Becoming a Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Merit Scholar was not the plan Lieutenant (LTA) Aryan Vinayak Gupta, 21, had in mind when he enlisted for National Service (NS).
His family migrated from Mumbai to Singapore when he was a year old, and enrolled him at Overseas Family School in Pasir Ris. He then transferred to St. Joseph’s Institution (SJI) International School after getting his Singapore citizenship in 2015.
“The reason behind that was to get more local exposure, because over 50 per cent of SJI International’s population is Singaporean,” Mr Aryan said.
He completed his International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma programme with the intention of pursuing public service or work for inter-governmental organisations like the United Nations, inspired by his school’s motto: “enter to learn, leave to serve”.
This led him to apply for the highly-coveted Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) undergraduate degree programme at Oxford University, which he is scheduled to commence this October.
“I have a rather arbitrary desire for a career with meaning to it,” explained Mr Aryan, who added that “if I’m working to tackle issues, whether local or international, an understanding of how our political systems work and philosophy, in terms of how our people think, would be very important to be able to make a bigger impact”.
He started NS in January 2024 and was selected for Officer Cadet School (OCS), which is usually reserved for the best performing recruits who are put through a rigorous 38-week training course to become commissioned officers.
Following that, he was posted to the 8th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (8 SIR) as a platoon commander and oversaw a specialised unit of troopers tasked with protecting military camps, bases and key installations.
The leadership role came with its own set of challenges as his unit was decentralised, so the soldiers were spread all across the island. “It really forced me to develop my command presence and my ability to connect with my troopers. I found it very fulfilling,” Mr Aryan said.
He officially ended his NS or ORD-ed in November 2025, but signed a four-month contract that concluded in February 2026. It was during this period that he considered the SAF Merit Scholarship (SMS) and eventually applied for it.
He credits his Commanding Officers for influencing this decision, citing that their guidance and the growth that they fostered in him showed how truly impactful a military career can be.
Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing presented Mr Aryan the SMS award at the Defence Scholarship Awards Ceremony on Aug 12. In his speech, Minister Chan said “Leadership is not just about strategy or technology; it is about people. They are the heart of our defence.”
