Speech by Mr Seah Kian Peng, Speaker of Parliament, at the SINDA Excellence Awards 2026 – Saturday, 26 September 2026 at Singapore Polytechnic

My parliamentary colleague, Minister of State Dinesh Vasu Dash

Members of the SINDA Executive Committee;

Mr Anbarasu Rajendran, CEO of SINDA

Guests, Award Recipients and Family Members.

Opening

1. A very good afternoon to all of you. It is a pleasure and a privilege to be able to join all of you at the SINDA Excellence Awards 2026.

2. Today, we will celebrate 866 recipients across 18 categories. These awards recognise achievements in academics, the arts and sports. But most importantly, celebrate the hard work, the resilience and the values behind every achievement.

3. So, to every recipient, my warmest congratulations. Your award reflects your determination and the support of your family, your schools and the community.

4. This year’s award recipients reflect steady progress across key educational boundaries, from the PSLE all the way to university degrees. For 115 of you, this is your second, third or maybe even fourth award, which is a remarkable record of sustained excellence. I hope you take pride not only in what you have achieved, but also in the habits and character that brought you here.

5. Excellence, however, is certainly more than results. It is how we respond when the journey becomes difficult. It’s also about whether we keep learning, whether we keep growing, and whether we use our strengths to help others.

6. I want to list two recipients here which illustrates this, especially the first — Ranjani Panda, this year’s valedictorian from the NUS High School of Mathematics and Science. She graduated with high distinction, but the path was not without difficulty. After experiencing burnout, she learnt to seek support. She set boundaries and cared for her well-being, which is an important form of strength. Not pretending that we never struggle but recognising that we need help and having the courage to ask for it.

7. Ranjani also uses yoga and Hindustani classical music to serve seniors, children and patients. She even learnt songs in Mandarin to connect with people from different backgrounds. The example reminds us that talent matters most when it becomes a bridge to others.

8. Then there’s Akshath Balakrishnan, the International Baccalaureate Award recipient. Despite financial uncertainty at home, he continued to look beyond his own circumstances. During National Service, he volunteered with SINDA’s Book Wizards programme, mentored a five-year-old boy, and reached out to families through SINDA’s Door-Knocking Exercises. He hopes to pursue law, driven by the same desire to help others gain access to better opportunities. This story shows that we do not need to wait until life is perfect before making a difference.

9. Their stories resonate with me personally, and I would like to share a short story. When I was young, my two sisters, my younger brother and I received bursaries from our clan. Each time when we worked hard and got good results would get about $40 in primary school, and $80 in secondary school. It may be small, but for all of us, we felt that we’ve done something to help lighten our parents’ financial burden.

10. There were times when our parents did not have enough. Fortunately, uncles, relatives, friends helped them. That financial help certainly mattered a lot to my parents.

11. The deeper lesson has stayed with us: that when the community invests in you, you carry the responsibility to invest in others. We remain grateful and, when you are able and in a position to do so, give back. This is especially relevant today.

12. Young Singaporeans, many of whom are here, will help shape our country’s next chapter. The Singapore Youth Plan, shaped by contributions from more than 60,000 youths, sets out a five-year roadmap to help young Singaporeans become confident, connected and contributing citizens.

13. Confidence does not mean believing that everything will go smoothly. It means knowing that when you stumble, you can learn, you can rise, and you can move forward. It also means having the humility to seek guidance when you need it.

14. Connection reminds us that no achievement is ours alone. Families, teachers, mentors and friends, they all encourage us, they open doors and they steady us when we fall. Strong connections also help us see beyond ourselves and understand the needs of those around us.

15. Contribution means using what we have — through service, mentorship, innovation or simple acts of kindness — to help someone else move forward. It need not begin with something large. Often, lasting change starts with one person deciding to show up, to listen and to help.

16. SINDA is helping young people build confidence, to gain opportunities and to pursue their aspirations through education, youth development, family support and community partnerships. It is helping individuals and families progress together. So, I’d like to thank all the leaders, staff, volunteers, educators and partners of SINDA for this sustained commitment.

17. And to all our recipients, make full use of the opportunities before you. Whatever opportunity comes your way, seize it. Take pride in how far you have come. Stay grounded in who have helped you and let your success become a source of hope for someone else. The true measure of excellence is not only how high we rise, but how many others we help to rise with us.

18. Congratulations once again. Keep striving, keep serving, and keep lifting others as you rise. Thank you very much.