The 5th Indian Hall Of Fame (IHFS) Singapore Excellence Awards held on August 30 commemorated 20 individuals for their contributions to the community.
The IHFS - officially established as a society in 2019 - marked a significant milestone in recognising the contributions of Singapore’s Indian community.
The society’s inception was driven by the dedicated efforts of its founding President, S A Nathan Nathanji. Mr Nathan, a prominent publisher and managing editor of the household magazine, Indian Movie News, is also the acclaimed author of the best-selling book, Singapore: Nation Building & Indians’ Legacy. It was after writing this book that he decided to start an initiative to recognise the efforts of Indians going above and beyond to aid the community.
For his efforts and contributions, Mr Nathan was awarded the lifetime achievement award. What he sparked will set the stage for future generations of Singaporean Indians to be accorded their due credit.
“I realised Indians were not getting recognised so I took it upon myself to do something. I sought to identify Indians across various fields who had talent and seniority. They were the ones who helped bring Singapore from the kampung it once was to a modern city. They have to be recognised for playing such an important role,” said Mr Nathan.
Singaporean Indians have made remarkable progress across various sectors— professional, sports, social, cultural, civic, political, educational and in other spheres - significantly contributing to Singapore’s development as a nation. In recognition of these outstanding achievements, IHFS aims to honour individuals who have demonstrated excellence and dedication by inducting them into the Hall of Fame.
These awards celebrate exceptional Indian Singaporeans who have left an indelible mark on the nation.
West Coast-Jurong West GRC MP Hamid Razak attended the event as a guest of honour.
“We all have a power in us that can help many others, sometimes we just need a helping hand to help us awaken this strength. The award winners today set a strong example for our youth and will definitely go to inspire many,” said Dr Hamid.
Justice Vinodh Coomaraswamy was a special guest at the event and was there to receive the IHFS Excellence Award for Outstanding Professional Services (Lawyer/Diplomat/Judge), which was conferred posthumously on his father, the late Punch Coomaraswamy.
The IHFS is the first of its kind in Singapore to recognize individuals at the national level for their impactful contributions.
Ms Braema Mathi, was one of the 20 award recipients this round, clinching the award for women empowerment.
“I hope to inspire both young women and men. You have to stand up and take your space with confidence. The future scope of Singapore depends on talent and skills, but what is more important is what is within. In the world of social media, values are all the more important. Values define us and propel us. When we fall we must pick ourselves up and make ourselves strong,” said Ms Braema, hoping to instill the next generation with traits that were becoming of a true Singaporean.
Ms Braema has worked with the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE), where she fought against domestic violence and gender inequality. She also mooted the idea for the Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund in 2000 to help less-advantaged kids with their education expenses.
“Our Tamil community has to be less afraid of empowering our women. Even the guys need to evaluate their standing with masculinity and manhood,” she added.
Mr Harbhajan Singh Loomba received the award for his exceptional contributions to sports in Singapore. Mr Harbhajan has dedicated his life to hockey, starting as a player, moving on to being a coach and eventually serving as an international umpire.
“I am very pleased that they recognize people from various fields. This award has come after a lot of hard work. I encourage today’s youth to demonstrate their best potential in both sports and studies,” said Mr Harbhajan.
Arul Subramaniam, was also inducted into the IHFS for his work in Singapore Hockey.
Arul represented Singapore from 1969 to 1978, captaining the National Team from 1973 to 1979. One of the defining moments of his sporting career came during the 1973 SEAP Games Hockey Tournament in Singapore, when he scored the tournament’s first goal to help Singapore secure a historic 2–0 victory over Malaysia.
“When I scored the first goal in the SEAP games, that must’ve been the greatest moment in my life. To say it was fulfilling, to not only represent the country but to score and win the title, is an understatement,” recalled Arul.
After his playing years, Arul continued contributing to the sport as an international umpire and later as team manager for the Singapore Under-20 Team and the Veterans’ Hockey Team.
