
We trust that the readers of this book will find it informative and Interesting.
Soundara Nayakai Vairavan
Southeast Asia has had, for many centuries, close ties with India. From ancient times, the Tamils were interested in seaborne trade and the Tamil kingdoms of India developed splendid harbours, which led them to engage in sea trade and commerce with the Malay Archipelago. Wherever they went, the Tamils took their culture and traditions with them and the Tamil kings made considerable effort to spread their culture to the countries they ventured into. This left a lasting heritage in Southeast Asian countries such as Loas, Myanmar, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, which became part of the Indianised states of Southeast Asia.
The ancient Tamil Kingdoms of Cholas and Pallavas established their kingdoms based largely on the Hindu religion. Famous artisans and temple builders helped to build massive monuments throughout the area, some of which are today's UNESCO Heritage sites. For example, Prambanan Temple and Borobudur Buddhist Monument (Indonesia) are clear examples of the spread of Hindu and Buddhist influences in Southeast Asia. Another great monument, the Angkor Wat temple complex, in Combodia was built when Kambu, a Tamil prince from India, who set up a kingdom known as Kambojam. During that period, Angkor, dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu, was built by King Suryavarman on the banks of the Mekong River. These ancient influences remain in Southeast Asia till today; Thais still recite Thirupavai and Thiruvembavai. In Vietnam there are still Hindu Temples where Hindu rituals are observed. The majority of the population in Bali is Hindu and rigorously observe Hindu rituals which have been adapted to local conditions. This is what led the Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, to remark, "I see Hinduism everywhere, but I cannot recognise it".
It is said that Pallava Dynasty brought Buddhism to Southeast Asia. During their rule, stories from the Hindu epics Ramayanam and Mahabaratham spread in artistic form through fine sculpting in the Hindu and Buddhist temples of the region.
It was the Chola dynasty which left a rich legacy in arts, culture and state craft. Its influence in the Southeast Asian region was because of its powerful naval power, a point well acknowledged by historians. Apart from expanding their navy, the Cholas were also able to meet the threat of piracy, which threatened to disrupt the flow of trade.
The Chola Kingdom had good relations with the Indianized Buddhist Empire Sri Vijaya, with its capital Palembang in Sumatra. There are records to show that in 1025 A D, Rajendra Chola attacked Kedah and ransacked its capital and took treasures back to South India. This led to the rivalry between the Chola and Sri Vijaya kingdoms. Historian Mr Samuel Dhoraisingam says, 'The Cholas however had no political control over the Malay Penninsula.'
With the arrival of Europeans to this region in the 16th century, the complexion of South East Asia was transformed. The first wave of Europeans were drawn to the area by the spice trade, venturing into the prosperous trade of traditional Tamil herbs like jathigai (nutmeg), masigai (Oak Gall), lavangam (cloves), ezhakkai (Cardamom) and many more. This period saw the establishment of trading posts such as Penang, Malacca and later Singapore.
During the last quarter of the 19th century, European colonies started to experience the effect of the Industrial Revolution. In order to find the right markets to sell their manufactured goods, colonial territories were established in Southeast Asia. These territories were in need of labour for their ventures. This resulted in mass migration, especialy from British India and China to Southeast asia. European colonisation brought in profound changes to the region. They introduced Christianity, western forms of administration, courts of law and modern education.
The British East India Company, a private firm established during the 16th century was a major player in trade in the region. The focus of the firm was initially to trade with East Indies, but later was expanded to Indian subcontinent and Qing China. In the 18th Century, in order to safeguard its trading interests in India, the British East India Company felt the need for a base east of the Bay of Bengal. It therefore established trading posts in Bencoolen (Sumatra) (1685) and in Penang (Malaya) (1786). With the end of the Napoleonic Wars and the return of the Dutch to the East Indies in 1815, the British were on the look out for a new outpost. This let to the establishment of Singapore in 1819, which suited their geo-political and economic interests.
Contrary to the popular belief that Singapore has a short history, Adjunct Associate Professor Kwa Chong Guan has shown that Singapore has had a history pre-dating Raffles's landing in Singapore. This may be true if one considers the fifty-three years of independent Singapore, but if we take into account the parts played by early Indian and Muslim influences as well as the British East India Company, her history meant longer and more eventful.
History has it that Temasek (now Singapore) situated at the tip of the Malaya archipelago was invaded by various ancient kingdoms and was under the rule of number of kings. One visitor was particularly important. Sang Nila Utama, a prince of the Srivijaya Kingdom, during one of his sea voyages saw an animal in this land, then known as Temasek, and called it a lion. Those around him agreed that it was a lion and the prince named the island Singapura, which then became Singapore. Actually the prince might have seen a tiger and not a lion because, according to oral history records, there were tigers in the Bukit Timah area in the early days.
When Sir Stamford Raffles signed a treaty with the Malay Sultanate to acquire Singapore, the island was inhabited by just over 1,000 people. Under the terms of the treaty, Sultan Hussein received a yearly sum of 5,000 Spanish dollars and the Temenggong a yearly sum of 3,000 Spanish dollars. Raffles laid the foundation for the development of Singapore, by conceiving a town plan and by setting up a town committee to oversee the various projects that were formulated. He also drew up policies to make Singapore harbour a free port.
The Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824, also known as the Treaty of London, was signed between the United Kingdom and the Netherlands in London in 1824. Under the terms of this treaty, Melaka was handed over to the British and Britain handed over Benkulen (Bencoolen) in Sumatra to the Dutch.
Among the early arrivals to Singapore were the sepoys, labourers, traders, moneylenders, civil servants and others who came in the wake of the East India Company. They attended to the many needs of the Company and its officials. Some of them came on a temporary basis, planning to return to the homeland after earning enough, while others stayed on, on a permanent basis.
The sepoys were the first Indians to arrive in Singapore. When Stamford Raffles landed in 1819, he brought with him 120 sepoys from the Bengal Native Infantry. From 1827 to 1872, various regiments of the Madras Army, including the 35th Regiment of the Madras Native Infantry, held the garrison in Singapore.
Various Tamil communities came to Singapore in search of their fortunes. Some were in the moneylending business, some established themselves as traders selling spices, while others were involved in the textile business. Small scale businesses included sundry shops, flower shops, food businesses, craftsmen and goldsmiths.
Britain had been shipping its convicts in India to Bencoolen and Penang. Singapore received its first shipment of 80 convicts from Madras in 1825. Convicts were used for public projects and contributed considerably to Singapore's early economic growth. They carried the soil to fill the marshland that later became Singapore's commercial centre; they built the first roads, the Istana, St. Andrew's Church, Sri Mariamman Temple and Serangoon Road.
With the growth of the economy, particularly in the plantation sector, there was a great demand for unskilled labour. The majority of the indentured labourers came from South India, specifically Tanjore, Madras, and Trichy. Between 1844 and 1910, some 250,000 indentured Indian labourers came to Malaya.
Recruited through agencies called 'Arkaati', these labourers often faced substandard conditions during sea travel. Upon arrival, they signed contracts in English which many could not read. They lived in overcrowded 'lines' and worked in estates like Kallangdale and Balestier. This system ended in 1910, and the Singapore Indian Association often helped repatriate those abandoned after their contracts ended.
The Kangani system, a more flexible recruitment system, became the main method after 1910. An employer in Malaya sent a chosen Tamil supervisor (Kangani) to South India to recruit employees at the employer's expense. Between 1865 and 1938, an estimated 1,116,717 Indian emigrants arrived in Malaya under this system.
The nature of the South Indians, especially Tamils, was obedient in carrying out the orders of their superiors. They had little educational background and were ready to accept low pay and poor living conditions during those early developmental years.
Though Tamils in Singapore were away from their motherland, they still followed Tamil Nadu's politics. They were greatly influenced by the Dravidian Parties and there was much support for Thanthai Periyar's policies like Anti-Brahminism, the Self-Respect Movement and equal rights for women. They followed the principles of Kalaingar Karunanidhi, Aringar Anna and Thanthai Periyar.
Regardless of caste and creed, the Tamils were united and sang the patriotic songs of Kavimani Desiya Vinayagam Pillai, Barathiar, Barathidasanar and Namakkal Kavingar. A number of them joined the Indian National Army under Netaji Subash Chandra Bose, to show their support for their motherland's independence.
In 1929, when Thanthai Periyar, the famous social reformer, came to Singapore/Malaya, most Tamils were employed in the estates working extremely hard for very low pay. E V Ramasamy, popularly known as Thanthai Periyar, was greatly moved by the conditions of the Tamil people. For this reason, he came to Singapore/Malaya a second time to spread the principles of the Self-Respect Movement among the Tamil diasporas here with a view to broadening their vision and uplifting them economically.
He was well received by the Tamil people on both occasions. The first time, when he arrived in Penang, he was given a warm welcome and also when he arrived in Singapore. During his second visit in 1954-55, when he reached Tanjong Pagar Railway Station he was welcomed by thousands of people. This was then featured in Tamil Murasu. Periyar's revolutionary ideas to get rid of superstitions and to embrace practicality, appealed to many.
V Thirunavukkarasu, popularly known as V T Arasu, who was the editor of Tamil Murasu, commented on the visit of Thanthai Periyar, underlining the fact that many Tamils were inspired by Periyar's rousing speech, in which he motivated the Tamils to live with dignity on par with the Chinese and Malays. Also many Tamils who were in a dilemma whether to remain in Singapore or to go back to India, decided to stay in Singapore after listening to Periyar's speach.
Professor A Mani has recorded in detail the arrival of Periyar in Singapore and Malaya in his book Periyar's visit to Singapore/Malaya. The late President of Singapore, Mr S R Nathan, said, "I have listened to Thanthai Periyar at Muar in 1930. He formed an association called Adi Dravidar Sangam and through that he urged people to help the poor and the downtrodden and accept those who were considered as untouchables as part of society".
