Recognised for their contributions to the nation in this year’s National Day Awards are 110 Singaporean Indians.
One of the six recipients of the prestigious Meritorious Service Order is the former Non-Resident High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, 86-year-old Mr. S. Chandra Das.
A prominent Singaporean corporate leader, former politician and statesman, Mr Chandra Das served as a Member of Parliament from 1980 to 1996. He has also held leadership positions in key organisations such as NTUC FairPrice and Intraco.
He also served as Chairman of Tamil Murasu from 2005 to 2017. His 12-year tenure was a transformative period of strategic development and consolidation for Singapore’s vernacular print media. During his tenure, Tamil Murasu’s English weekly - tabla! - was launched in 2008.
“I am deeply honoured and grateful to receive this National Day Award. Serving the country has been a privilege, and I accept the recognition with humility and gratitude. I also share this honour with the many people I have had the privilege of working alongside over the years,” Mr Chandra Das said.
Among others, three of the recipients of the BBM (Public Service Star Medal) are Tamils. One of them is Mr. Jayadev s/o K N Unnithan, 60, Assistant Treasurer, Chong Pang CCC.
“The National Day Award is a recognition of the selfless service, dedication and sense of unity of the Chong Pang grassroots community leaders. We consider the welfare of the residents as our first priority in everything we do. I accept this award on behalf of my fellow volunteers,” said Mr Jayadev.
Another BBM recipient – Mr Ganesan s/o Kulandai, 70, a member of the executive committee of the Tanjong Pagar Everton Park Residents’ Association – said “I am extremely honoured and humbled to receive this award.
Serving our community for over 30 years has been a deeply fulfilling journey. I have had the privilege of working alongside our leaders, from Mr. Lee Kuan Yew and Mr Koo Tsai Kee to Ms. Indranee Rajah and Mr Fu Cexiang, as well as our dedicated grassroots volunteers and residents, and I have learned a lot,” said Mr Ganesan.
Another recipient, Mdm Kausalah Thavi Ramachandra, 85, said, “I am very happy and honoured to receive this award which recognises my service to the people of Bukit Panjang, the wider community and of course my beloved country.
One of the recipients of the Gold Medal for Public Administration is Mr P. Siva Shanmugam, Secretary of the Judicial Commission of Singapore.
“I share this privilege with my dedicated colleagues in the public service. Their unwavering commitment to serving Singapore and the people of Singapore has been a constant source of inspiration to me,” said Mr Siva.
Meanwhile, Associate Professor Mohan Tiruchittampalam, Divisional Chairperson and Senior Consultant, Emergency Medicine Woodlands Hospital, receives the Silver Medal for Public Administration.
“This award is a tribute to the entire public health community who made this possible. I am proud to work with such dedicated teams. My heartfelt congratulations to all my colleagues who have received National Day awards,” said Associate Professor Mohan.
Two teachers are receiving the Commendation Medal. One is Mr Louis Isack Kumar, a senior teacher at Bartley High School.
The 42-year-old said the award is in recognition of his “16 years of service in the education sector, his efforts to establish Tamil as a living language among students and his efforts to improve the work of his fellow teachers.
The other recipient of the Commendation Medal is 39-year-old Nallu Dhinakaran, Year Head at Tampines Secondary School.
Commenting on receiving the award, Mr Nallu said, “In this rapidly changing modern world, it is not enough to simply provide students with academic education. This recognition is a great encouragement to continue providing value-based education to our Singaporean students,” he said.
Three of the recipients of the Public Service Medal are well-known in the community. The first is Mr Satish Appoo, 66, secretary of the Hindu Endowments Board (HEB). “I am honoured and humbled to receive this award in recognition of my service to the HEB. I dedicate this award to the wonderful team and mentors who have worked with me throughout this journey, which has been made possible by the great support of my family,” said Mr Satish.
Another recipient is Mr S. Devendran, 64, who is the CEO of the Sree Narayana Mission. He said, “I am proud to be associated with the Singapore Prison Service and to support the ‘leaders of life’ in their work of rehabilitating offenders. Their work is hard, often unseen. But it is essential to creating a safe and compassionate society.”
Also receiving the Public Service Medal is 56-year-old Mr Danapal Kumar, President of the Singapore Tamil Teachers’ Union (STTU).
“I consider this National Day Award to be a recognition of the STTU’s significant contribution to the development of the Tamil language and the development of Tamil teachers. It also encourages us to work harder and work more determinedly to establish Tamil as a living language and for the development of Tamil teachers. As a trade unionist, I am delighted to receive this award,” said Mr Danapal.
TAMIL MURASU
