Sellapan Ramanathan (born July 3, 1924) is the sixth and current President of the Republic of Singapore. Often referred to as S. R. Nathan, he was first sworn in on September 1, 1999.
Early life
Nathan is a Singaporean of Indian Tamil descent; his childhood was spent with his three older sisters and parents, V. Sellapan and Apiram, in Muar, Johor, in a house overlooking the sea. His father had been posted to the Malayan town as a lawyer's clerk for a firm that serviced rubber plantations, but the rubber slump of the 1930s sent the family's fortunes crashing. Nathan's father accrued debts, and eventually lost his job.
By then the young Nathan had returned to his birthplace, Singapore, to live with an uncle, and received his early education in several Anglo-Chinese Schools, such as the Rangoon Road Afternoon School, and later Victoria School. He started working before completing his studies. During the Japanese Occupation of Singapore, Nathan worked for the Japanese civilian police as a translator. After the war, whilst working, he completed his secondary education through self-study, and entered the University of Malaya (then in Singapore) where he graduated in 1954 with a Diploma in Social Studies (Distinction).
Civil service career
Nathan began his career in the Singapore Civil Service as a medical social worker in 1955. He was appointed Seamen's Welfare Officer the following year. In 1962, he was seconded to the Labour Research Unit of the Labour Movement, first as Assistant Director and later Director of the Labour Research Unit until January 1966. He continued as a Member of its Board of Trustees until April 1988.
Becoming President
Nathan was elected unopposed as President on August 18, 1999. His nomination was strongly supported by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew. He succeeded the 5th President of Singapore Ong Teng Cheong and was sworn in on September 1, 1999.
On 12 July 2005 Nathan announced that he was seeking re-election as President. He submitted an eligibility application to the Presidential Elections Committee; by 6 August 2005 three more people had also submitted forms, but on 13 August the Committee announced that the other three applicants had been rejected. Nathan returned unopposed on nomination day, 17 August. He was sworn-in for a second term of office on 1 September 2005. |