It was after Periyar's arrival in Malaya in the 1930s that the Tamils Reform Association was started. Its first President was Mr A C Suppiah and its secretary then was Thamizhavel G. Sarangapany, popularly known as Kosa. The main objective of this association was to bring equality among various sections of the Tamil community, regardless of their caste or religion. They also strove hard to raise awareness of the importance of education and to empower women in the community and society. Many of Thanthai Periyar's ideas are still relevant to society today.
Since the early days, when the first Indians were brought to Singapore by the British, the country's proximity to India and easy access had encouraged many Indians to choose Singapore as their home. The country has developed in a short span of time and now offers a world-class education, jobs based on meritocracy, ease of setting up business, good medical facilities, well-regulated Government and an orderly society.
All these had great appeal and where once the Tamils came to Singapore as convicts and labourers, and later to buy electronic items, watches and cameras, today they come here as industrialists, scientists, researchers and academics in search of world class jobs and quality of life. Interestingly, Singapore is one of only two places outside Tamil Nadu where Tamil is one of the official languages and in many respects it has enriched the Tamil Language and Tamil culture.
Not only Indians, but also many other races have made Singapore their home. We are aware that when Raffles landed in Singapore, it was a fishing village with only a few families. Now it is a well developed nation.
In the 1950s Singapore was a poor nation. As her port was a gateway to many countries, people travelled here and brought with them their trade, their culture and their traditions but at the same time it also became a place for gangsters, drugs, red-light areas.
It was during this period that Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Dr Goh Keng Swee, Dr Toh Chin Chye, Mr S Rajaratnam and many other early pioneers strove to achieve self government. They were determined to make Singapore a well administered country with a long-term vision. They laid the foundation for modern Singapore, brought in important reforms, developed trade and industries and made Singapore a clean and green city. Thus, they transformed a fishing settlement into a world class nation.
They eradicated the slums and developed housing estates. Bugis Street was full of bars and gangsters but today it is full of shops and buildings which stands as testimony to the early leaders' strategies, reforms and foresight. Similarly, Anson Road, which is in the Central Business District of Singapore, now lined with tall buildings and offices, was once lined with bars and hawker stalls.
The Singapore River was so polluted that no marine life could be found in it. Today, it is known for leisure and tourism activities. The transformation of Singapore has not been easy. In their strategies for the development of the nation and in the policy making, the leaders had to take into account the multi-racial and multi-cultural composition of the population.
Today Singapore is a beautiful country attracting people all over the world, but it has not always been this way. In the 1950s Singapore was a kampong, or village. People lived in attap houses with no piped water or electricity. Water was scarce and people had to draw water from wells. There was no regular supply of drinking water.
The mosquito-infested rubbish dumps made of bamboos, called Thombu in Tamil, were the primary refuse collection in the kampongs. There were no proper roads and the lanes were paved tracks with ditches called longkang in Malay on either side. At times the ditches would overflow. There were small sundry shops at the end of the road but certain products had to be ordered a few days ahead. The public toilets were generally in an unhygienic condition.
Some people reared poultry like chickens and ducks for food and roosters would herald the dawn of the day. The chickens were kept in coops or covered in a basket. It would usually be the duty of the boys in the house to look after the chickens. Livestock like pigs were reared by Chinese households for sale. Many people grew vegetables for their daily needs. This was how the early generation of Singaporeans lived.
Radio was one of the few sources of entertainment available in the kampong so the neighbours would converge in the homes of villagers who had radios during news broadcasts. Later, when the television arrived in the kampongs, some families welcomed their neighbours to watch television in their homes. If the neighbours were close, they enjoyed extended hours of viewing.
This kampong life continued until the independence of Singapore. Before independence, some reforms were brought in during Lim Yew Hock's rule. It was during his time that the first three to four storey high flats were built. The change of living from kampongs to flats was an unsettling experience for some people.
People's Action Party (PAP) formulated strategies to modernise Singapore. When it assumed power it replaced the attap kampong houses with high raised buildings (in the 1970s and 80s). Modern Condominiums were built (in the 1990s). They also paved the way for 24 hours electricity, clean water through taps, telephone connections to all houses, air conditioned shopping malls, bus services, underground trains, wide roads, express ways, wet markets in all the areas, schools, 24 hour clinics, parks and world class recreation centres.
The policies and strategies crafted by the Lee Kuan Yew government encouraged businessmen, venture capitalists come to Singapore and made this their home. This let to the development of Singapore as an international commercial hub. The transformation of Singapore is a marvel in history, especially in having united the various races, who had come here from different parts of the world with their respective cultures, traditions and languages.
This information is based on the experiences of one of the authors, Mr. A.P. Raman.
Today the Tamil community in Singapore leads a reasonably good life, with access to world-class education and facilities. In the early years, the many Tamils in Singapore were lowly paid and could not send their children to school, because they had to start working at a young age to support their families. In addition the Tamils were very superstitious and this kept them as a backward community. Thiru G Sarangapany, with others was the key person who introduced transformation. He came to Singapore, to work in a shop. Later he was the one who engaged and reasoned with the Tamil community to inspire and uplift their lives.
Thiru Kosa was greatly influenced by the Tamil leader Thanthai Periyar's Self-Respect Movement. In 1929, Periyar took part in the Self-Respect Conference in Ipoh. There he expressed his wish to start the Self-Respect Movement in Singapore and Malaya. In 1930, Kosa started the Tamils Reform Association with his friends in Singapore. His reforms were adopted and followed by many Tamils in Singapore.
Of all his achievements, the most notable were his services in the field of Tamil education and his persuasion of Tamils to settle down in Singapore. He laid the foundation to the recognition of Tamil as a subject in schools in Singapore. In 1948, he established Kalvi Kazhagam and through this he ensured that there were proper Tamil textbooks for teachers to teach Tamil. In addition, he saw to the administration of the Tamil schools. He also secured the position of Tamil teachers, ensuring they had the requisite qualifications and salary.
To encourage students to contribute poems, stories, and articles to Tamil Murasu, Kosa allocated a special student section known as Manavar Mani Mandram so that the students could develop their interest in the Tamil language. Umar Pulavar Tamil Language Centre was established. To counter the financial shortfall in the running costs of the school, he, along with his friends, carried a Hundial to raise money.
Marriages were not registered in those days. Hence a lot of marriages were not recognised and many women's future was insecure. Thiru Kosa, helped to register Hindu marriages and thus ensured the recognition of women's marriage. Another significant achievement of Thiru Kosa was the formation of the Tamils Representative Council, Tamizhar Peravai, an umbrella organisation for a number of Tamil associations.
In Singapore and Malaysian Universities departments were set up on Indian languages. At that time, the Singapore Government sought the help of the Tamil Nadu government. The Tamil Nadu Government sent Thiru Neelakanda Sastri to Singapore and he recommended that Sanskrit was the most ancient and rich language among the languages of India and so Sanskrit should be one of the official languages of Singapore. Thiru Kosa was offended by this and held a meeting stressing that among the Indians in Singapore then, 85 percent were Tamils and hence Tamil should be recognised as one of the official languages of Singapore. This has had a tremendous impact on many Singaporean Tamils.
Kosa was a person who came in search of a fortune in Singapore and eventually worked tirelessly to uplift the conditions of the Tamils. His selfless attitude made a remarkable change in the many lives of Tamils living here. He passed away on 16th March 1974. The Tamil community of today, which is enjoying the true Tamil culture and traditions in Singapore, owes much to the tireless efforts of Thiru G Sarangapany.
Every Year the Association of Singapore Tamil Writers honours outstanding Tamil writers by conferring the Tamizhavezh Award, upon them named after Kosa, (Thamizhavel G Sarangapany). Mr AP Raman, one of the authors of the book is a proud recipient of this award.
Thamizhavel Sarangapany, Mr Mohamad Illias, 1998.
Thaatha Suppiah, in his autobiography 'The Unseen Hand' says, he was born on 8th July 1902 in the British colony of Singapore. He attended his first school, a Tamil school, when he was five years old. Many of the practices, predominant in Tamil culture such as placing a Vinayaga made of turmeric powder before starting anything new existed then. Mr Suppiah says that on his first day at school all the children were made to sit on the floor in front of a tutor. The Vinayaga was placed in front and he was asked to write in a heap of paddy; then his mother served food to everyone. He says there was one teacher to teach fifty pupils.
Apart from studies, children learnt the importance of culture by participating in the festivals like the Maha Nombu, the river festival in August, in praise of Lord Shiva and Navaratri Pooja in October. During some festivals, the children helped in decorating the chariot to carry the image of Goddess Saraswathi.
The children and elders together would then pull the chariot with thick ropes and, beginning from Tekka, they would sing hymns in praise of Lord Ganapathy and Goddess Saraswathy as they make their way via Dunlop Street, Kerbau Road and ended in Kampong Java Road.
The procession ended in the river and the teacher and students bathed in the clean river and threw away all the past year's books and palm leaves. During Saraswathi Pooja, a large crowd would also gather in the South Bridge Road Sri Mariamman Temple, where the people would stay until late at night to watch the students performing religious dances and dramas. The children also learnt and practised kolattam a group dance using sticks and they even performed devotional dramas like Markandeyan.
Mrs Meenakshi says she grew up in a shop house in Tanjong Pagar with her five siblings. Her father, Mr Marimuthu, who was working as a driver, hailed from Tirunelvelli district in Tamil Nadu. She says that it was a commune living then, where all races lived close by, which actually broadened their outlook and made them receptive to all cultures. Mrs Meenakshi's own wedding was an arranged one that took place in 1940 in her own house.
During major household functions help was drawn from neighbours, friends and relatives, who came forth to help out of goodwill. Mrs Meenakshi used to help dress up brides and decorate the wedding dais and hall for neighbours. For entertainment, they were interested in music and during functions her husband Murugaiah played the bulbul thara and her son the mirdangam. When families were in distress, they helped each other and she too has counselled many couples to overcome their problems.
