The political landscape of Singapore has significantly evolved since the recent presidential elections. These elections, which are held every six years, are crucial in determining who will lead the country as its head of state. The framework and qualifying requirements of the Singaporean presidential elections, however, are distinctive and reflect the country’s dedication to multiracialism and financial stability. The President of Singapore is a ceremonial and symbolic figurehead who protects the country’s financial resources and the honesty of its civil service. The President has a crucial constitutional role in the nation’s government, even if the Prime Minister and the Cabinet have executive power.
Tharman Shanmugaratnam, a multigenerational Singaporean of Tamil ancestry, won this week’s presidential election by a landslide to become the city-state’s ninth president-elect. Singapore is a multiethnic and diverse country renowned for its political stability, prosperity, and effective governance.
His ascension to the highest office represents a turning point in Singaporean politics. He is widely considered one of the most prominent and renowned political leaders and economists in Singapore and Asia. In a three-way campaign with two genuine Singaporean Chinese rivals from the majority population, he won with a commanding 70.4 percent of the votes. The theme of Tharman’s presidential campaign was “Respect for All. Indians, Malays, and Chinese make up 74%, 13%, and 9%, respectively, of the population.
The ethos of racial tolerance, social cohesion, and meritocracy that Tharman has promoted throughout his political career has struck a chord with Singaporeans. Following his victory, he stated that “race was not the only factor in the contest and that the results showed that Singaporeans want a non-partisan president.”
One of the respected business and community leaders in the city-state, KV Rao, elucidated: “This mandate, above all, is an unambiguous vote for merit. His victory marks a significant step forward for the world and Singapore. Singaporeans have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that they want unity over division.
Tharman was born on February 25, 1957, in Singapore, to Tamil parents. The “father of pathology in Singapore,” Emeritus Professor K Shanmugaratnam, who established the Singapore Cancer Registry, was his father. He is married to Jane Yumiko Ittogi, a Singaporean lawyer with mixed Chinese and Japanese descent who had her education at the LSE, Cambridge, and Harvard Kennedy Schools. He was first chosen as an MP in 2001 through the People’s Action Party, which is currently in power.
One of Singapore’s most experienced lawmakers, Tharman is well-known for leading an exemplary life in the public sector and enhancing social and economic policies for all citizens. He has held positions as Senior Minister, Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Finance, and Minister of Education, as well as providing economic policy advice to the Prime Minister. In addition, he held leadership positions with Singapore’s GIC Board, one of the three investment organizations in charge of managing the nation’s reserves, and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).
He has also left his imprint on the world stage. He leads the G20 Eminent Persons Group on Global Financial Governance, which in October 2018 proposed changes to development finance and the international monetary system to advance a new, cooperative international order. The Group of Thirty is a global council of economic and financial leaders from the public and private sectors and academia. He was the first Asian chair of the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC), which he presided over for four years.
One of Singapore’s top diplomats and a well-known public thinker, Prof. Kishore Mahbubani, recently stated on his LinkedIn post that having a president who is well-liked around the world would be beneficial. Few Singaporeans enjoy the same level of esteem Tharman does in important cities, including Beijing and Washington, D.C.
“With the years of experience in public service and leadership that Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam has, Indian industry is looking to his presidency as an opportunity to foster an even closer relationship between the two nations. Together, we can provide an inclusive model for development to the world,” says Kris Gopalakrishnan, a Padma Bhushan awardee and the former CEO and managing director of Infosys.
In Singapore, Tharman has worked throughout his career to uplift educational performance and social resilience in the Indian Singaporean community through chairing the Board of Trustees of the Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA). Singapore’s President-elect instinctively understands India’s ethos and civilizational heritage. “He has a great love and respect for Indian culture, history, and the arts and actively supports their pursuit,” said Mr. Rao, President of the Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFAS), where Tharman is on the Board of Advisors.
“Indian industry is looking to Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam’s presidency as an opportunity to create an even stronger partnership between the two nations because of his years of experience in public service and leadership. According to Padma Bhushan recipient and former Infosys CEO and Managing Director Kris Gopalakrishnan, “We can offer the world an inclusive paradigm for development if we work together.
By serving as the board chair of the Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA), Tharman has worked throughout his career to improve the scholastic performance and social resiliency of the Indian Singaporean community. The incoming president of Singapore has a natural affinity for Indian culture and history. “He has a great love and respect for Indian culture, history, and the arts and actively supports their pursuit,” said Mr. Rao, President of the Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFAS), where Tharman serves on the Board of Advisors.
In July 2022, at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, he delivered the first Arun Jaitley Memorial Lecture. He said: “Recently, I listened to an outstanding musical performance called Triveni, named after Triveni Sangam, the mythical confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati, by three of India’s most accomplished classical musicians: Zakir Hussain, Kala Ramnath. It was an act of group brilliance.
Applying this concept to India as a whole, he said, “India has no shortage of top-tier individuals. But what needs to grow is that group’s collective ability, co-empowerment, co-creation, and level of mutual trust. collaboration and co-creation between the public and commercial sectors, the federal government and the states, and the panchayats at the district and village levels, as well as across caste, class, and gender lines. Over the next 25 years, strengthen our combined capability. India has made that pledge. And if India succeeds, as I think it will, it will not only improve the lot of one fifth of the world’s people but also pave the way for many other countries.
India will keep a careful eye on Singapore’s new president-elect as he takes office. Tharman’s presidency offers a priceless chance to further improve ties between the two countries. His height, experience, maturity, and ties to India are anticipated to be essential in fortifying the ties that will foster greater cooperation for the benefit of Singapore, India, and the rest of the globe.
