No matter what problems you face in life, you have to study well, as education breaks poverty.
This is the motto of Mr Shanger Panneerselvam, featured in the book Gems in the Rough, recently published by SG Stories of Youth, which captures the day-to-day struggles and triumphs of 20 young Singaporeans.
The 26-year-old overcame financial, medical and educational crises in his childhood through hard work and support from welfare organisations, and went on to own an events and marketing management company. Today, he is happily retired.
Life was not easy as he grew up in a poor family, with his father Pannerselvam, now 64, working as a cleaner in KFC and his mother Pushpa, 57, as a part-time cleaner in condominiums. They also had to look after his brother, who is one year youngerKarthikeyan, 25.
They received help from various sources such as Sinda, the Community Development Council and Social Services Office during the school term, but the money was not enough to cover everything from household expenses to food for a family of four.
“My mum and dad returned from work only after we slept,” he told tabla! “They went to work before we woke up in the morning. As I was mostly alone, I would run out to play without focusing on studies.”
He started working at 12. But with time, he realised the importance of education and began to focus on his classes too.
“O levels was one of the hardest periods in my life,” he said. “I initially aimed to get into a JC, but it was also during that time that both my parents lost their jobs.”
He had to drop his studies completely and take on The burden of supporting the family fell on him, even paying for his brother’s N-level studies.
His father suffered severe depression and started treatment at the Institute of Mental Health. “Everyone in the family was devastated because he behaved like a 10-year-old,” said Mr Shanger.
The boy, neverthless, decidedBut he managed to continue his studies at 16, while working as a kitchen cleaner, dishwasher, HDB cleaner and banquet server concurrently.
“I missed a few papers because of this and got 36 points in my O-levels,” he said. “I was disappointed and thought of discontinuing my education. But my brother egged me on and told me not to give up.”
Mr Shanger passed the computer networking course at ITE with a gold medal in 2017. And, with the Lee Kuan Yew scholarship, he graduated with four straight As from the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering in April 2020.
After his ITE, He started a marketing management agency on a small scale. And after completing his National Service in 2022, he expanded the business and got married.
The company is now running with 36 employees, generating enough income to take care of his family expenses. “I don’t want to spend my entire life just working, but to enjoy time with the people I love,” said Mr Shanger, now a stay-at-home husband.
He plans to complete his degree (in what, where?) along with his wife Sulaksha Pugazhendhi, 23, (she’s also in uni? reading what, where?) once their five-month-old daughter Thugira Sulakshanger starts school.
“When I tell my story to people, it becomes their story too,” said Mr Shanger. “I feel that it refreshes me and inspires them too.”