Madam Annapackiyam, 83, was born to Chinese parents in 1935 and was adopted by a Tamil family when she was barely two months old. A typical Chinese in looks, she is an epitome of Tamil traditional values. She says, "I always emphasise on the importance of togetherness among my children. That is indispensable in life and all my children and grandchildren do obey my words and follow our culture."
After her marriage in 1953, she lived in a joint family household. "We make all the Tamil snacks like achumurukku, neimurukku, neiurundai during the festival times. All our family members still keep to the traditional practices like meeting together during festivals like Deepavali and Pongal. We follow all the Tamil traditions like refraining from non-vegetarian food during auspicious days."
In the 1950s Singapore was a developing country. Immigrants found it difficult to get houses for rent, which was a primary reason why men avoided bringing their families. Mrs Lakshmi Ikkuvanam, came to Singapore in 1954 to join her husband when she was 17 years old. She recalls traveling by ship for a week and bringing the ancient form of stone grinders (Aattukal and Ammi).
Mrs Lakshmi's family stayed together with two other families with common cooking facilities. Proximity granted security and helped to reinforce their culture. Today, she lives as a joint family of four generations under one roof, following their culture as an example for upholding traditional values. She was mentally prepared to be away from her kin for the benefit of her children, who today are professionals.
Mdm Saraswathy Palaniappan arrived in 1958. Telegrams were the main mode of communication, taking two days, while letters took up to a month. The average middle-class income hovered around S$350. Ranting a room in a Chinese home cost S$60, and a bottle of Horlicks cost a mere dollar.
Life styles changed in the 1970s as Singapore developed rapidly. People started to go out for movies and shopping. In the 90s dotcom boom, more young families immigrated. Today, Tamil women are educated, employed, and independent. Major social activities have evolved into picnics, bowling, and overseas tours. The Tamils in Singapore enjoy a fusion of eastern and western cultures while still enjoying traditional practices.
The Unseen Hand by Suppiah; Experiences shared by Mdm Annapackiyam, Mrs Lakshmi Ikkuvanam, and Mdm Saraswathy Palaniappan.
In the early days only men came to Singapore. They did not have the means to bring their families. Their focus was on their jobs, sending money back to India and visiting their families once in two years. After the Second World War, the situation in Singapore was uncertain and they were apprehensive of their future here. Some of them went back to India. The early Indian migrants had little interest in local politics but were very interested in Indian politics.
Sellepan Ramanathan, commonly known as SR Nathan, served as the sixth President of the Republic of Singapore from 1 September 1999 to 31 August 2011. It was my privilege to have Interviewed him to 'online Voice' at http://www.onlinevoice.info on 10th October, 2014.
Below is the transcript:
S: What are the values you have learned from your difficult formative years?
SRN: The most important value is to remember that life does not go on as you expect. Unexpected things can come your way. Good people can become evil and evil people can become good. You will never know from which quarter you will get help or hindrance. My mother always says in Tamil that 'avan asaiyamal anvum asiathu' meaning without God even for a minute nothing will move. Only in later life did I realize the value of those words. When I left home, I repudiated all religions. Then when the war came my life changed unexpectedly. That is when I realised the meaning of those words. So in misfortunes, my mum would always say, God is testing us. Don't be angry about it. So you must remember two things in life - in your interaction with people do not take everything for granted. There are all kinds of people In this world - some with sweet words, but with evil intentions. Others may look crude, but they will have noble intentions These are the values I learnt. Do not take words at face value.
S. From your experience, what is your suggestion, advice for being a good buman in this complex world?
SRN: It is difficult for me to give advice to people. We all are made differently. We move in different circles. We are in different levels of society. So each one will have different values. One should have self confidence and put in a lot of personal effort in whatever you do. I learnt a message from my mother and a Japanese Lieutenant. Both told me the same. That is 'Do your duty and do not look for rewards.
S: Can we then take this as your 'one principle' that has carried you this far?
SRN: Yes. I don't have much education. Just by doing my duty, I moved on and on. I never looked at the benefits.
S: Which of your character traits you admire the most?
SRN: I never admire myself. Others would have to admire you. It is difficult to make your own judgment, as one cannot be objective about oneself. Somebody can talk about your strength, weakness and so on...
S: What were your top principles you adopted when faced with problems?
SRN: First, you must try to understand the problem and how formidable it is before thinking of how to overcome it. One must Understand the easier part of the problem and address it first. Then determine your priorities as to which one you are going to tackle next. If you have to address the most serious problem first, it may consume your whole life. So you may want to deal with the simpler problem first and clear it and deal with the serious one later, if and when time permits.
S: This is globalized world. What is your advice for the younger generation the influence of technology?
SRN: You cannot change this. This is only going to get worse. Technology is going to be moving faster and faster-and young people will be adapting to it equally faster. Due to the speed, their action, reaction, judgment will also be instantaneous and fellable as there would be no depth. Because of technology, we have lost the wisdom we gained from reading and thinking.
S. You have had a very glorious career. Which position do you cherish the most and for what reasons?
SRN: I cherish the 'Labour Movement. It is a place, where small man can rise. Without education and by sheer ability, One can raise to lead people. You can do a lot of good for the community. At the same time, you also encounter a lot of unreasonable demands and expectations, which you will have to balance and make sure that you have not been misled in doing things on the spur of the moment.
S: Is there anything that you feel unaccomplished as the President of Singapore?
SRN: No. Because the Constitution lays down what the President can do and cannot do. Hence, there is nothing much the President can do beyond the Constitution. As I say, I always do my duty and be contended. I am a Constitutional President and not an Executive President. Hence, I need to abide by the Constitution.
S. Your connection with India and its people.
SRN: When there is Indian blood in you, there is always a sentiment towards India and its rich heritage. But it saddens me to see the decay that has taken place in Indian society, the loss of values all in the name of democracy and so much of unethical things are done.
One of the great contributions that Tamils have made to the making of Modern Singapore is in the field of Trade Unions.
Driven by poor working conditions and low wages that the lower end of the working class faced, during the colonial era, several Indians including Tamils started Trade Unions to address these issues. Among the earliest was Mr MA Majid, who was the leader of the Indo-Malay-Pakistani seamen Union. Gradually, other personalities came on to the scene including N. Govindasamy, P. Govindasamy, Peter Winson, ST Bani, Jamit Singh, James and his brother Dominic Puthucheary and S Woodhul. They were to play prominent roles, both in the Trade Union Movement and the evolving political process, which let do Singapore's independence.
Three figures stood out in the transformation of Singapore from a British colony to a sovereign nation: G Kandasamy, Devan Nair and S R Nathan.
G Kandasamy rose from the ranks of the postal workers to became the secretary of the Singapore Union of Postal Workers. He was to play a crucial role 'in the battle for allegiances' when the Trade Union Congress(TUC) was set up in May 1959. He later became deputy Secretary-General of the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC) with Mr Devan Nair as the Secretary-General. Mr Kandasamy's most well known achievement was the creation of the Amalgamated Union of Public Employees (AUPE). In his book, 'An unexpected Journay, Mr SR Nathan pays the following tribute: "I must say that Kandasamy made a major contribution to public service unionism. No public servant could have taken it on himself to form such an union" (page 2: 21)
It is to the credit of the Trade Union Movement in Singapore that three trade unionists became Heads of State namely, Mr Devan Nair, Mr S R Nathan and the current President Ms Halimah Yacob.
Devan Nair was long involved in the Truade Union Movement, and in particular with the Singapore Manual and Mercantile Workers Union (SMMWU). He was also involved in the Labour Research Unit and later headed the National Trade Union Congress as its Secretary-General. Mr Nair's 'Baptism of Fire' came in 1956, when along with several leaders of the PAP, was detained. The ensuing years saw him playing a leading role in the struggle for independence from the British. On 23 October, 1981, Mr Devan Nair took office as the 3rd President of the Republic of Singapore.
The 6th President as the Republic of Singapore's early involvement was with matters related to seamen's welfare. As described in his book, 'An unexpected journey, Mr Nathan states that the 'experience (with the Seamen's welfare Board) was valuable later in my career, when I had to deal with tricky security matters. Not a unionist in the strict sense of the word, Mr Nathan went on to head the labour research unit. He was to be involved in many of the labour disputes, which threatened the stability of the country. Following an illustrious career in government, diplomacy and in the field of research, Nathan became Singapore's 6th head of state on 1.9.1999.
His personal life experiences and compassion for the common man, the underdog in particular led him to champion many social causes. 'The President's challenge' which he set up during his Presidency as raised, and continues to raise millions of dollars to help organisations dealing with the needy and challenged. He was truly a people's President.
This tradition of the involvement of Indians, including Tamils is continued by a Trade Union leaders Like Mr Shankar (deputy general secretary of the food, drinks and allied workers union), Mr K Karthikeyan, former NMP, Thabaletchumi, current NMP.
All three sagas impacted on the Indians, including Tamil Community, in various ways. Although Indians were not subjected to the level of indignities and horrors visited on the Chinese community by the Japanese army, they were also turned off also by the atrocities. It brought home to them that never again should foreign forces be allowed to dominate the lives of the people of Singapore. Hence, when the British returned after the war, to reclaim their colonial possession that was met with indifferences, if not outright hostility. Having been forced to surrender to the Imperial Japanese Army, the British lost their aura of invincibility. The arrival of Subash Chandra Bose to Singapore in 1943 and the formation of the Indian National Army served to ignite political consciousness. Although the cause espoused by Netaji was India's independence from the British, Indians in Singapore were mesmerized by his magnetic personality and the call for 'blood, sweat and tears.
Men and women flocked to hear him speak at the Padang and various other places. When the INA was formed, they enlisted to fight for the freedome of a country that some had never set foot on. With the setting of Rani of Jhansi regiment, led by captain Lakshmi Seigal, Indian women felt emancipated. Several of them like Janaki Nagappan and Rasammah Bhupalan were to play leading roles in the regiment.
In the early days only men came to Singapore. They did not have the means to bring their families. Their focus was on their jobs, sending money back to India and visiting their families once in two years. After the Second World War, the situation in Singapore was uncertain and they were apprehensive of their future here. Some of them went back to India. The early Indian migrants had little interest in local politics but were very interested in Indian politics.
