Singapore Women's Hall of Fame facts for kids
The Singapore Women's Hall of Fame is a virtual hall of fame that honors and documents the lives of historically significant women in Singapore. The hall is the creation of the Singapore Council of Women's Organisations (SCWO), and grew out of an earlier nine-member wall of fame that the organization created in 2005.
Contents
Categories of achievement
The Hall recognizes women in thirteen categories of achievement:
- adventurers and explorers
- advocacy and activism
- arts/culture/entertainment
- business and enterprise
- community/social work
- education
- environment/conservation
- health
- government
- law
- science/technology
- sports
- uniformed professions
History
The hall of fame was launched on 14 March 2014, with 108 initial inductees. A five-person selection committee headed by Ambassador Tommy Koh selected the initial inductees from over 200 nominees; the committee took over a year to make its selections. President of Singapore Tony Tan and his wife Mary Tan – a patron of the Singapore Council of Women's Organisations – were the guests of honor at the launch, and presented some of the awards to the recipients at the launch gala. Eleven additional women were inducted in 2015, in a ceremony on International Women's Day. The Speaker of Parliament, Halimah Yacob, presented the awards to the honorees. That month The Fullerton Hotel Singapore held a photo exhibition in partnership with the Singapore Women's Hall of Fame that highlighted 108 of the inductees.
The Singapore Women's Hall of Fame accepts nominations from the public for future inductees, and people can be inducted into the Singapore Women's Hall of Fame posthumously.
Inductees
- Key
| 2014 * | Member of the original Wall of Fame |
| Name | Birth–Death | Year | Category | Area of achievement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adelene Wee | (1965-) | 2014 | Sports | At age 19 she became the nation's first and the world's youngest World Bowling Champion, winning the title at the 1985 World Games. |
| Aisha Akbar | (1930-) | 2017 | Arts/Culture/Entertainment/Media | Music teacher, songwriter, author and broadcaster. Collected Malay folk songs. |
| Aline Wong | (1941-) | 2014 | Government | A sociologist and Member of Parliament, as Minister of Education, she promoted early childhood, special needs, arts education programs, and introduced sex education to the national curriculum. |
| Agnes Fong Sock Har | (1946-) | 2014 | Uniformed professions | She became the female commanding officer in the Singapore Armed Forces when, as a captain, she was given command of the 1st Air Supply Base. |
| Agnes Joaquim | (1854-1899) | 2015 | Environment/conservation | She was a horticulturalist who bred the first hybrid orchid, the Vanda 'Miss Joaquim', which is now the national flower of Singapore. |
| Anamah Tan | (1940-) | 2014 | Advocacy & activism | She was a co-founder of the Singapore Association of Women Lawyers, advocate against gender discrimination and domestic abuse, and member of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. |
| Alice Pennefather | (1903-1983) | 2016 | Sports | Singapore’s first women’s singles badminton champion. |
| Annabel Pennefather | (1948-2020) | 2021 | Sports | Trailblazing sports administrator and lawyer. National hockey player, first woman in executive committee of the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) in 1999, and subsequently SNOC vice-president in 2006, first woman president of the Singapore Hockey Federation in 2004, first woman as Chef de Mission at sports. |
| Anastasia Tjendri-Liew | (1947-) | 2018 | Business & enterprise | Founder of one of the most successful bakery chains in Singapore. |
| Ang Swee Chai | (1948-) | 2016 | Health | An orthopedic surgeon who co-found the charity Medical Aid for Palestinians. |
| Anita Sarawak | (1952-) | 2017 | Arts/culture/entertainment/media | Internationally renowned singer. |
