Speech by President at the Launch of the Encyclopedia of Singapore Tamils

SPEECH BY PRESIDENT THARMAN SHANMUGARATNAM AT THE LAUNCH OF THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SINGAPORE TAMILS, AT THE DRAMA CENTRE, NATIONAL LIBRARY BUILDING, ON 2 AUGUST 2025

Mrs Josephine Teo, Minister for Digital Development and Information

Mr Ng Cher Pong, Chief Executive, National Library Board

Mr Arun Mahizhnan, Chief Executive, Centre for Singapore Tamil Culture

Community leaders, volunteers and friends 

1.     It is a pleasure to be here with you today.

2.     The story of our Tamil community, though relatively small, is in many ways the story of Singapore itself – one of resilience, multicultural integration, and renewal within each of our communities. It is also a story of quiet but deep social transformation, most vividly over Singapore’s 60 years of independence.

The Encyclopedia as a bridge between communities

3.     The Encyclopedia – conceived by the community, for the community, and indeed for all Singaporeans – is the first of its kind. It serves as a bridge between generations:

   1.     It traces our roots, the diverse histories of the Singapore Tamils;

   2.     It records their enduring contributions, in varied fields of life;

   3.      And it is a living document, that will be continually updated to reflect the community’s evolving stories;

   4.     The Encyclopedia reminds us that legacy is not only what we inherit, but what we build on, in our own time.

4.     But the Encyclopedia also adds a bridge between our different communities in Singapore. With entries in both Tamil and English, it invites Singaporeans to discover, understand, and appreciate the fascinating social histories and contributions of the Tamils, like those of our other communities, that have become our shared history as Singaporeans.

The origins of the Tamil presence in Singapore

5.     The early Tamil presence and influence in Singapore is bound up with their role in Southeast Asia.

6.     Much of this is traced to the Chola Empire’s expeditions in the region, including through the Singapore Strait, and in particular Rajendra Chola I’s defeat of the Sri Vijaya Kingdom in the early 11^th century that led to the growth of Tamil trade and settlement around the region.

7.     Iain Sinclair, in his contribution to the book ‘Sojourners to Settlers: Tamils in Southeast Asia and Singapore” edited by Arun Mahizhnan and Nalini Gopal, provides several indications of the early Tamil presence in Singapore itself.

   1.     They include the inscription on the Singapore Stone – a fragment of which is displayed in the National Museum of Singapore – which has recently been dated to the 10^th–13^th centuries. Bear in mind that in classical Indic culture, inscriptions are public statements that acknowledge a local ruler. Part of the inscription on the Singapore Stone has been deciphered by some scholars to be the word “kesara”, or “kesariva,” which they believe may refer to “Parakesarivarman”, a classical title adopted by several Chola kings and by Rajendra Chola I himself.

8.     Yet, there is also indications of much earlier Tamil sojourns and habitation in the region. John Miksic’s contribution to the same book records evidence of the Tamil language in the region as early as the 2^nd or 3^rd century, in southern Thailand. The Tamils were of course instrumental in the early spread of Hinduism in the region. But much less recognised, as Miksic shows, is the Tamils’ deep involvement in the spread of Buddhism to Southeast Asia during those early centuries.

9.     However, the largest waves of Tamil migrations to Singapore came during British colonisation. Among the most prominent of those pioneers was Naraina Pillai, who established businesses, became an Indian community leader, and went on to build Singapore’s oldest Hindu temple – the Sri Mariamman Temple, now gazetted as a national monument.

Shaping the fabric of Singapore society

10. The generations of Tamils who followed helped shape the fabric of our society.   

    1.     Govindasamy Sarangapany, founder of Tamil Murasu, was more than a newspaperman. He championed efforts to improve education for the Tamils, and helped connect the community more fully with the mainstream of Singapore life.

    2.     Annamalai Chidambaram Suppiah, fondly known as A C Suppiah chaired the Tamils Reform Association and pushed important boundaries – promoting women’s equality and fighting caste-based discrimination, among other social reforms. He is also remembered for his significant contribution to the modernisation of the Tamil script, leading to formal reform of the script in Tamil Nadu itself.

    3.      S Rajaratnam has left a profound imprint on Singapore’s nationhood. Born in Jaffna, raised in Seremban, Rajaratnam, as one of our first-generation leaders of independent Singapore, is best known for penning the Singapore pledge, and his fervent belief in building a multiracial, multicultural nation.

    4.     The Tamils in Singapore have been well known for their contributions in medicine, the judiciary and law, and in education, from the pre-independence years and in our 60 years of nationhood.