All three sagas impacted on the Indians, including Tamil Community, in various ways. Although Indians were not subjected to the level of indignities and horrors visited on the Chinese community by the Japanese army, they were also turned off also by the atrocities. It brought home to them that never again should foreign forces be allowed to dominate the lives of the people of Singapore. Hence, when the British returned after the war, to reclaim their colonial possession that was met with indifferences, if not outright hostility. Having been forced to surrender to the Imperial Japanese Army, the British lost their aura of invincibility.
The arrival of Subash Chandra Bose to Singapore in 1943 and the formation of the Indian National Army served to ignite political consciousness. Although the cause espoused by Netaji was India's independence from the British, Indians in Singapore were mesmerized by his magnetic personality and the call for 'blood, sweat and tears. Men and women flocked to hear him speak at the Padang and various other places. When the INA was formed, they enlisted to fight for the freedome of a country that some had never set foot on. With the setting of Rani of Jhansi regiment, led by captain Lakshmi Seigal, Indian women felt emancipated. Several of them like Janaki Nagappan and Rasammah Bhupalan were to play leading roles in the regiment.
1. Could you tell us the Government's commitment in maintaining the official status of the Tamil language in Singapore?
Tamil as one of Singapore's four official languages, which is manifested in several ways. Tamil is offered as a Mother Tongue subject in government schools. Further, the Umar Pulavar Tamil Language Centre has been developed as a national resource centre for the teaching and learning of Tamil.
We have print and broadcast media in Tamil that are well-received by the local population. Our Parliament has simultaneous translation in Tamil The Prime Minister's National Day Message and Rally are broadcast in Tamil along with the other official languages.
It is clear from these and other forms of support that the Government is resolute in its commitment to Tamil as an official language.
2. In which areas do you think that Tamils in Singapore can tap better and benefit more?
This is a question for all Singaporeans, not just the Tamils. The world is changing rapidly. New technologies like robotics, artificial intelligence, 3-D printing and data analytics are changing the nature of jobs and businesses in every sector, from engineering and construction to retail and hospitality. Also, the markets in Asia and South-East Asia are growing fast and offer exciting opportunities for our companies and our people. So, we must all be nimble and adapt to these trends by learning new skills that are needed in the digital economy, and developing knowledge and networks in regional markets.
Historically, the Tamil community has always been courageous in venturing into new regions, like the Cholas in South-East Asia, and adept in using new technologies, such as in the IT industry in Silicon Valley. We must draw on these strengths as a community as we prepare for the challenges and opportunities of the digital economy, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.
3. How would you rate the success of Tamils in Singapore?
The Tamil language and culture is vibrant in Singapore. The Tamil community has also made significant contributions to the growth and development of Singapore in a wide range of fields such as government, business, law, medicine, engineering, education and journalism. It is important that community build on these accomplishments by ensuring that our language and culture continue to thrive, while upgrading ourselves with the knowledge and skills that are relevant for the economy of the future.
4. What do you think is the future of the Tamil language in Singapore?
The Government's policy position and support for Tamil is clear. The rest is in the hands of the community, especially our youth, to embrace the language, use it in everyday life and make it a living language. The Tamil Language Festival is one way to achieve this by engaging and involving the younger generation and wider community in this effort to celebrate and promote Tamil language and culture.
5. Whatarethe key points that you would like to make on the Government policies in regard to Tamil in Singapore?
1. The Government's commitment and the efforts to maintain the status of Tamil as an official language are unambiguous and well-recognized. The community, especially our youth, must build on this by ensuring that Tamil language and culture thrive in Singapore.
2. At the same time, there are major changes happening in the world, because of economic shifts and technological trends, which are affecting all communities including us. We will have to be prepared to face these challenges, equipped with the fundamentals like education, lifelong learning, and skills development.
3. The Tamil community should draw confidence from its long history and rich culture to take on these challenges and succeed. This has been the history of Tamils in Singapore and other parts of the world, and I am confident it will continue to be story of future generations of Tamils.
The letter that was once written on palm leaves is today sent by the internet. The Internet is now a part of each and every household in the developed world and connects the whole world. It serves the needs of people in every aspect of communication and transmitting news but still there remains a question as to whether it serves to preserve native languages. The answer is 'No. Much of the online communication is in English but in spite of the massive explosion in information technology, people are still finding ways to connect through their own language by expressing aspects of art and culture through language. People have realised that it is important to safeguard their own language but much will depend on how much the governments in their respective countries help through their policies.
Tamil is one of the official languages of Singapore. Tamils have worked for the growth of the language in the past and currently are also striving to take it to posterity. Government policies in Singapore do greatly support this. In Singapore's multi-racial society, the minority Tamil community is given equal rights. This means that the Tamils are able to safeguard their language, culture and traditions, not just as a privilege, but as a right. In Singapore today, Tamil is taught as a subject in schools and also in the universities. The language is also passed down to younger generations through information technology.
When the early Tamil immigrants first boarded the ships to Singapore, they also brought their love for their language, their culture and traditions with them. They also wanted their future generations to nurture the language and culture. However, in the early days, when men came alone, they did not spare much thought about the growth of Tamil through schools.
Tamil schools emerged soon after Tamils, who had emigrated from South India, could bring their wives and children to the settlement of Singapore. Early Tamil schools were set up in shophouses in Tanjong Pagar, Serangoon and Potong Pasir. These were small classes of pupils taught by a single teacher. The pupils learnt Tamil Language and Literature, the Hindu epics, Tamil values and culture.
Tamil schools were started with names like Valluvar, Vasuki, Neelambigai, Saraswathi, Nagammai, Kamala Nehru, Thendayuthapani and Kalaimagal and a number of students were able to learn Tamil.
The first formal Tamil school, the Singapore Free School, was started in 1834 but was closed the following year due to a lack of suitable textbooks. It reopened in 1837, says the historian Mr Samuel Dhoraisingam. Those who were rich sent their children to English schools. After the Second World War, more Tamil children were sent to English medium schools run by missionaries. In the 1970s, Tamil schools struggled for their existence due to the lack of well-trained Tamil teachers and the funds to pay them. Those in charge of the schools made considerable efforts to raise funds but, in spite of all these efforts, many Tamil schools were closed in the 1980s. This was shared by Dr A Veeramani, who was a Singapore Youth Association leader in the Tamizhavel Sarangapani talk conducted by the Tamil Teacher's Union.
When there was a demand for giving Importance of mother tongue, the Singapore Government formulated policies for it. Those who wished to study higher Tamil were given an opportunity, Tamil text books that added value to the language were written, Tamil was taught in schools, even if there were only a few Tamil students. To make all these possible, training of Tamil teachers was conducted at the National Institute of Education. So the support from the Singapore Government to learn Tamil in schools, is commendable.
Sivasamy, P, 'Singaporil Tamil Pallikal, Thiruvalluvar Publications, 2015
Umar Pulavar Tamil Language Centre (UPTLC) has been playing a significant role in the growth of the Tamil language in Singapore, since its inception in 1945. It was started as St. George's Primary School by some individuals with a long vision to enrich Tamil language here. The name was changed to Umar Pulavar in 1983. UPTLC is one of the twelve language centres that offer Tamil, Basic Tamil, Higher Tamil and Tamil 'B' to secondary students who did not have these programmes in their schools, outside the curriculum path. It also provides Tamil literature as a basic and elective subject. The centre also conducts a wide range of cultural activities and enrichment programmes for students, which gives them a good opportunity to familiarise themselves with the Tamil arts and culture.
Apart from functioning as a Language Centre and Tamil Language Resource Centre, UPTLC has many more achievements to its credit. A number of Tamil events are conducted here and with its well-equipped auditorium with a capacity of over 300 people. It is a popular venue where many competitions, book releases, speeches and events take place throughout the year. Over time, the centre has evolved and its role in enriching the Tamil language in Singapore has been remarkable. The following milestones outline its growth, which illustrates that the Centre has been indispensable in the growth of the Tamil language in Singapore:
The National Institute of Education (NIE) in Singapore is the only institution that provides academic training to the teachers of Singapore Principals, vice principals and head of departments are also trained here. Hence, NIE serves as a centre for 'learning and teaching, offering Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate degrees and Post Graduate Diplomas There is a Tamil Section in the Institute's Asian Languages and Cultures Academic Group, with Dr Sivakumaran Ramalingan, Assistant Head, leading the section, supported by Associate Professor Dr Seethalakshmi and other two secondment staff.
Currently, on an average, about 15 Tamil teachers are trained at NIE every year. Since 2016, it has been possible to read for a Bachelor's degree in Tamil in four years' full time study. The National Institute of Education is the only institution in Singapore where one can obtain a Doctorate in Tamil as well.
Various measures have been introduced over the years to encourage students to speak Tamil. In the 1950s, well-wishers of the language tried to enhance its usage in the 23 Tamil schools through promoting dramas. Apart from encouraging the students to speak fluent Tamil, the trainers also generated revenue through these dramas.
Among the schools involved in this effort were Kalaimagal Tamil School, Sembawang Tamil School, Vivekanandar Tamil School and Naval Base secondary school. These schools staged Tamil dramas between 1950s and 1960s. Ethiroli, a drama written by M. Thangarasu, was a popular one.
In 1951, the Singapore Tamil Teacher's Union (STTU) was officially launched by Mr Pakirisamy Pillai at the Ceylon Tamils' Association. During the late 19th and the early twentieth centuries, the situation was very unstable for the Tamil teachers because of the inconsistency in the number of students studying Tamil, the closure of Tamil schools and the lack of proper syllabuses. Hence, there was no regular salary for the teachers. In order to solve these problems and to give stability to Tamil teachers' career, the idea of a Tamil Teachers' Union was mooted by various people like TS Mohanam, K Kandasamy, Kumarasamy and KV Balaiah.