| Ann Elizabeth Wee | (1926-) | 2014 | Community/social work | Considered the "founding mother of social work in Singapore", she worked with the abused and abandoned before joining the staff of the then-University of Malaya and pushing for the development of a four-year degree program to train social workers. |
| Anne Lee Tzu Pheng | (1946-) | 2014 | Arts/culture/entertainment | A world-renowned poet and recipient of the Cultural Medallion for Literature, she composed the official song of Singapore's National Day in 1998. |
| Anastasia Gan | (1958-) | 2014 | Uniformed professions | After two decades with the Republic of Singapore Air Force, she became the nation's first female commercial pilot when she joined SilkAir. |
| Aziza Ali | (1950-) | 2016 | Arts/culture/entertainment/media | Restaurateur, Malay chef and writer. |
| Bridget Tan | (1948-2022) | 2015 | Advocacy & activism | An advocate for migrant worker rights and against human trafficking, she founded the Archdiocesan Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People (ACMI) in 1998 and the Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME) in 2004. |
| Catherine Lim | (1942-) | 2014 | Arts/culture/entertainment | A bestselling author and self-described feminist, she is best known for her works of romantic historical fiction, which feature strong female characters. |
| Checha Davies | (1898-1979) | 2014 | Advocacy & activism | A women's rights advocate, she served as a spokesperson for the Singapore Council of Women, was a two-time president of the area Young Women's Christian Association, and founded two social organizations, the Indian-Ceylonese Club and the Singapore Inner Wheel Club. |
| Chua Jim Neo | (1907-1980) | 2015 | Arts/culture/entertainment | She wrote what is considered the most authoritative cookbook on Peranakan cuisine, Mrs Lee's Cookbook, and is the mother of Singapore's first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew. |
| Chan Choy Siong | (1931-1981) | 2014 * | Advocacy & activism | A member of the Legislative Assembly, the precursor to Singapore's Parliament, she organized efforts within the People's Action Party to push for women's rights. |
| Chee Swee Lee | (1955-) | 2014 | Sports | A sprinter, she won medals at the SEAP games in 1969, 1971, and 1973, before becoming the first woman from Singapore to win a gold medal at the Asian Games in the 1974 games. |
| Chua Sock Koong | (1957-) | 2014 | Business & enterprise | The Chief Executive Officer of Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel), she is ranked among Forbes' Most Powerful Woman Leaders in Business list. |
| Chan Heng Chee | (1942-) | 2014 | Government | One of the longest serving and most successful diplomats in Singaporean history, she was the nation's first permanent representative to the United Nations and served as the Ambassador of Singapore to the United States from 1996 to 2012. |
| Cheong Koon Hean | (1957-) | 2014 | Government | As the head of the Urban Redevelopment Authority, she oversaw the planning of the iconic Marina Bay district, before going on to lead the Housing Development Board. |
| Claire Chiang | (1951-) | 2018 | Business & enterprise | Noted for her work in corporate responsibility. |
| Constance Goh | (1906-1996) | 2014 | Advocacy & activism | An international leader in family planning and reproductive rights, she was the first chairperson of the Singapore Family Planning Association. |
| Charlotte Elizabeth Ferguson-Davie | (1880-1943) | 2014 | Health | She founded St. Andrew's Mission Hospital and oversaw some of Singapore's first programs to train female midwives and nurses. |
| Chng Seok Tin | (1946-) | 2014 | Arts/culture/entertainment | A visually impaired sculptor and artist, she became the first person from Singapore to exhibit her works at the Headquarters of the United Nations, and is a recipient of the Cultural Medallion. |
| Constance Mary Turnbull | (1927-2008) | 2014 | Education | Then the head of the History department at the University of Hong Kong, she documented Singapore's history and independence movement in A History of Singapore, 1819-1975. |