    5.     But their contributions in social welfare, the sports and the arts are also worth recognising, and are highlighted in the Encyclopedia. Leaena Tambyah, a leader of the Asian Women’s Welfare Association, was a pioneering advocate for persons with disabilities, and championed compulsory primary education for them before the passing of the Compulsory Education Act. 

    6.       In sports, no one can forget the OGs of the running track – C Kunalan, Glory Barnabas and K Jayamani, whose national records held for over three decades. And the numerous Tamil sportsmen and women who made their mark in hockey and cricket. And of course it had to be a Tamil footballer who would let loose a curved ball – S Rajagopal’s feared ‘banana kick’ during our years in the Malaysia Cup.

    7.     In the arts, we had writers from Edwin Thumboo to K T M Iqbal. Dramatists from S Varathan to T Sasitharan, who is still active in the scene.  Pioneering leaders in classical dance like Neila Sathyalingam and Rathi Karthigesu. And pop legends like Wilson David, also known as “Singapore’s Elvis Presley”.

11.  I could not possibly leave this rostrum without mention of the Tamil influence on Singapore food.

    1.     But beyond the dishes that everyone associates with the Tamils, like thosai, appam, and rasam, there was a more subtle Tamil influence over the decades on our other cuisines, especially Malay and Eurasian.

    2.     Not to forget the humble mee goreng, the spicy fried noodle that all Singaporeans relish, which was created and popularised by the Muslim Chulias of Madras.

    3.      And the kacang puteh[1] trade, believed to come in the 1940s with immigrants from villages near Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu.

Diluting caste traditions and treasuring inclusion

12. The Encyclopedia traces some of social transformations that have taken place among the Tamils in Singapore – the most important being the dilution of caste traditions and practices that were naturally brought to Singapore with each wave of immigration from southern India.

13. In early Singapore, segregation in social interactions among Indians closely resembled those in their villages and other places of origin. It extended to the jobs people did, and the places where they lived. As the Encyclopedia records, almost all Indian enclaves in Singapore had specific areas or houses designated as Adi-Dravida zones, for those lowest in the caste hierarchy. For example, the area between Jalan Besar and Rochor Canal was the Adi-Dravida zone, while Serangoon Road and its adjoining roads were for others.

14. Two major forces led to changes in the attitude of Singaporean Tamils towards caste before Independence. First, the important role played by reformist movements such as the Tamils Reform Association (TRA) in the 1930s. And second, the Japanese Occupation in the 1940s, which inflicted suffering on the majority regardless of where they stood in the caste hierarchy. The Japanese also forced interaction; whereas before the war, workers would gather by caste during meal breaks, they were now forced to eat together, and harshly punished if they disobeyed.

15.  However, the most profound changes came after Singapore's independence: a national education system that promoted meritocracy regardless of social backgrounds, public housing that brought people of all communities together, and an economy that provided opportunities for all.

16. There is still more to be achieved in social mobility within the community -   especially to help uplift those who have faced disadvantages passed down through generations, from the time many of their forefathers arrived in Malaya and Singapore as coolies and indentured labourers.

17. There are also remnants of caste practices among those who have been higher up in the traditional social hierarchy and, not unexpectedly, a renewed influx of such practices among new immigrants.

18. So as much as we have done away with the most regressive social practices, we have to keep working at this. Singapore must remain a place where cultures can be preserved, including our many sub-ethnic cultures. But even as we conserve the core of our cultures, Singapore must remain a socially progressive place, where discrimination of all forms is not tolerated, and inclusivity becomes part of all our lives. It is what makes us as Tamil Singaporeans, and as Indian Singaporeans, distinctive among Indian communities globally.

Conclusion

19. In conclusion, I would like to express my appreciation to Arun Mahizhnan of CSTC, the EST advisory team – Professor Tommy Koh, Professor Kwok Kian Woon, Dr Hema Kirupalini and Mr Peter Schoppert, as well as Azhagiya Pandiyan of NLB, Sivanantham Neelakandan and everyone who has contributed to this immense effort in one way or another.

20. I am sure the Encyclopedia will continue to evolve, and hope it is referred to extensively, so it enriches our understanding of our pioneers, who we are today, and how we go forward together as Singaporeans.

21. As we celebrate SG60, may this be a reminder of each of our communities’ contributions, from the labourers who led the most difficult of lives to the civil servants, educationists, professionals and entrepreneurs, each contributing to making this nation that we treasure.