The STTU strives to equip the Tamil teachers according to the changing needs. Apart from this, the union also works towards safeguarding Tamil in Singapore. As an example, in the 1980s, there was felt need to create an interest in the Tamil language among students. So, the STTU conducted various literary competitions for students to enhance their proficiency in Tamil. Every year, the number of participants increased and many benefited. They also conduct various talk shows and seminors to enrich Tamil.
1. Mr Samuel S. Dhoraisingam
Mr Samuel S Dhoraisingam, M.A., PPA is the retired Assistant Director of Education (Secondary Schools) Singapore. He was a past Head of the education department at the Ministry of Education Department at the Ministry of Defence, Singapore and past President of the History Association as well as a past member of the Singapore History Museum.
2. Dr Sp Thinnappan
Professor Thinnappan is a man of prominence in the areas related to Singapore's Tamil education, history and to the development of Tamil Literature. Since 1982, he has taught Tamil to Tamil and non-Tamil students at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and National University of Singapore (NUS). He is also Adjunct Professor and Adviser to the B.A.Tamil Degree Programme at SUSS(UNISIM). He has been attached with many organizations and associated to the Language Department in Singapore's Ministry of Education, For over 36 years he has been directly and indirectly involved in deciding the curriculum and management development of Tamil Education right from Primary one to Doctorate Programmes. He has also been consultant for the projects of the production of instructional materials for teaching of Tamil language in both Primary and Secondary schools undertaken by the Ministry of Education from 1982 to 2014. He has over 60 years of experience in teaching Tamil Language, Literature and Linguistics in the universities of India, Malaysia and Singapore... He is a recipient of many awards and accolades, not only in Singapore but also in Overseas.
Learning Tamil in school is a start but there are many avenues where the language is used in society.
One of Tamils' main pastime has been reading magazines. Despite being illiterate, the villagers in India kept themselves updated with the latest news by listening to people reading magazines. Those who came to Singapore also showed a keen interest in reading magazines and were willing to buy newspapers like Tamil Murasu, Tamil Nesan, Nanban and Tamil Malar, even when their monthly salary was low.
After 1960, exposure to Tamil language through newspapers grew immensely. Tamil Murasu of Singapore and Tamil Nesan of Malaysia both competed for readers. Tamil Murasu, though from Singapore, was equally popular in Malaysia.
Thamizhavel G. Sarangapany, was a champion of the Tamil language in Singapore. Thiru Kosa reached the Tamils through Tamil Murasu, the newspaper he founded in 1935. In his effort to nurture the Tamil language, Kosa had the support of an expert team of editors like M. Chidambaranar, V. Thirunavukarasu, A. Murugaiyan, J. M. Sali and Murugu Subramaniam.
Pon Murugu Subramanian introduced a number of writers and his own columns on a variety of issues were well received. The Sunday edition of Tamil Nesan featured short stories, articles, poems and recipes and Letters to the Editor. The Malaysian scholar, SP Narayanan's reviews on current affairs were something that many looked forward to reading.
Tamizhar Thirunaal, a much anticipated and well attended annual event in celebration of Tamil Language, culture and traditions in Singapore, initiated by Thiru Kosa, helped to identify many talented Tamil scholars, speakers and artists in the Tamil community. Through their rousing speeches these talented people inspired interest in the Tamil language and culture, not only in Singapore but also in Malaysia.
The monthly magazine Kalaimagal, (the Editor of this magazine was A P Raman, one of the authors of this book) introduced a number of writers over more than twenty years. Raman introduced Malaysian writers Gnanasambandham, Murasu Maniam, Mu Kandhan, K Thavamani, Se Sadadcharam and Kamalanathan.
In the annual story competitions that took place many won silver and gold prizes. Singapore writers, Krishnan, Resuvappa, Mu Manian, Poet I Ulaganathan, Krishnadasan and Jamela wrote much and were praised for their contributions. Senior writers, SaravanaBaskaran, A. R. Arunachalam, A. N. P. AmeedhuKalanjiyam, were also introduced through Kalaimagal.
Kalaimagal every year awarded the best actor/actress prizes. Raman says he did this under the supervision of Tamizhavel Ko Sarangapany. He further recalls, 'Mr Kosa, who had been supportive to the growth of Kalaimagal, came to my house every year, and sat through the counting of the votes and to finalise the winners, which is evergreen in my mind.
Before overseas magazines made their way to Singapore, the local magazines like Kalaimalar, Manogaran, Thiraiyoli, Indian Movie News and others were still popular. The Indian Movie News was managed by Shaw Brothers for a long time. Today, Tamil Murasu is the only Tamil daily, in Singapore that connects Tamil people with the happenings around the world, in Singapore. It dedicates sections to different groups like students, the seniors, housewives and others.
The Serangoon Times, a only monthly magazine run by Mustafa Tamil Trust features articles about Singapore, events and literary pieces, which creates awareness in people of the Tamil related activities. It gives opportunity to a number of writers to showcase their talents and encourages new ideas. The team is led by the experienced writer Mohamed Kassim Shanavas and Serangoon Times is among the few Tamil magazines in Singapore now.
Semmozhi, a quarterly magazine, features the stories of both Singaporean and Indian leaders and politics. It also covers Tamil literary articles. It is published by the Tamil organisation Thamizhavel Narppani Mandram and distributed free in both hardcopy and softcopy. Mr M Elias, author of many books and a supporter of the use of Tamil, is the editor of this magazine.
Events in Tamil Nadu have greatly influenced and have been reflected in the growth of creative literary works of Tamils in Southeast Asian countries and Sri Lanka. Tamil literature in Singapore has grown gradually. Mungju Thirattu, written in 1872, is considered the first piece of Tamil literature from Singapore. There is evidence that the people who came from India wrote books of literary value. At one time the stories that were written by the writers in Malaya revolved around the rubber estates and their employees while stories about the agony suffered during the Japanese occupation were also common. On the other hand, in Singapore the story line was about Chinese-Tamil love, inter-caste weddings, multi-cultural life and city lifestyle. The stories were mainly based on the family setup in Tamil Nadu and India. After the 1950s, Tamil associations played a significant role in promoting Tamil literary works.
A number of organisations in Singapore work towards highlighting and encouraging the use of Tamil language and help grow various sections of the Tamil language like drama, poetry, short stories and debates.
The Tamil Language Council (TLC) was formed in 2000 under the auspices of the Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts (MICA). It comprises representatives from the education sector, community organisations, arts groups and the media. The Council aims to create greater awareness and encourage the use of Tamil language among the various sections of the Tamil people, in particular the youth.
The TLC conducts the annual Tamil Language Festival (TLF) in April. An important partner for the TLF is the Tamil Language and Learning Promotion Committee (TLLPC) of the Ministry of Education. Over the past twelve years, the Festival that was started in 2007 with just 10 events has grown to more than 50 a year.
In February 2018, an English-Tamil glossary containing more than 4,000 common terms was launched. The glossary was prepared by the Tamil Resource Panel (TRP) in collaboration with the Tamil Language Council. The panel rigorously debated the suitability of equivalent Tamil words, meeting monthly to consult dictionaries and reference materials for nuances.
The Tamils Representative Council was started by Thiru Ko Sarangapany and others in 1951. In 1980, the Tamil name was changed to Tamizhar Peravai. Under the leadership of Mr G Kandasamy, this association attracted many English speaking Tamils to improve education and economic status. TRC has been presenting bursaries to Tamil students, awarding more than $300,000 to date.
The Singapore Thamizhar Eyakkam began in 1954 and they too wanted to unite the Tamils under the banner of the Tamil language regardless of religion and community. They published a book called Kolkai Muzhakkam and work towards enriching the Tamil language.
Since the 1950s, various steps were taken to bring Tamil artistes under one wing and the result was the formation of Singapore Indhiarkalaingar Sangam in 1970. It still contributes to the growth of Tamil drama through stagings in Singapore, Malaysia and India.
The Association of Singapore Tamil Writers is notable for promoting Tamil literary works. They honour those who have done remarkable service with Kannadasan and Thamizhavel awards. They published "History of Singapore Tamil Literature An Introduction 1872-2010," a comprehensive record of the community's progress.
The society organises the Barathiyar vizha and Oovaiyar vizha, inviting speakers from India to conduct competitions. The purpose is to promote spoken Tamil and familiarise younger generations with Tamil culture and traditions.
The Singapore Tamil Toast Masters Club helps Tamils who may have lost touch with the spoken language due to English being the working language. It helps develop speaking skills and leadership, ensuring the next generation can speak Tamil fluently.
The Mathavi Literary Society- one of the oldest Tamil Associations, was established in 1957 by I Ulaganathan, and formally registered in 1961. Its second President was Mr Malar Manickam. The current President of the Association, Mr NR Govindan, took over the leadership in 1998. The main aim of the association is to promote Tamil language and culture among the younger generation. Their main annual event is the Tamilar Thirunal Festival which has been taking place annually for thirty seven years. Apart from this, they have other events in conjunction with Pongal, Deepavali, National Day and Hari Raya.
This was established in 2007 and the current President is Dr Rathina Vengadesan. The organisation conducts Barathidasanar Vizha annually and Kapiya Vizha. They also have book releases and dialogues with with various Indian Activity Executive Committees (IAECs).
This was started in 1963 to safeguard Tamil arts and culture. The Association's first programme was Desia Iravu. Since then, it has presented a number of events and it has done remarkable service promoting drama and, conduct talks in Tamil and present programmes for students.
The National University of Singapore Tamil Language Society (NUS TLS) is a student organisation that has consistently focused on uplifting the Indian community academically and culturally through various activities, since its inception in 1975. Saadhana 'A' Level Tuition Project, which began in 1984, has been their most important event for the past 34 years. It aims to enhance the performance of the Indian 'A' Level students by providing quality tuition at highly subsidised rates.