| Constance Singam | (1936-) | 2015 | Advocacy & activism | An activist for human rights, she served as the president of Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) over three non-contiguous periods, and as president of the Singapore Council of Women's Organisations (SCWO) for two years. |
| Che Zahara binte Noor Mohamed | (1907-1962) | 2014 | Advocacy & activism | She founded the first Muslim women's organization in Singapore, the Malay Women's Welfare Association, and was instrumental in the passage of the Women's Charter, a women's rights act. |
| Christina Ong | (1948-) | 2014 | Business & enterprise | An international fashion and hotel entrepreneur, she is the owner of the Club 21 boutique chain, serves as director of Singapore Airlines, and is the chair of the National Parks Board. |
| Cynthia Goh | (1949-) | 2014 | Health | She pioneered and advocated for hospice and palliative care in Singapore, and serves on the boards of several organizations and associations that advance palliative care. |
| Daisy Devan | (1928-2009) | 2018 | Business & enterprise | First Asian person working as the leader of a record label in Southeast Asia. |
| Daisy Vaithilingam | (1925-2014) | 2014 | Community/social work | A medical social worker, she created first foster care plan for children in her country, helped establish the Singapore Association of Social Workers, and helped create a medical social work program at National University Hospital. |
| Ding Jeak Ling | (1956-) | 2022 | Science/Technology | Pioneering researcher in biochemistry. |
| Eleanor Clunies-Ross | (1934-) | 2016 | Sports | Pioneering sprint champion. |
| Elizabeth Choy | (1910-2006) | 2014 * | Advocacy & activism | In recognition of her work smuggling supplies to British prisoners of war during the Japanese occupation of Singapore, she was awarded the Order of the British Empire. She went on to serve as the only female member of the Legislative Council in the body's brief history. |
| Ellice Handy | (1902-1989) | 2015 | Arts/culture/entertainment | She wrote the first Singaporean cookbook, My Favorite Recipes (1952), in order to raise funds for the Methodist Girls' School, of which she was a lifelong affiliate. |
| Euleen Goh | (1955-) | 2014 | Business & enterprise | The head of Standard Chartered Bank's Singapore operations from 2001 to 2006, she has served on the boards of over a dozen corporations and foundations. |
| Elizabeth Sam | (1939-) | 2014 | Government | As an administrator at the Ministry of Finance and the Monetary Authority of Singapore, she was one of the architects of Singapore's rise as a global financial center. |
| Esther Tan Cheng Yin | (1975-) | 2014 | Adventurers & explorers | The first woman naval diver in the Singapore Navy, she is also an elite adventure racer and came within 100 meters of scaling Mount Everest. |
| Evelyn Norris | (1918-2014) | 2019 | Education | Principal at Raffles Girls' School. |
| Fang Ai Lian | (1949-) | 2014 | Business & enterprise | Spending 34 years at Ernst & Young, she became the first woman to head the Singapore office of a multinational financial services firm, and from 2005 to 2008 she was the chair of the organization. |
| Florence Chua Siew Lian | (1965-) | 2019 | Uniformed professions | First woman to become a deputy commissioner of the police department in Singapore. |
| Gan Siow Huang | (1974-) | 2019 | Uniformed professions | First woman to become a brigadier-general in the Singapore armed forces. |
| Geh Min | (1950-) | 2014 | Environment/conservation | An eye surgeon by trade, she is best known for her work as a conservationist, and served as the head of the Nature Society from 2000 to 2008. |
| Geraldene Lowe-Ismail | (1938-) | 2018 | Arts/culture/media | Tour guide of Singapore for more than 50 years. |
| Gloria Beck | (1938-2015) | 2016 | Sports | Pioneer athlete. |
| Gloria Lim | (1930-) | 2014 | Science/technology | A mycology expert, she was the first woman Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Singapore and the first woman member of the Public Service Commission. |
