» Welcome Address by Mr Anbarasu Rajendran, CEO, SINDA, at The SINDA Excellence Awards 2022 on Saturday, 24 September 2022, 10am, at The Nanyang Polytechnic

Guest of Honour, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Mr Lawrence Wong;

Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, and Chairman, SINDA, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam;

Minister, Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Finance and National Development and President, SINDA, Ms Indranee Rajah;

SINDA Board of Trustees and Executive Committee Members;

Distinguished Guests, Award Recipients, Family Members, Brothers and Sisters.

Introduction

A very good morning and on behalf of all of us at SINDA, it’s my pleasure to welcome you to the SINDA Excellence Awards 2022. I’m also heartened that we could host you in person, after two years of smaller-scale awards ceremonies.

Student Achievements and Excellence

Today, we celebrate the exceptional achievements of our Singaporean Indian students, and by doing so, we’re encouraging their aspirations and ambitions; motivating them to do even better and supporting their continued accomplishments.

Our recipients and their life stories are incredibly inspiring. They have given their very best in their chosen pathway; they’ve demonstrated diligence and determination in their pursuits; and when challenges came their way, they rose above these and stayed focused, taking a step closer to fulfilling their aspirations.

So, well done to all 782 recipients! You’ve done yourselves, your families, your schools and the community proud. Importantly, you were driven by the spirit of excellence and this ceremony is about celebrating each one of you and your achievements.

Continued Community Progress

The SINDA Excellence Awards started well over thirty years ago, in 1992. Back then, these awards were intimate events, recognising a handful of recipients. Today, you can see for yourselves how these Awards have grown to honour a very large cohort of recipients.

We honour student achievers in 16 categories this year. Their varied pathways and pursuits represent each one’s passion, skills and the opportunities available to all Singaporeans in realising their aspirations.

These Awards are especially significant to us at SINDA – why? Because student accomplishments are an important measure of overall community performance. Their achievements – whether in academic fields, the arts, or sports – signal community progress and serve as benchmarks for continued, greater progress.

We are especially proud that the number of recipients has continued to rise in recent years, with this year comprising the largest cohort in the Awards’ 31-year history. This increase is the result of the efforts by many – the schools, family members and stakeholders – and SINDA is very proud to have worked alongside them to ensure our students’ excelling performance.

Improving Social Mobility

The SINDA of today offers diverse growth opportunities to support community betterment. We start very early, in fact, as soon as a child is born, because the growing years are critical and we want our children to have the best head-starts in life. From that point, we remain a companion to them as they grow up.
1. Our academic and enrichment programmes support our schools in shaping young minds;
2. Our youth programmes reinforce positive development and encourage leadership potential;
3. Our family programmes nurture stable and cohesive families, who play an active role in their children’s lives;
4. And our various financial assistance schemes and funds ensure that no one is left to fend for themselves.

These various efforts collectively focus on our children – our future generations. We want every child to fulfil his or her fullest potential, to give every child the opportunity to succeed – and to quote our Chairman, Senior Minister Tharman – “to ensure that every person and every generation is on an upward moving escalator”.

You would hear today about several recipients who, at a time of need, received a helping hand from SINDA. We are glad to have supported and inspired them in their journeys. We will continue to encourage them onto their pathways of success and prepare them to seize opportunities that come their way.

An Ecosystem of Support

While SINDA takes the lead in the Indian community’s betterment, we are also joined by passionate partners, volunteers and donors – all willing hearts eager to make a meaningful difference.

Recipient Profile: Govindan Solai Valli

Among such individuals is 19-year-old Govindan Solai Valli. Many of you may have recently read about her in the news – Valli is a recipient of the prestigious President’s Scholarship as well as the Singapore Armed Forces Scholarship.

As a peer mentor in our SINDA Football Club, Valli encouraged our players’ growth; during the critical years of the pandemic she served as a vaccine ambassador; and our ground engagements were opportunities for her to engage disadvantaged and vulnerable households.

I’m heartened that these meaningful opportunities have opened Valli’s eyes to the needs on the ground; that these have given her newfound perspectives and fuelled her passion to serve the community better. And I’m especially proud that a simple and humble girl has risen to be a President’s Scholar, motivated by the powerful desire to make meaningful, positive impact in society.

Building A Society of Opportunities

In bridging communities, SINDA is focused on partnering the government, national and community groups, to ensure that we remain a society of opportunities, one that is equally inclusive.

We will continue our efforts to ensure that our community and the younger generations remain supported in education, gaining life-skills, and that they also have meaningful opportunities to contribute towards community and nation-building efforts.

To the recipients here – as our community’s top-achievers, each one of you has a role to play in such efforts – one, is to carry on doing your very best, achieve your fullest potential and lead fruitful lives; the other, is to channel your talents, skills, and efforts towards the betterment of the community and the nation in your own way.

And, as we celebrate your achievements today as a community, I look forward to your continued pursuit of excellence in all that you do. My very best wishes to each one of you for the journey that lies ahead.