S. Dhanabalan facts for kids

Suppiah Dhanabalan, also known as S. Dhanabalan, is a well-known former politician from Singapore. He was born on August 8, 1937. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for many years.

Mr. Dhanabalan held several important roles in the Singaporean government. He was the Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1980 to 1988. He also served as Minister for National Development and Minister for Trade and Industry. He worked under Prime Ministers Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong.

Early Life and Family Background

S. Dhanabalan was born in 1937. His father, Suppiah Arumugam, worked as a clerk at a naval base. His mother was Gunaretnam Suppiah.

He was the third child in his family. He had three older sisters and two younger brothers. His family was of Tamil descent from Singaporean Indian heritage. He was raised as a Hindu but later became a Christian.

Education and Early Career

Mr. Dhanabalan attended Victoria School when he was younger. After that, he went to the University of Malaya. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics. He graduated with good grades.

After university, he joined the Ministry of Finance in 1960. He worked there as an administrative officer until 1968. During this time, he helped create important organizations. These included the Economic Development Board and DBS Bank.

He later left the government service. He joined DBS Bank as a vice-president in 1968. He was promoted to executive vice-president in 1970. He continued to work at DBS Bank until 1978.

Political Journey

S. Dhanabalan began his political career in 1976. He was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Kallang SMC. He represented the People's Action Party (PAP).

He later became a Cabinet Minister. He held many different government jobs. These included Minister for Foreign Affairs, Culture, Community Development, National Development, and Trade and Industry.

Choosing a Leader

When Singapore's first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, was looking for his successor, he considered several ministers. Mr. Dhanabalan was one of them. Other candidates included Tony Tan, Ong Teng Cheong, and Goh Chok Tong.

Lee Kuan Yew believed all four were capable of being Prime Minister. However, he felt that Singapore was not yet ready for a Prime Minister of Indian background. The majority of voters in Singapore are of Chinese descent. The ministers eventually chose Goh Chok Tong to be the next Prime Minister.

Mr. Dhanabalan retired from Parliament in 1996.

Key Milestones

Here are some important dates in S. Dhanabalan's career:

• 1960: He graduated from university and started working for the government.
• 1961–1968: He worked as an economist with the Economic Development Board.
• 1968–1978: He helped set up the Development Bank of Singapore (DBS).
• 1976–1991: He served as a Member of Parliament for Kallang.
• 1980–1988: He was the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
• 1981–1984: He served as Minister for Culture.
• 1984–1986: He was the Minister for Community Development.
• 1986–1991: He became the Minister for National Development.
• 1991: He retired from politics but returned briefly.
• 1991–1993: He served as Minister for Trade and Industry.
• 1996–2013: He was the Chairman of Temasek Holdings, a major investment company.
• 2004–present: He has been a member of the Council of Presidential Advisers.
• 2015: He received the Order of Temasek (First Class), a very high national honor.

Life After Politics

After leaving government, S. Dhanabalan continued to contribute to Singapore. He held leadership roles in several important organizations.

• Chairman, Singapore Airlines: He led Singapore Airlines from 1996 to 1998.
• Chairman, Temasek Holdings: He was the chairman of this large investment company from 1996 to 2013.
• Chairman, DBS Bank: He also chaired DBS Bank from 1999 to 2005.
• Director, Government of Singapore Investment Corporation: He is currently a director at this important government investment fund.

Other Important Roles

Mr. Dhanabalan has also been involved in many other groups:

• Member, Presidential Council for Minority Rights: He helps ensure fair treatment for all communities.
• Member, Council of Presidential Advisers: He advises the President of Singapore.
• President, Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA): He led SINDA, an organization that helps the Indian community in Singapore.
• Chairman, YMCA Advisory Council: He advised the YMCA of Singapore.

Personal Life

S. Dhanabalan is a Christian and attends a church in Bukit Panjang. He is married to Christine Tan Khoon Hiap. She is a Chinese Singaporean of Hokkien background.

They have two children: a son named Ramesh Dhanabalan and a daughter named Shandini Dhanabalan. Mr. Dhanabalan enjoys watching news, comedy shows, and documentaries on TV.