S. Dhanabalan facts for kids

Dhanabalan Suppiah (born 8 August 1937), also known as S. Dhanabalan, is a former politician from Singapore. He was a very important leader in Singapore during the 1980s.

He was a member of the People's Action Party (PAP), which is the main political party in Singapore. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Kallang SMC from 1976 to 1991. Later, he represented the Kuo Chuan ward of Toa Payoh GRC from 1991 to 1996.

Dhanabalan held many important jobs in the government. He was the Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1980 to 1988. He also served as Minister for National Development from 1987 to 1992. From 1992 to 1993, he was the Minister for Trade and Industry. These roles were under Prime Ministers Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong. He was also the Leader of the House from 1985 to 1987.

Early Life and Education

Dhanabalan was born in 1937 in Singapore. He was the third child and the oldest son in his family. His father, Suppiah Arumugam, worked as a clerk at a naval base.

He grew up in a Singaporean Indian family of Tamil background. He was raised as a Hindu. Later in his life, he became a Christian and joined the Brethren church.

He went to Victoria School for his early education. After that, he studied at the University of Malaya. He earned a degree in economics.

Early Career

Dhanabalan started his career in the Ministry of Finance in 1960. He worked there as an administrative officer until 1968. During this time, he helped to create two important organizations: the Economic Development Board and DBS Bank. The Economic Development Board helps businesses grow in Singapore. DBS Bank is a large bank in Singapore.

After leaving the government service, he joined DBS Bank in 1968. He started as a vice-president and was later promoted to executive vice-president. He worked at DBS Bank until 1978.

Political Career

In 1976, Dhanabalan was chosen to be a Member of Parliament (MP). He represented the Kallang SMC as a candidate for the People's Action Party (PAP). An MP is a person elected by citizens to represent them in Parliament.

After becoming an MP, Dhanabalan was promoted to a Cabinet Minister. A Cabinet Minister is a senior government official who leads a specific ministry. He worked in several different ministries, including Foreign Affairs, Culture, Community Development, National Development, and Trade and Industry.

When Singapore's first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, was looking for someone to take over his role, he considered several ministers. Dhanabalan was one of the people considered for the job of Prime Minister. In the end, the ministers chose Goh Chok Tong to become the next Prime Minister.

Dhanabalan retired from Parliament in 1996.

Career After Politics

Even after leaving politics, Dhanabalan continued to hold important positions. He served as the Chairman of Singapore Airlines from 1996 to 1998. Singapore Airlines is a well-known airline.

He was also the Chairman of Temasek Holdings from 1996 to 2013. Temasek Holdings is a very large investment company owned by the Singapore government. He later became the Emeritus Chairperson of Temasek Trust.

From 1999 to 2005, he was the Chairman of DBS Bank, where he had worked earlier in his career. He also became a permanent member of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights in 1998. This council helps protect the rights of different groups in Singapore. Since 2004, he has been a member of the Council of Presidential Advisers.

Personal Life

Dhanabalan is a devout 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 and a daughter named Shandini.

In an interview in 1984, when he was the Culture Minister, he mentioned that he did not watch much television. He mostly watched the news, but he also enjoyed relaxing comedy shows and serious documentaries.