| Goh Soo Khim | (1944-) | 2014 | Arts/culture/entertainment | An instructor and the principal dancer at the Singapore Ballet Academy, she went on to serve as a co-director of the National Dance Company and founded the Singapore Dance Theatre. |
| Georgette Chen | (1906-1993) | 2014 | Arts/culture/entertainment | An acclaimed oil painter, she was one of a group of artists who established the Nanyang Style of painting, which combines Western technique with Asian themes. |
| Glory Barnabas | (1963-) | 2019 | Sports | Noted runner. |
| Goh Lay Kuan | (1939-) | 2014 | Arts/culture/entertainment | A choreographer, ballet dancer, and dance educator, she co-founded the Singapore Performing Arts School and created Nu Wa – Mender of the Heavens, Singapore's first modern dance production. |
| Grace Yin Pek-Ha | (1884-1972) | 2018 | Community/social work | Early social worker. |
| Fatimah binte Sulaiman | (1754?–1852?) | 2014 * | Community/social work | A merchant and philanthropist, she donated money and land for the establishment of the Masjid Hajjah Fatimah mosque, which bears her name. |
| Han Sai Por | (1943-) | 2014 | Arts/culture/entertainment | Considered the top sculptor in Southeast Asia, her works are exhibited internationally, and she received the Cultural Medallion in 1995. |
| Helen Yeo Cheng Hoong | (1950-) | 2014 | Law | She grew the firm she co-founded by expanding into the then emerging markets of Vietnam and China, before orchestrating a merger that made her the managing partner of one of the country's largest law firms. |
| Halimah Yacob | (1954-) | 2014 | Government | She is both the first woman to serve as the Speaker of Parliament and the first woman of Malay descent to serve in Parliament, first woman to serve as the President of the Republic of Singapore. |
| Hedwig Anuar | (1928-) | 2014 | Government | The Director of the National Library of Singapore for 28 years, she was also a founder and one-time president of the women's rights group Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE). |
| Ho Ching | (1953-) | 2014 | Business & enterprise | After rising through the ranks of the Ministry of Defense, she went on to lead the Singapore Technologies group and later became Chief Executive Officer of Temasek Holdings. |
| Ho Yuen Hoe | (1908-2006) | 2014 | Community/social work | A Buddhist nun and abbess, she founded Lin Chee Cheng Sia Temple and opened the nation's first Buddhist nursing home. |
| Ida Mabel Murray Simmons | (1882-1958) | 2021 | Health | Nurse who transformed maternal and infant health care. |
| Indranee Elizabeth Nadisen | (1940-) | 2014 | Community/social work | The nation's longest serving foster mother, she served as a foster mother for 35 years, caring for 45 children over that time. |
| Ivy Singh-Lim | (1949-) | 2014 | Environment/conservation | An advocate for farming in Singapore, she owns a chemical-free farm that is open to the public. She also served as the president of Netball Singapore for fourteen years, and worked to popularize the sport. |
| Jackie Yi-Ru Ying | (1966-) | 2014 | Science/technology | A leading researcher in nanotechnology, she left a professorship at MIT to found the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology to advance biomedical research in Singapore. |
| Jayalekshmi Mohideen | (1945-) | 2016 | Government | First woman career ambassador in Singapore. |
| Jennifer Lee Gek Choo | (1952-) | 2014 | Health | Serving with the Ministry of Health, Singapore General Hospital, and then with KK Women's and Children's Hospital, she became an advocate for family-friendly work practices. |
| Joscelin Yeo Wei Ling | (1979-) | 2014 | Sports | A swimmer, she is the only athlete to win 40 gold medals at the Southeast Asian Games, doing so over a 17-year career. |
| Janet Jesudason | (1936-) | 2016 | Sports | Pioneer athlete who represented Singapore in the 1956 Olympics. |
| Janet Lim Chiu Mei | (1923-2014) | 2014 | Health | At St Andrews Mission Hospital, she became the first Asian hospital matron. Her autobiography, Sold for Silver, was the first English-language book by a Singaporean author. |
