S. Rajaratnam

Singapore's first Foreign Minister, author of the Singapore Pledge and one of the founders of ASEAN.

Life

Of Tamil descent

S. Rajaratnam was born into a Tamil family in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, and moved to Malaya with his family as a child. While studying law in London he threw himself into the anti-colonial movement, and after returning to Singapore he worked as a journalist.

First foreign minister

A founding member of the People's Action Party, he became the first Foreign Minister after independence in 1965, securing room for the small state of Singapore to survive internationally; in 1967 he was one of the five founding foreign ministers of ASEAN. In 1966 he wrote the Singapore Pledge: "regardless of race, language or religion, to build a democratic society based on justice and equality."

Singapore Pledge

He later became Deputy Prime Minister, and died in 2006.

Legacy

The multiracialism championed by S. Rajaratnam became a cornerstone of Singapore's nationhood, and Singaporean students still recite the pledge he wrote every day.

Major works & achievements

• Singapore Pledge

Did you know? Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies is named after him.

Key dates

• 1954Co-founded the People's Action Party
• 1965Became the first Foreign Minister
• 1966Wrote the Singapore Pledge
• 1967Co-founded ASEAN
• 2006Died