S S Nadarajan and Dawn Lim
S S Nadarajan:
A Career of Sportsmanship & Community Outreach
A top athlete who represented the state and his schools in athletics and soccer in his youth, Mr. Nadarajan went on to represent Singapore at the World and Asian Masters Championships in athletics more than 10 times. He still maintains an active lifestyle today as a mentor in the community. In 2004, he won the National Active Senior Citizen of the Year Award together with 3 other distinguished citizens. His days as an active volunteer in the community began in 1994 when he was living in Serangoon Gardens. Thereafter, as a resident of Braddell Heights since 1997, he went on to chair both the NC as well as the CC Indian Activity Executive Committee (IAEC). In recognition of his tireless contributions to society, he received his PBM from the late President S.R.Nathan in 2010. Now at the age of 78, he says, "I intend to continue serving the community for as long as I can. It's like what I tell the younger volunteers I meet - any contribution, no matter how small, is still a contribution."
Teamwork & Bridging Racial Boundaries
“Never underestimate the value of teamwork" says Mr. Nadarajan. As a founding member of the Singapore Masters Athletics for Singapore veterans, Mr. Nadarajan's sporting career began at the age of 8 when he received his first medal from the wife of the last Governor of Singapore, Sir William Goode. He had a knack for sprinting events and went on to become part of Victoria School's 1st Division athletic and soccer teams winning many medals and school colours. Mr. Nadarajan says, "The beauty about sports is that it is colour blind. The only thing that matters is the common goal." When he was Vice-President of the PUB Staff Union in the 1980s, he assisted in bridging gaps between many employees and management. "Trying to achieve a win-win strategy between the parties has always been the best resolve. The philosophy of seeking a zero-sum game in bread & butter matters is completely flawed. Employees need to be valued and feel valued, and only then will other business priorities fall into place. And let's not simply pay lip service to the concept of inclusion & diversity - we need to own this!", says Mr. Nadarajan.
Nation Building
"Singapore began as a Malay fishing village. Our national language is Malay - a fact that many young Singaporeans today are unaware of. We started nation building in the 19th century and 20th century as a land of immigrants. Why should the 21st century be any different? We should never forget our roots as a nation - we are a melting pot of cultures! And therein lies our strength." says Mr. Nadarajan. He has had the privilege of witnessing Singapore's growth from the 1940s to the onset of the 21st century and he did his part for nation building through his days of national service in the police force, labour union leadership, sports, and grassroots contributions. Mr. Nadarajan says, "Believe me when I tell you that we as a nation cannot take our progress for granted. To appreciate what we have today, we need to know (or learn) what we didn't. Of course the system isn't perfect. Therefore, as part of continued nation building, we have to recognise areas we can improve on as a society and work on them consciously."
Travel The World
This avid traveller has also made the most out of each of his journeys, through sports or otherwise, acquiring knowledge that makes him appreciate life in Singapore more. Mr. Nadarajan is of the view that the only way to truly appreciate what we all have here at home is to witness 1st hand how others live in the world. He says, "The perception of life elsewhere through the television, media and internet quickly changes when one spends some time overseas. What we had initially envisaged of life in New York, London, Tokyo, and Shanghai for example quickly changes when we start spending more time in these places. So, travel the world whenever an opportunity presents itself. Only then can one truly appreciate what we have built in Singapore. And this is even more relevant for our younger generation today as they had never experienced life and its hardships before Singapore's independence from the British and Malaya."
Covid-19
"No legacy would be complete without mentioning the recent pandemic and its effects," says Mr. Nadarajan. From his perspective, this is the best in human history to be alive during a pandemic. “Just contrast what we have today with what our ancestors had during the previous pandemic. For the most part, we live in a connected world today with entertainment and supplies readily available, thanks to the internet. So, technology has made living through a pandemic a lot more palatable than ever before." says Mr. Nadarajan. Where do we go from here? How do we recover from this pandemic as a country? Mr. Nadarajan advises, "Approach this as one would when playing a team sport. Identify and work towards common goals as One People, One Nation!".
Dawn Lim:
Growing up in the 1990s, Singapore’s modern public housing, with emphasis on quality, has gained the attention and recognition of developing nations. Our home welcomed dignitaries from China and Africa as a living showcase. Unbeknownst to me, the adults built friendships with their international counterparts. To encourage higher birth rates, baby contests were quite a thing in the 1990s. With lesser children in each household, greater emphasis is placed on the child’s health and wellness. Oh lucky me!
It’s great as children were given space to play - huge sandy playgrounds with real swings, see-saw, 3-metre tall slides. I remember the happy laughters and squeals from children at 5.30pm till dinner’s ready. Fast forward into the 2000s, numerous educators have imparted knowledge, wisdom and life lessons to me. I have benefited immensely from the system, housing, education, health. Now, I also hope to be a useful member of the society and an active contributor.
10 years ago, I joined the warm community of Braddell Heights. It is a like-minded community because they are eager to devote time to gift (and give) back to their community. It is like being in a huge family! Here’s sharing some photos of my beloved ‘uncles’ and ‘aunties’ who I hold deep respect for. Many have served unreservedly and single-heartedly for decades.
In my extended family of Braddell Heights, their tenacity and selflessness has always been my beacon of light whenever I get weary. They are my kampong! My heart is full of gratitude and thankfulness to my Braddell Heights Family. For their unwavering friendship, sincere smiles, caring hearts have lit and sparkled my last decade. I am truly blessed to be serving alongside them.
I don’t have grandiose words to pen my hopes for Singapore, as I very much believe that less is more; and when the heart and mind is in the right place, many other things like prosperity and equality will happen. I hope gratitude will fill the hearts of our people, goodness can spread across layers of society, and all will have the courage to do it right with grit and greater good of society.