| Janet Yee | (1934-) | 2015 | Community/social work | Recognized as a pioneering social worker, she campaigned to ensure that abandoned babies would be considered citizens, and thus able to receive social services. |
| Jenny Lau Buong Bee | (1932-2013) | 2014 | Law | She was the first woman to be appointed a district judge in Singapore. |
| Julie Tan Eng Poh | (1930-) | 2014 * | Advocacy & activism | The founder of the first credit union for women in Singapore, the D.E.W. Credit Cooperative, she was also a founding member of the Singapore Council of Women's Organisations through her role as President of the YWCA. |
| Jing Junhong | (1968-) | 2014 | Sports | A Chinese-born naturalized Singaporean, she represented Singapore in Table tennis in the 1996, 2000, and 2004 Olympics, before becoming the national team coach. |
| Junie Sng Poh Leng | (1964-) | 2014 * | Sports | The first woman from Singapore to win a gold medal for swimming at the Asian Games, at the time she was also the youngest person to win a medal at the competition. |
| Jennie Chua | (1945-) | 2014 | Business & enterprise | A leading executive in the hospitality industry, she grew Singapore's profile as a destination for conventions, and became the first woman to chair the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce. |
| Joanna Wong Quee Heng | (1939-) | 2014 | Arts/culture/entertainment | Considered the "doyenne of Cantonese opera in Singapore", she started the Chinese Theatre Circle to preserve the |
| Judith Prakash | (1951-) | 2016 | Law | The first judge appointed to hear arbitration cases brought before the Supreme Court. |
| Kandasamy Jayamani | (1955-) | 2019 | Sports | Long distance runner in Singapore. |
| Kanwaljit Soin | (1942-) | 2014 | Advocacy & activism | The nation's first woman Nominated Member of Parliament, the women's rights laws she pushed for were eventually included in the Women's Charter. She is also one of the founders of the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE). |
| Karen Tan Puay Kiow | (1962-) | 2014 | Uniformed professions | In 2005, she became the first female colonel in the Singapore Armed Forces. |
| Kartina Dahari | (1941-2014) | 2015 | Arts/culture/entertainment | A singer known as the "Queen of Keroncong", referring to a genre of Malay folk music, she performed internationally and for dignities visiting Singapore, and was signed by the record label EMI. |
| Kee Bee Khim | (1951-) | 2022 | Sports | Pioneer of women's golf in Singapore. |
| Khatijun Nissa Siraj | (1925-) | 2014 | Advocacy & activism | In response to an epidemic of women in the Singaporean Muslim community being abandoned through inexpensive and easy divorces, she pressed for the formation of a Syariah Court, and served as its first caseworker. |
| Khoo Teh Lynn | (1981-) | 2014 | Uniformed professions | She was the first female fighter pilot in Singapore. |
| Koh Chai Hong | (1959-) | 2015 | Uniformed professions | The first woman to qualify as a pilot in the Republic of Singapore Air Force, she is also one of the first two women (promoted at the same time) to reach the rank of lieutenant colonel. |
| Koh Kheng Lian | (1937-) | 2014 | Environment/conservation | An internationally recognized expert in Environmental law, she led
Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Law at the National University of Singapore to become a leading institution for the study of environmental law. |
| Koh Soo Boon | (1951-) | 2022 | Business & Enterprise | Founder of Singapore’s first female-led venture capital firm. |
| Kwa Geok Choo | (1920-2010) | 2014 | Law | The wife of Singapore's founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, the pair (along with Lee's brother) co-founded Lee & Lee, which became of one of the largest law firms in Singapore. She was also a founding figure in the People's Action Party, and helped draft its constitution. |
| Kwan Shan Mei | (1922-2012) | 2021 | Arts/Culture/Media | Illustrator of children's books, arts educator. |
| Lai Siu Chiu | (1948-) | 2016 | Law | The first woman to serve on the Singapore Supreme Court. |