The Singapore Tamil Youth Conference, a biennial event, held 23-24 July 2016, was a major project by NUS TLS. It created a platform for young Singaporeans to voice their opinions, discuss and come up with recommendations on issues pertaining to the Indian community in Singapore. NUS TLS is also proud to have staged Sangae Muzhangu 2017, a musical theatre production at the University Cultural Centre.
Kavi Malai plays an important role in the growth of Tamil poetry in Singapore. It was started in 2000 by Kavingar Pichinikadu Ilango as 'Kadarkarai Salai Kavi Malai. Mr M Anbalagan is a notable person in its growth. They have helped organize a number of book launches and events that promotes the Tamil language. Mr Irai Mathialagan is the current President of Kavi Malai.
Since 2000, Pattimandra Kalai Kalagam through its various debate programs have helped neuter many debaters and still continues with its efforts. Mr Yusouf Rajeed, the lead of the Organisation has also published many books and a good poet.
Vasagar Vattam was started some 30 years back, by some young Singaporeans with a view to share on the Tamil works that they have come across and to discuss on the modern Tamil literature. Recently, it was formally registered and conducts monthly discussions on Tamil literature, meet the author session, writing workshops and others. Mrs Chitra Ramesh is the current President. National Library Board extends its support to Vasagar Vattam.
Rama Kannabiran, a Cultural Medallion award winner, came to Singapore in 1952 and worked as an English teacher. He has written a number of short stories, novels and other books. His style appeals to a number of writers and he has been an inspiration to many budding writers. His book reviews are always genuine and unbiased. Apart from the above prestigious award, he is also a recipient of many other awards.
A supporter of Tamil literature and a pioneer in the Tamil poetry is Patheral llamaran. His inspiring poems about Singapore's younger generation are very meaningful. He emphasises on the quality and standard of the work produced and to achieve that quality he recommends the younger generation to take up proper lessons and courses to learn the techniques of writing various elements in Tamil literature like poetry, short stories and articles.
Hailing from Kadayanallur, Mr Iqbal came to Singapore in 1951. He has had a passion for writing since his teenage. He is also a recipient of the prestigious Cultural Medallion Award. His poems are widely used in many stage presentations and competitions across the island.
He is a senior Tamil teacher and has written a number of books and dramas for radio and television. His contributions, which have added value to the Singapore literary works, have earned him a number of awards.
Kavignareru Amallathasan, a pioneer in the Tamil literary field was the President of Association of Singapore Tamil Writers for many years. An admirer of Thiru Ko Sarangapani, he introduced the Tamizhavel Award by ASTW to honour those who have made notable contributions to the Tamil literature.
Balu Manimaran has been writing short stories and poems since the 1990s. His first story collection, Enge En Nilave, was published in 1997. He has published two poetry collections Alayil Partha Mugam and Saha Payanigalodu Sila Uraiyadalgal. He is the compiling author for Veroru Manaveli, Silicon Idhayam, Nathikarai Nagareegam, Kalap Peruveli and Appavin Padagu. He is also the compiling editor for an anthology of Tamil student writing, Ilakiya Charal. Since 2012, he has been co-ordinating, the Thangameen Arts and Literature Club at the public libraries. Thangameen, an e-magazine is his other notable effort. Under the umbrella of Goldfish publications he has published over 30 books written by both Singaporeea and Malaysian writers. He is also the managing editor of ilamaithamizh.com, a social platform for Tamil students, which is supported by the Tamil Language Learning and Promotion Committee.
A K Varadarajan, an engineer by profession, retired from the Sembawang Group of Companies about ten years back. After that he started to focus on writing in Tamil - both prose and poetry. His books 'Kamban' won prizes from the various Kamban Kazhakams in Tamil Nadu. His books in Tamil have won prizes in Singapore. He is also well-known as a speaker on Tamil literature.
There are notable philanthropists who have contributed generously, for the conducting of Tamil literary events, book releases and other activities pertaining to promoting Tamil language. They are Mr Abdul Jaleel from MES Group of Companies, Dr Chandroo from Modern Montessori International, Mr A Palaniappan, Abiraame Jewellers, Mr Ezhilan, Selvi Stores, Mr Jothi Manickavasagam, SVEX and others.
A number of Tamil movies have showcased the beauty of Singapore to the audience since the period of the legend Dr M G Ramachandran. In 1973, the movie 'Ulagam Sutrum Valiban' casted by him, in 1978, 'Priya' directed by Mr K Balachander and acted by Rajinikanth and Sridevi, and in 1979, 'Ninaithale Innikum' acted by Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, and Sridevi are some hit movies filmed in Singapore. In recent times, it has become popular to shoot one or two songs in foreign lands, with Singapore frequently topping the list. The local product 'Parandhu Selavaa' by Mr Arumai Chandran deserves special mention as it was filmed with a crew of twenty people over forty days in many Singapore locations. Notable Singaporeans like James Durairaj and producer Mr Duvar Chandhrasekar have also made significant marks in the Tamil cinema and television fields.
Mr R Rajaram, President of the Tamil Language Council, Mr K Ramamoorthy, Chairman of PA Narpani Pervavai, Mr R Rajasegar, CEO of the Hindu Endowment Board, and Mrs Rajeswari were all students of Raffles Institution who participated in Tamil debates as a team. Their services to the Tamil language in Singapore continue today across various capacities. A notable milestone was their victory against Gan Eng Seng Secondary School in a 1979 debate.
Ambassador B. Jaya Chandran, currently Chairman of the Hindu Endowment Board, is a prominent businessman. He also serves as Singapore's Non-Resident High Commissioner to Mauritius.
Dr Uma Rajan is a well-recognised doctor as well as a talented singer and dancer who has performed in many shows. As a well-known social worker, Dr Rajan has won numerous awards and accolades for her contributions.
A well-known Tamil personality, Dr R Theyvendran plays an important role in the fields of Tamil language, education, religious activities, and sports. He is also recognized as a notable philanthropist.
Dr Chandroo was instrumental in spreading the Montessori Method of Education through Modern Montessori International (MMI) in Singapore. He donates generously to Tamil programs and currently serves as the chairman of the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI).
A strong supporter of Tamil events and the growth of the language in Singapore, Mr Jaleel, CEO of MES (Mini Environment Services) Group of Companies, is a notable philanthropist.
This former Nominated Member of Parliament is a staunch supporter of the Tamil language and events. As an effective speaker, he actively encourages and motivates the community.
A well-established auditor, Mr Narayana Mohan is another supporter of the Tamil language in Singapore. His talks on starting businesses and becoming a successful entrepreneur during the Tamil Language Festival have been highly beneficial to many.
An active entrepreneur who champions the growth of the Tamil language in Singapore, Mrs Ramachandran is involved in various social organisations and is a notable philanthropist.
Mr VP Jothi, the second President of the Tamil Language Council, has been associated with the Singapore Indian Association in various capacities. The 'Kavi Manam' program during the Tamil Language Festival, led by him, helps enrich Tamil poetry in Singapore.
She actively participates in Tamil literary functions and is well-known for her role in promoting the Tamil language through the National Library Board. She is a member of several social organisations.
An author of numerous books, Mr JM Sali has contributed to various reputed magazines. He is a proud recipient of the Cultural Medallion award for his literary contributions.
The Mustafa Tamil Trust, run by Mr Mustafa, spearheads the spread of Tamil literary work by encouraging research on the Tamil community and supporting higher studies. The Trust has also established a partnership with Thanjavur Tamil University to recognize and give awards to the best Tamil books by Singaporean and Malaysian writers annually.
Those who came in the 1950s did their part for the growth of Tamil dramas in Singapore. In those days, traditional Tamil art forms like Therukoothu, Yerintha katchi, Kaman kalaigal, Kadha kalatchebangal, Karakattangal, and Puli vesham took place during the village festivals. Until the advent of cinema, Therukoothu and stage dramas were the primary medium of entertainment. Professional drama groups from India, such as TKS Brothers, Manohar Drama Group, and KR Ramasamy's Drama Group, were brought to Singapore to showcase their talents. Dramas like Rameswaran and those based on the Self Respect Movement evoked interest in the Tamil language among the youngsters. After 1955, dramas based on Pagutharivu, such as Nachu Kopai by Kalaingar Karunanidhi and Kadhal Jothi by Arignar Anna, were very well-received, marking a milestone in the growth of local Tamil drama.
In Singapore, some dramas have been converted to books and are thus preserved. Examples include Vetri Thirumurugan, Panjali Sabatham, Uyarntha Ullam, Singapore Mapillai, and Neeril Pootha Nerupu, published by the Indiar Kalaingar Sangam. Popular drama writers of those days included S Varathan, Se Ve Shanmugam, P Govindarasu, and Rama Narayanasamy. Re Somasundaram, known as Navarasa Nayagar, was a successful playwright who directed many dramas on radio, such as Manonmiam and Silapathikaram. His work on the history of Tamil dramas in Singapore remains a rich source of information.
The Athipathi drama troupe has to be lauded for its efforts in reviving live dramas in Singapore. Under the artistic direction of Mr Pugalenthii, they have brought the stories of Thenaliraman, Vikramathithan, and Oovaiyar to the stage. They also conduct free Tamil drama workshops for students to ensure the continuation of the art form.
Before television, radio was the only media that disseminated news and information. The Tamil Radio stations provided a remarkable service during the British colonial days and the Japanese Occupation. Radio nurtured many artistes, including P. Krishnan, A. P. Raman, and M. K. Narayanan, who showcased their talent in drama series and historical productions.
Today, Vasantham is the government-owned television channel for Tamil entertainment in Singapore. Along with the radio channel FM 96.8, it offers innovative and informative programmes. Dr Chitra Rajaram, in charge of the Tamil and Malay sections of MediaCorp, has seen to the steady growth of Vasantham and is lauded for her efforts.
Despite being a minority in Singapore, the Tamil community has made significant literary contributions over the last fifty years. The Tamil Digital Heritage (TDH) Collection was initiated to safeguard these works in a digital format. The project focused on collecting literary works published between 1965 and 2015, eventually being donated to the nation to commemorate Singapore’s 50th Anniversary of Independence.
