I consider it a privilege to say a few words about Raja, a founding father of our Republic. My father was one of the pioneer Ceylon Tamils who went to Malaya to work as a conductor supervising the Tamil labour force. In those days the pioneers encouraged the relatives to follow them. Raja's father, the late Mr Sinnachamby, was a nephew of my dad on his paternal side and my father arranged his marriage to his niece on the maternal side - that is Raja's parents were first cousins. This was common in the old days but much as geneticists would decry such inbreeding, it did not seem to harm the progeny and Raja is a good example.

In my boyhood, Raja was just a name and a photograph in his parents' home. Soon after the war ended, his parents were shocked to hear that nor only had he given up legal studies but he had married a Hungarian- However, they warned him to return to Malaya. It was then that I met Raja and Piroska. Soon after, in 1948 when I came to study medicine in Singapore, T stayed in a hostel in Patterson Road and started seeing the Rajas often. 1 had then a home away from home. After that, I returned to Malaysia for two years. After I graduated and married a Singaporean, 1 returned to work in Singapore in 1956. Again our relationships were renewed- In fact, as the bridegroom in 1955, Raja's home was thrown open to me and my family and my pre-wedding rites took place in Chancery Lane. My four children were attached to the Rajas from small and have happy memories of Raja and Piroska whom the family visited weekly.

Piruska's death upset him enormously. He never got over this loss although he tried to bury his sorrow in his work. When he started slipping mentally soon after his 80th birthday, I asked President S R Nathan and Professor Tommy Koh to join me in the Committees of the Person and Estate of Raja to ensure excellent care, which he had until his last days when there were two maids and two nurses to look after him in his every need.

Raja's philosophy of life was different from his political philosophy. On the political stage, he was a pugilist and could deliver knock-out blows. In his private and ministerial/administrative life he was gentle and caring. His subordinates were treated as friends and partners. Association with him made you realise that here was a humane person with no pride and filled with goodness. We will always miss Raja and thank providence for giving Singapore such a leader.

Dr V. Kandasamy Pillay is a cousin of
Mr S. Rujdratnam. He runs his own private
medical practice, Pillay Orthopuedic Sports
Medicine Spine Surgery Pte Ltd

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