Indian Heritage Centre Site Dedication Ceremony

Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam
Ministers
Professor S Jayakumar
Dr Ma Swan Hoo
Members of the IHC Committees
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen

I am pleased to be here, with you, for the site dedication ceremony of our Indian Heritage Centre (IHC).

The Indian Heritage Centre has been a project close to all our hearts.  Several of you, particularly the late Dr Balaji Sadasivan, have been involved in this project since its inception.  In early 2007, we began discussing the concept of this proposed Centre and its operating model.  What motivated us, who were engaged in this undertaking, was our recognition that given the pace of life here, many including our Indian young were liable to take our heritage for granted.  The Centre would be a beacon for the Indian communities in Singapore and an ally of education in the area of Indian arts, culture and heritage.  Together with our Ministers, most of whom are here with us today, we garnered governmental and community support for the development of the IHC.  We felt that the Centre would embody the Indian cultural experience of our past and serve to remind us of our roots and emotional legacy.

Our efforts first saw fruition in January 2009, when the IHC project was officially announced to the public by then Deputy Prime Minister Professor Jayakumar along with the inauguration of the IHC Steering Committee and its three Sub-Committees.

Last month, the IHC Design & Construction Sub-Committee and the National Heritage Board (NHB) achieved another critical milestone in the Centre’s journey.  We saw the conclusion of the IHC architectural design competition, which led to the unveiling of a breathtaking winning design for the IHC by Robert Greg Shand Architects in collaboration with URB Narc Pte Ltd.  Not only did the winning design have the support of all of us involved in the project, it was also the clear favourite choice of design based on the feedback from those who had viewed the shortlisted designs at public exhibitions and at the IHC website.

When completed, the IHC will be an iconic building which will blend modern architecture with traditional Indian elements.  Its translucent shimmering facade is intended to create an impression of an attractive “shining jewel” in the day time; while the lighting of the colourful mural behind the facade will hopefully transform the building into a welcoming “glowing lantern” at night.

The IHC’s galleries will not be exhaustive, given the limit of land space. It will showcase, among other things, the lives of Indians in Singapore of times gone by.  It will dwell on the Indian communities’ contribution to Singapore in the past and now.  The Centre will harness multimedia technology to enhance the visitor’s experience, and offer exciting and educational programmes to promote a greater understanding and appreciation of Indian arts, culture and heritage.  With an exciting storyline, engaging displays and educational programmes, it is my personal hope that the IHC will illuminate to visitors – foreign and local – something of our past and become a destination of historical and cultural significance, as well as a focal point for our Indian community to be reminded of our character and identity.

The IHC’s site, at the crossroads of Campbell Lane and Clive Street, is an ideal location for the IHC, as it situates the Centre at the heart of the Little India precinct.  The Little India precinct still contains evidence of the various trades and industries of our Indian forefathers who had established roots and set up businesses in Singapore.  It offers examples of both “living” tangible and intangible Indian heritage that visitors will be able to experience after a visit to the IHC.

When the IHC opens its doors to the public in December 2013, the area will see a welcome addition to what has been the vibrant Little India precinct.  It is my hope that the IHC and members of the Little India Business Association will work together to generate a bustling hive of activity and draw more visitors, both locals and foreigners alike, to Little India.

I must acknowledge the leadership and contributions of the former IHC Steering Committee Chairman, the late Dr Balaji Sadasivan.  Dr Balaji was instrumental to the success of the IHC project and he was a constant source of inspiration for those who worked with him because of his visionary ideas and tireless efforts.  On behalf of everyone present, I would like to convey our heartfelt appreciation for Dr Balaji’s leading role in the IHC project to his wife Dr Ma Swan Hoo.

I would like to end by thanking the IHC Committees and NHB, for their hard work and earnest commitment to the IHC project.  I also want to thank all members of the different ethnic Indian communities for their feedback and their support.  I commend the efforts of the IHC Fundraising Sub-Committee chaired by Mr Chandra Das, and thank Dr Hari N Harilela of Harilela Hotels Pte Ltd for his generous donation of half a million dollars to the IHC.

I look forward to the official opening of the IHC in December 2013 and wish the IHC Steering Committee and NHB all the best for the IHC project.

Thank you.