On 22 August 2015, the collection was officially handed over by Minister S Iswaran to Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam. Project leader Arun Mahizhnan noted that while many Tamil books are published, they often have limited market reach; digitisation ensures these works are available to anyone, anywhere in the world, for free. The project was supported by the Association of Singapore Tamil Writers, the National Library Board, and over 250 volunteers.
The language barrier in the Asian region is being addressed through the development of the Instant Voice Translation Device (IVTD). Originally planned for nine key Asian languages, Tamil was added as the 10th language following the efforts of linguist Muthalugu Meyyappan. In 2009, Meyyappan collaborated with Dr. Li Haizhou from A*STAR’s Institute for Infocomm Research to begin the Tamil project.
The development involved compiling raw data from dictionaries, media, and movies, including the recording of 1,000 different Tamil voices. While the project requires significant time and funding for full completion, it aims to link Tamil with other major Asian languages, benefiting tourists and language enthusiasts while strengthening regional trade and tourism.
He had his own business, which was successful and he accumulated much wealth. He was greatly respected by the Tamils and other races as well. In 1935, he was appointed as the President of Sri Mariamman Temple and Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple. He also served as a Trustee of Sri Krishnan Temple at Waterloo Street and he donated generously to the Ramakrishna Mission.
Born in 1885 in the Tanjore District of Tamil Nadu, Athisayam came to Singapore in 1906, the same year electricity was introduced to the city. As a bilingual individual, he served as the chief interpreter at the High Court. He was deeply involved with the Singapore Indian Association and the Tamil Methodist Church, advocating for Tamil marriages and the general well-being of people in both Singapore and India.
Thiru Sathasiva Pandhithar authored two books on Lord Muruga, titled 'Singai Nagar Andhadhi' and 'Sithirai Kavigal', in 1887. Early Tamil scholars in Singapore recognize these works as the first Tamil literary books published in the country.
A pioneer journalist of the late nineteenth century, Mahudhum Sayub founded the Tamil daily 'Singai Nesan'. In 1872, he started his own press, Divodhaya Venthirasalai, through which he disseminated genuine news and published various works of poetry, including those by Sadhasiva Pandithar.
Born in 1913 in Chettinad, he spent most of his life in Singapore dedicated to social service. He was a close associate of Thiru Ko Sarangapany and contributed generously to events like Tamilar Tirunal. In recognition of his service to all communities, the British Government conferred upon him the title of Justice of the Peace. His legacy includes helping many secure employment and the establishment of an auditorium in his name in his native village, Nachiapuram.
Various individuals have contributed to the growth of the Tamil language in Singapore, including social worker A. N. Moideen, journalist Vai Thirunavukarasu, and Tamil Sangam President A. V. Krishnaswamy. Poets such as Mu Thangarasu and I Ulaganathan, along with Professor A Veeramani, also played significant roles through their respective fields.
A member of Subhash Chandra Bose's Indian National Army (INA), Vai Sudharman was a patriot who helped the community during the Japanese Rule. In 1968, he successfully petitioned the PAP Government with 400 signatures to ensure Tamil was introduced as a subject in schools. A prolific author of over 10 books, he has received numerous awards, including the Kavi Malai Kanayazhi award.
Since 1815, the British established educational institutions in Jaffna, positioning Ceylon Tamils to lead infrastructure development in colonized regions. In the 1890s, the first major arrival of Ceylon Tamil engineers helped build Singapore's railways and roads. These professionals soon took up middle-rank positions in the British Administrative Service, civil service, and medical sectors. Enclaves known as "Sinnayalpanams" (Little Jaffnas) grew in Singapore. This community was also instrumental in founding schools like Anglo-Chinese School and Methodist Girls' School, and established the Singapore Ceylon Tamils' Association in 1910. They also built prominent landmarks such as the Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple, which houses over 1,400 books on Saivism.
Tamil Muslims arrived in Singapore with expertise in trading precious stones like pearls and corals, settling primarily around Market Street and Chulia Street. They built several historic mosques, including Masjid Jamiyah Julia (1920s), Nagore Dargah (1828), and the Abdul Gaffoor Mosque. Today, the Tamil Muslim population in Singapore is approximately 100,000.
The Singapore Kadayanallur Muslim League (SKML), established in 1941, remains a vital association catering to social and educational needs while collaborating with national organizations like SINDA and Mendaki. The community has also contributed significantly to local media, with pioneers like Mahudhum Sayub in print journalism.
The Tamil Christian population in Singapore is estimated to be over 15,000, following denominations such as Anglican, Methodist, Lutheran, and Catholic. One of the oldest Catholic institutions, the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, was built in 1888 to serve a 400-strong ethnic Indian congregation. Beyond religious services, these institutions played a crucial role in providing welfare and education to the needy in colonial Singapore.
Hailing from Chettinad, the Nagarathars (or Chettiars) initially came to Singapore as businessmen. From just twenty families in the 1950s, the community has grown to nearly 1,000 families today. They manage significant landmarks like the Sri Layan Sithi Vinayagar Temple and Sri Thendayuthapani Temple, and lead the organization of the annual Thaipusam festival.
The Nagarathar Association, formally registered in 2002, fosters community bonding through social events. Their impact is permanently etched in Singapore's geography through roads named Meyappa Chettiar Road and Muthuraman Chetty Road.
The Peranakan Indians, known as Chitty Melaka, are descendants of South Indian merchants and local mothers. This unique community predominantly follows Saivite Hinduism while speaking Baba Malay. Their traditions and attire reflect a vibrant blend of Indian, Malay, and Chinese cultures. Though a small group, the Chitty Melaka community is actively working through its association to preserve its distinct identity and ensure recognition within Singapore's multicultural landscape.
The first Tamil settlement in Singapore was located in Chinatown at Upper Cross Street, leading Naraina Pillai to build the first Hindu Temple at South Bridge Road in 1827. Over time, the Indian community shifted toward Serangoon Road. Originally designated as an industrial area for brick kilns and cattle farming in the 1820s, Serangoon Road saw thousands of Indians arriving by 1826 for construction and trade. By the 1840s, cattle farming became a lucrative Indian-led business. Although the brick trade ended in the 1860s and cattle farming ceased in 1936, the area had already become a permanent enclave. In 1855, the Sri Veeramakaliamman and Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temples were erected, cementing the area's status as a religious and cultural hub.
Serangoon Road serves as a one-stop destination for Indian goods, featuring jewelry, textiles, and authentic restaurants. Notable establishments include Anandha Bhavan (est. 1924) and Komala Vilas (est. 1947). The area is also a financial hub, housing branches of UCO Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, and Western Union.
Businesses here continuously innovate to survive; for instance, Jothi Store and Flower Shop, founded in 1961, evolved from a small household shop into a major distributor of Ayurvedic medicine and cosmetics. Similarly, the approximately 20 flower shops in the area import fresh blooms daily from India, Malaysia, and Thailand to meet the high demand for religious and social ceremonies.
The vibrancy of Indian culture is reflected in the 38 festivals celebrated annually, including Deepavali, Pongal, and the Fire Walking Festival. While many Indian expatriates and locals now live in suburbs with their own grocery shops stocking brands like MTR and Aachi, Little India remains indispensable for authentic dining, specialized household items, and religious fulfillment. The area's diverse appeal attracts not only Singaporean Indians but also Chinese and Malay locals and tourists, making it a true multicultural crossroads.
Located at Race Course Road, Muthu's Curry is a prime example of culinary innovation in Singapore. Founded by Mr. Ayyakkannu in 1969, the restaurant gained fame through its unique fish head curry recipe specifically designed to appeal to the Chinese palate. This strategic move proved highly successful; for over 45 years, the restaurant has served its award-winning dish to a customer base that is approximately 75% Chinese, showcasing the integration of Indian flavors into the broader Singaporean food culture.
Evidence from the National Archives shows that South Indian musicians and dancers have been performing in Singapore since the 19th century. Between the 1920s and 1940s, Hindu temples like Sri Mariamman, Sri Thendayuthapani, and Sri Sivan served as the primary platforms for cultural performances, particularly during the Navarathri festival. A notable early performance featured the six-year-old S. G. Kittappa in 1992 at Kallang Gas Works. Following the post-war years, the scene expanded with visits from renowned performers like Musiri Subramania Iyer and Karaikudi Mani Rajan.
The 1930s saw the formalization of music education, with Parameswara Bagavathar and Gnanasundaram providing Carnatic music tuition. In 1937, Ramalingam, a musician from Madurai Tamil Sangam, joined Sri Thendayuthapani Temple and later established Singapore's first Indian Classical Orchestra in 1958.
This orchestra featured notable talents including veena players M. Amballigay and Krishnakumari, mridangam players M.V. Gurusamy and C. R. S. Mani Iyer, and experts in nadaswaram, ganjira, and ghatam.
In 1952, K. P. Bhaskar established Bhaskar's Arts Academy, which was the sole institution teaching Bharatanatyam in Singapore during the 1950s. His wife, Shantha Bhaskar, became a central figure in the dance scene, staging over 100 classical and contemporary productions.
Her significant works include 'Butterfly Lovers', 'Ramayana', 'Andal Thirukalyanam', and 'Devi Mahathmuyam', bridging traditional Indian dance with diverse storytelling themes. Her legacy remains a pillar of Singapore's Indian performing arts heritage.
The Hindu Endowment Board (HEB) is a statutory board that was set up in 1968 to administer endowments in land, building or money provided for the support of any Hindu Temple or any other related purposes. The endowments administered by them are Sri Mariamman Temple, Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple, Sri Sivan Temple and Sri Vairavimada Kaliamman Temple. The representation of the Tamils in the Hindu community can be seen by the roles they play in the HEB. The current board Chairman is B. Jayachandran and temple committees are led by Dr K. Vellayapan, Head of Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple, Mr Nallathamby, Head of Sri Mariamman Temple and Mr Venkatesh, Head of Sri Sivan Temple.