| Lam Lay Yong | (1936-) | 2014 | Science/technology | An authority on the history of Chinese Mathematics, she was the first person from Asia to win the Kenneth O. May Prize. |
| Lee Suet Fern | (1958-) | 2014 | Law | The founder of the Stamford Law Corporation, a significant player in the mergers and acquisitions business, she also served as the President of the Inter-Pacific Bar Association and the corporate boards of several Fortune 100 companies. |
| Leo Yee Sin | (1959-) | 2022 | Health | Leader in the fight against infectious disease. |
| Lily Kong | (1965-) | 2022 | Education | First Singaporean woman to head a Singapore university. |
| Lim Soo Hoon | (1959-) | 2014 | Government | The first woman Permanent Secretary in Singapore, she served in leadership positions across Singapore's civil service, especially in the areas of transport and community development. |
| Laurentia Tan | (1979-) | 2014 | Sports | The most decorated paralympian from Singapore, she won two medals in each of the 2008 and 2012 Paralympics, all in dressage. |
| Li Lienfung | (1923-2011) | 2014 | Arts/culture/entertainment | A newspaper columnist, novelist, and playwright, her work received awards from the National Book Development Council and the Culture Ministry. |
| Lucy Wan | (1933-) | 2014 | Science/technology | She was the first woman to earn a doctorate in pharmacy from the National University of Singapore, she would go on to teach at the program for 40 years, leading it for six. |
| Leaena Tambyah | (1937-) | 2014 | Advocacy & activism | A social worker and advocate for youth with special needs, she created the Handicapped Children's Playgroup, which was awarded the United Nations Community Excellence Award. |
| Liew Yuen Sien | (1901-1975) | 2019 | Education | Principal of the Nanyang Girls' School. |
| Lim Hwee Hua | (1959-) | 2014 * | Government | She was the first female Deputy Speaker of Parliament and the first female Cabinet Minister in Singapore. |
| Lynnette Seah | (1957-) | 2015 | Arts/culture/entertainment | A Cultural Medallion-winning violinist, she was a founding member of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, which she co-leads. |
| Lee Choo Neo | (1895-1947) | 2014 | Health | She was the first practicing woman doctor in what would become Singapore. Together with two other women, she created the Chinese Marriage Committee, which produced a report that would come to be influential in the passage of the Women's Charter. |
| Lim Sok Bee | (1963-) | 2014 | Uniformed professions | The first woman commander of an artillery battalion, she eventually rose to the rank of Lieutenant colonel and served as the Wing Commander at the Officer Cadet School. |
| Mae Noeline Oehlers | (1916-1987) | 2021 | Sports | Hockey player, first Singaporean principal at Raffles Girls School, educator. |
| Maggie Lim | (1913-1995) | 2014 | Health | A doctor and family planning and reproductive rights advocate, she was the first girl in Singapore to win the Queen's Scholarship. |
| Margaret Leng Tan | (1945-) | 2014 | Arts | Toy piano virtuoso. |
| Maria Dyer | (1803-1845) | 2014 * | Education | A British missionary, in 1842 she founded St. Margaret's School, the first school for girls in East Asia. The institution took in and educated poor girls, preventing them from becoming Mui Tsai. |
| Marjorie Doggett | (1921-2010) | 2017 | Advocacy & Activism | Animal rights advocate. |
| Mary Beatrice Klass | (1935-) | 2016 | Sports | Pioneering athlete and one of two women at the 1956 Olympics. |
| Mary Quintal | (1930-) | 2014 | Uniformed professions | The first woman Assistant Superintendent of Police in Singapore, she was also the force's first female Inspector. |
| May Wong | (1899-1989) | 2016 | Community/social work | Lifelong social worker and fund-raiser. |
| Miranda Yap | (1948-2015) | 2018 | Science/technology | Pioneer biomedical scientist. |
| Mozelle Nissim | (1883-1975) | 2018 | Community/social work | Jewish philanthropist and community leader. |
