A pre-National Service internship born out of curiosity for 21-year-old Keevan Nash Ganasen has now evolved into a future career path in diplomacy.
The younger son of an Indian father and a Chinese mother, Keevan is one of four recipients of this year’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) scholarships.
From October, he will read law at the University of Oxford.
“Until I participated in the MFA Pre-University Internship Programme, I did not have a deep understanding of the service. I thought I would eventually work in academia or journalism.
“Since I was interested in history and international politics, I decided to join the internship program. Following that, the work done by the officers here felt meaningful and intellectually stimulating,” he said.
During his internship, he served in the ministry’s Indonesia desk.
The Raffles Institution alumnus shared that his father was a major source of support throughout his journey. Keevan’s father has been working at the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore for over 20 years.
“My father often encouraged me to work in his sector. Unfortunately, I didn’t have much interest in that field. Nonetheless, the stories he shared sparked my passion for public service,” said Keevan.
Prior to the internship, Keevan believed MFA’s work consisted primarily of international conferences, meetings between world leaders, and policy negotiations.
However, observing other operational aspects such as budgeting, scheduling, and diplomacy in action deepened his interest in the profession.
He shared that the current friction between the United States and Iran has drawn his attention amid ongoing global developments. He is particularly keen to understand how such relations impact Singapore.
He noted that diplomacy is a crucial component in ensuring small nations like Singapore have an equal voice on the global stage.
Regardless of whether he is assigned bilateral or multilateral responsibilities in the future, Keevan aims to carry out his duties effectively.
“I look forward to representing Singapore as a diplomat abroad or at regional and global organisations such as ASEAN or the United Nations,” he said.
Heading to the UK with the support of his family and friends, Keevan is eager to return and work on developing foreign affairs initiatives that directly benefit Singaporeans.