The HEB is also running a half-way house for rehabilitation of drug addicts known as HEB-Ashram, headed by Dr Ganapathy. The two major religious events, the Thaipusam and Fire Walking ceremonies also come under HEB's responsibility. The Board also supervises the accounts of all Hindu endowments in Singapore, including those not administered by the Board.
The Hindu Advisory Board (HAB) is primarily concerned with ensuring that religious norms and practices are observed. It also advises the Government on the matters pertaining to the Hindu religion. Several Tamils are represented on the board, one such person is Mr Purushothaman.
The Indian Heritage Centre, situated at No. 5 Campbell Lane, was opened on the 7th May 2015 by the Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong. It comes under the management of the National Heritage Board. It is a four storey building that houses five permanent galleries and a museum shop as well as programming and activity spaces.
The Centre is a place where one can find information on the history, lifestyles and achievements of Tamils in Singapore. For instance, one of the major exhibits is a door of Chettinad, a place in south of Tamil Nadu. This doorway leads to an unfolding of the story of various aspects of Tamil paraphernalia, which includes jewellery donated by a particular family. The exhibition also includes the story of G. Sarangapany, a pioneer Tamil in many aspects and others like E. V. Periyar and S. R. Nathan, former President of Singapore, who have contributed to the development of Singapore. The Centre also offers programmes throughout the year and actively promotes the Indian heritage, arts and culture, attracting many people, who who need to understand the various elements of the Indian community of Singapore.
The Singapore Indian Association at Balestier Road began in 1923, Its main objective is to create social harmony by uniting the various sections of the Indians in Singapore. Apart from organising its main activities, promotion of sports and family-oriented social activities, it has today grown as an institution contributing to the welfare of the Indian community, administering a welfare fund to reach out to Indians who are in need of financial aid. Several Tamil personalities, including M Balasubramanion, (retired Post Master General), was at one time President, have been involved in the 95-year old Association.
K Kesavapany is a well-known figure in Singapore. Although Telugu by origin, he has immersed himself in the affairs of the Tamil Community. A retired diplomat, he was the Director of the Yusof Ishak Institute of South East Asian Studies for twelve years (2003-2012). During this period, he initiated a major conference on the Cholas which culminated in a publication called Nagapattinam to Swarnadeepam. The book, which was also translated into Tamil, talks about the historic voyages of the Cholas and the influence they left across the region.
The Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA) is a Self-Help Group, set up in August 1991 to address educational and socio-economic issues facing the Indian community in Singapore. Its key areas of focus are education, youth aspirations, family resilience, social assistance and forging meaningful community partnerships. SINDA actively strives to build a well-educated and confident community of Indians that stands together with the other communities, in contributing to the progress of multi-racial Singapore. In the course of fulfilling its objectives, SINDA works closely with many volunteers, schools and grassroots organisations. In the process, SINDA has steadily evolved into a credible organisation that serves as a pillar of the Singapore Indian community. Today, SINDA runs a wide array of programmes that not only uplift the educational performance of Indian students, but also promote family harmony and uplift the social status of ethnic Indians.
K Barathan was appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SINDA in July 2014. As CEO he intensified focus on SINDA's strategic thrusts and strengthened its internal processes to better serve various stakeholders. The organisation, while continuing academic support and assistance to the community, is now heavily investing in the areas of pre-school, youth and family. This shift stems from Barathan's belief that all children must receive optimal and appropriate support, at every stage, in their journey to becoming successful and confident adults. At SINDA, Barathan has channelled his wealth of corporate experience into establishing the organisation as a leading pillar of the Indian community. He believes in meaningful collaborations with community organisations and leaders, to actualise SINDA'S vision and mission of uplifting the Indian community.
Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association (LISHA) Women's Wing was formed on 12 May 2012 by Joyce Kingsley. She formed her own Executive Committee and developed concept for on-going monthly networking sessions for ladies. She was not keen to have the usual a networking style so she came up with 10-minute segments of business presentations mini stalls for ladies, to showcase their products and also to sell them, inspirational speeches by renowned speakers, guidance speeches by experts, networking games and buffet dinners. She says, "My team was made of just six business women initially. We also conducted awareness programmes for both men and women, which was attended by only 20to 30 people. Now, our membership has grown and we have about 80 to 100 people attending on a normal weekday".
LISHA Women's Wing (LWW) is open to all races and to members and non-members from all over Singapore. One need not necessarily be involved in business to be a member. LWW events are open to professionals, home makers and online businesses and the minimum age for members is 16. LWW has so far conducted over 100 programmes. Their mission is to empower women, provide a platform for everyone to network, collaborate, exchange ideas, pick up new skills and be inspired. Joyce says, "We are glad to have touched many women to have the urge to come forward to excel".
In 2016, the Mother Tongue Language (MTL) unit of the Public Libraries Group was formed. This was in line with the launch of the National Reading Movement, which aims to put greater emphasis on promoting reading in MTL, as well as reading by adults and seniors. The Tamil Language Services (TLS) team was formed within the MTL group. TLS now look after the collection and programming needs of the National Library as well as the 26 public libraries around the island. The Ang Mo Kio Public library has the largest Tamil collection, followed by Woodlands Regional Library, Jurong Regional Library and Tampines Regional Library.
Tamil collections span various genres such as Adult Fiction, Non-Fiction, Young People's Collection and Children's Collection. Besides books, the libraries feature many Tamil magazines, including the only local magazine, Serangoon Times, and audio visual materials. The TLS team is currently focusing on expanding the Tamil e-books collection. In their efforts to promote Tamil Language in Singapore, TLS use a multi-pronged approach to reach all sectors of the community. As of 2018, TLS are hosting five Adult Reading Clubs and eight Children's Book Clubs in Tamil.
Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association (LISHA) was established in 2000 to promote the heritage, culture, business and commercial activities in the area. Little India is one of the ethnic districts in Singapore that houses shops and religious, cultural and heritage organisations. LISHA addresses the concerns of the various communities in Little India. LISHA's commitment towards and concern for society is apparent in their annual contributions to the President's Challenge, to SINDA's Project Give and to the National Book Council of Singapore. Their Deepavali and Pongal celebrations showcase the true Tamil culture and during that period Little India comes alive with lights and colourful decorations.
The Tamils adapt well to the countries that they move to and are well respected. However, only in a few countries, are they able to preserve their language and traditions. For example, the Tamil diaspora in South Africa, regardless of being able to keep traditions and Tamil names, are not able to safeguard their Tamil language. In Myanmar, the Tamils, as a result of their own initiatives, have been able to maintain their Tamil language, culture and traditions till today. Nevertheless, the avenues and resources are limited for them to enrich the language further. In Sri Lanka, though the language and the progenies are strong, the political situation has not been favourable for the Tamils there. In Mauritius, spoken Tamil has long been lost and the Tamils have even lost touch with the written language. In Malaysia, the Tamils do contribute to politics, education and the growth of the country's economy. There is much support from the community to maintain the Tamil language and there are still many Tamil schools that teach Tamil at the primary level.
In Singapore, the government's role in the survival and growth of the Tamil language is highly commendable. Though Tamils are a minority in Singapore, their culture, traditions and language are well preserved and this has been made possible through the support of the Government. In Singapore, Tamil is one of the four official languages; it is taught from kindergarten to university level; the Singapore currency bears Tamil words and Tamils have been represented in government as Ministers and Member of Parliament.
Announcements in all public places like the MRT and the airport are made in four languages including Tamil. The language reaches the people through various media. The Indian festival of lights, Deepavali, is a public holiday in multi-cultural and multi-racial Singapore. Thus, the Singapore government's role in the growth and survival of the Tamil language is highly commendable.
A question that concerns the Tamil diaspora is, "Will Tamil be a living language?" The survival of the Tamil language 100 years from now, is a concern. The primary reason for this is that parents and elders, in the first place, do not emphasise the importance of the mother tongue to the younger generation. In this fast changing world, English, which influences world trade and economy, has taken precedence over mother tongue. However, there is no need for such a concern because the question of the survival of Tamil has actually made people think about and work towards the safeguarding of the language.
In order to safeguard the language in the long run, spoken Tamil should be given due consideration. However, a language cannot be enriched by just promoting it as a spoken language rather its grammar and literature should be emphasised. The scholars agree that, when one has not learnt the grammar, it will be difficult to learn the literature to appreciate and value the language. On the other hand, they are of the opinion that through the spoken language, one can at least understand the culture and traditions and in this way it may still help the language survive.
Singapore gives due recognition to the mother tongues. Ministry of Education develops educational materials which stress the importance of culture and tradition in schools and in addition to conducting workshops for children. More funds are allocated for the training of Tamil teachers to ensure the survival of the language in Singapore. Both print and broadcast media dedicate time and money to promote Tamil language through their programmes. In spite of the limited number of translators, Vasantham Tamil news channel does quality translation for its news broadcast.
Fifty years of Singapore Tamil literature has been digitalised, which the whole world can access at any time. The annual Tamil Language Festival, supported by the Government, involving the participation of a number of organisation attests to the vibrancy and dynamism of the Tamil Language in Singapore. In this fast paced world, where information technology is dominant, the Tamil mother tongue still dominates many aspects of the lives of Tamils living in Singapore. These facts attest to the reality that in Singapore, Tamil, a minority language, will be a living language for many generations to come!
As a community, the Tamils hold their own place in the developmental saga of the nation. Through education as the means of propelling oneself upwards, several Tamils have become leading lights of the nation. Others, through dint of hard work and sacrifice, have established themselves in the world of commerce.
Two challenges lie ahead for the community—income inequality and the disruption being caused by the advent of technology. Help needs to be given to those members of the community who would otherwise fall through the cracks. Youth should take advantage of the various schemes put forward by the government such as SkillsFuture to prepare themselves for the digital world of the future.
Note: Some sections are written from the personal experiences of the authors and some information being obtained by the concerned organisations/persons.
We would like to acknowledge the kind gesture of a Good Samaritan who provided invaluable support for our endeavor.