| Myrna Braga-Blake | (1935-2019) | 2021 | Community/Social Work | Pioneer in social work, educator. Helped set up services for victims of domestic violence and trained social workers. |
| Nalla Tan | (1923-2012) | 2015 | Education | Writer and advocate for sex and public health education. |
| Neila Sathyalingam | (1938-2017) | 2014 | Arts/culture/entertainment/media | Leading teacher of Indian classical dance in Singapore. |
| Noeleen Heyzer | (1948-) | 2014 | Advocacy & activism | As the leader of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), she has worked on regional poverty alleviation, societal, and environmental programs. She has also led the United Nations Development Fund for Women and other UN initiatives. |
| Nona Asiah | (1931-) | 2022 | Media and Entertainment | An icon of Malay music and film in the 1950s and 1960s. |
| Olivia Lum | (1961-) | 2014 | Business & Enterprise | Founder of Hyflux. |
| Oon Chiew Seng | (1916-2022) | 2014 | Health | Founder of the first nursing home for dementia patients. |
| Patricia Chan Li-Yin | (1954-) | 2014 | Sports | Trailblazing swimmer and Singapore’s first Golden Girl. |
| Phan Wait Hong | (1912-) | 2014 | Arts/culture/entertainment | Called "grande dame of Beijing opera in Singapore", she moved to Singapore at age 14 as part of an opera troupe. She performed regularly until the age of 82, and gave a limited number of performances for a decade afterwards. |
| Phyllis Eu Cheng Li | (1914-2004) | 2014 | Advocacy & activism | Elected to the Municipal Commission (now the City Council) in 1949, she was the first woman in Singapore to be elected to a government office. |
| Phyllis Tan Poh Lian | (1933-) | 2018 | Law | Lawyer and first woman to lead a law society in Singapore. |
| Puan Noor Aishah | (1933-) | 2018 | Community/social work | The first First Lady in Singapore. |
| Rahimah Rahim | (1955-) | 2017 | Arts/Culture/Entertainment/Media | Singer who is known as "Singapore's first Lady of Song." |
| Ruth Wong Hie King | (1918-1982) | 2014 | Education | Pioneering educator who transformed teacher training in Singapore. |
| Santha Bhaskar | (1939-) | 2021 | Arts/Media/Culture | Dancer and choreographer. |
| Sarah Winstedt | (1886–1972) | 2014 | Health | Physician and surgeon who served with the Colonial Medical Service in British Malaya. |
| Shirin Fozdar | (1905-1992) | 2014 * | Advocacy & activism | A women's rights activist, she played a major role in the establishment of the Singapore Council of Women and the creation of the Syariah Court. |
| Singapore Women's Everest Team | — | 2014 | Adventurers & explorers | Jane Lee, Sim Yihui, Joanne Soo, Lee Peh Gee, Lee Li Hui, and Esther Tan – nation's first all-women mountain climbing team – attempted to scale Mount Everest, with all but Sim reaching the summit. |
| Seow Peck Leng | (1911-2007) | 2014 | Advocacy & activism | An educator and politician, she founded the Siglap Girls' Club for the benefit of underprivileged girls, and pushed for gender equality as a member of the Legislative Assembly. |
| Sophia Blackmore | (1857-1927) | 2014 | Education | Founder of Methodist Girls’ School. |
| Sophia Pang | (1972-) | 2014 | Adventurers & explorers | Traveling as part of the 2009 Kaspersky Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition, she became the first Singaporean woman to reach the South Pole. |
| Mathilde Raclot | (1814-1911) | 2014 | Education | Founder of the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus schools. |
| Stella Kon | (1944-) | 2014 | Arts/culture/entertainment/media | Award winning writer, best known for Emily of Emerald Hill. |
| Suchen Christine Lim | (1948-) | 2014 | Arts & Culture | Award-winning novelist. |
| Sudha Nair | (1957-) | 2022 | Community/Social work | Pioneering social worker and family violence specialist. |
| Sylvia Kho | (1917-2013) | 2017 | Business & Enterprise | Pioneering bridal gown designer and entrepreneur. |
| Tan Cheng Hiong | (1904-1999) | 2016 | Advocacy & activism | Women's rights activist, and first president of the Singapore Council of Women. |
| Tan Chew Neo | (1898-1986) | 2015 | Community/Social Work | Pioneering community worker. |
| Tan Sau Fun | (1931-2011) | 2014 | Science/Technology | First and only female professor of chemistry in Singapore. |
| Tan Teck Neo | (1877-1978) | 2018 | Community/social work | Community leader, philanthropist and advocate for women in the public space. |
| Tan Yoon Yin | (1929-) | 2016 | Sports | Founder of Singapore Women’s Netball Association. |
| Tang Pui Wah | (1933-) | 2014 | Sports | Hurdler and Singapore’s first female Olympian. |
| Theresa Chan Poh Lin | (1943-2016) | 2014 | Education | The Helen Keller of Southeast Asia. |
| Teo Ah Hong | (1953-2020) | 2021 | Uniformed Professions | First woman to qualify as a commercial pilot. |
| Teo Soon Kim | (1904-1978) | 2014 | Law | First woman to be admitted to the Singapore bar. |
| Teresa Hsu Chih | (1898-2014) | 2014 | Community/social work | One of the most beloved social workers in Singapore. |
| Tham Yew Chin | (1950-) | 2019 | Arts/culture/entertainment/media | One of the best-known writers from Singapore in China. |
| Theresa Chan Poh Lin | (1943-2016) | 2014 | Education | The Helen Keller of Southeast Asia. |
| Theresa Foo | (1943-) | 2014 | Business & Enterprise | First Asian female chief executive at Standard Chartered Bank. |
| Theresa Goh | (1987-) | 2014 | Sports | Pioneering Paralympic swimmer and advocate for disability sports. |
| Thung Syn Neo | (1932-) | 2014 | Community/Social Work | Pioneering social worker and key mover behind the Family Service Centre initiative. |
| Violet Oon | (1949-) | 2016 | Arts/culture/entertainment/media | Advocate and champion for Singaporean cuisine. |
| Wong-Lee Siok Tin | (1938-1993) | 2017 | Arts/culture/entertainment/media | English-language journalist and broadcaster. |
| Yang Chang Man | (1944-) | 2018 | Environment/conservation | Zoologist, curator and woman who saved the priceless Raffles Collection. |
| Yip Pin Xiu | (1991-) | 2014 | Sports | Singapore’s first Olympic-level gold medal winner. |
| Yu-Foo Yee Shoon | (1950-) | 2014 * | Government | She was both one of the first women in the Parliament of Singapore and the nation's first female mayor. |
| Yuen Peng McNeice | (1917-2012) | 2015 | Environment/Conservation | Philanthropist and pioneering conservationist. |
| Zahrah Za'ba | (1920-1988) | 2019 | Arts/culture/entertainment/media | Writer and pioneer in Malay radio broadcasting. |
| Zena Clarke Tessensohn | (1909-1996) | 2018 | Sports | One of the 12 founders of the Girls Sports Club (GSC). |
| Zuraidah Abdullah | (1962-) | 2014 | Uniformed Professions | First woman to become a Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police. |
Gallery
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Agnes Joaquim, orchid breeder
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Ang Swee Chai, doctor and writer
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Bridget Tan, worker's rights advocate
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Chan Heng Chee, Ambassador
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Gan Siow Huang, politician and former soldier
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Georgette Chen, artist
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Halimah Yacob, President and former Speaker of Parliament
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Ho Ching, CEO of Temasek Holdings
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Kwa Geok Choo, lawyer
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Laurentia Tan, Paralympic equestrian
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Lim Hwee Hua, politician
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Maggie Lim, physician
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Margaret Leng Tan, classical music artist
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Maria Dyer, educator and missionary
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Noeleen Heyzer, United Nations official
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Teresa Hsu, charity worker
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