“I want to tell you all about what made this country. Hard work, persistence and a first generation that always sought hard seats- not the cushy seats we were sitting in for the dialogue session.”

Our first generation had a zeal and mission to create a nation whatever the cost, prepared to make sacrifices and always trying to do what was best for Singapore, planning long term and looking over the horizon and not flinching from challenges or hard choices.

The Oxford and Cambridge Society of Singapore through Vice President Paul Supramaniam had the invaluable opportunity to host an intimate, closed doors dialogue with Former President of Singapore, Mr S R Nathan, on 20 April 2016. During the two-hour session, Mr Nathan shared his thoughts around social mobility, leadership and the future of Singapore, among other scintillating topics. He exhorted all “returned scholars” to give back – by imbibing new and innovative ideas not contained in the Singaporean textbooks but which we have developed in the unique, personal and small-group discourse of an Oxford or Cambridge tutorial.

About Mr S R Nathan

Mr S R Nathan is Singapore’s longest-serving president and served two terms in office from 1 September 1999 to 31 August 2011. Prior to his presidency, he held key positions in security, intelligence and foreign affairs during an illustrious career in the Singapore Civil Service. Mr Nathan was conferred the Public Service Star in 1964, the Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 1967, and the Meritorious Service Medal in 1974.

The Oxford and Cambridge Society of Singapore held its Annual Dinner at Eden Hall on 20 February 2016. The evening’s highlight was certainly the Oxford-Cambridge debate, a time-honoured society tradition. Cambridge’s Mr Dennis Goh, Founder of HungryGoWhere, gave the first speech. This was followed by Oxford’s riposte, skillfully delivered by Ms Tan Su Shan (Oxford), Head of Consumer Banking at DBS.

The society is deeply indebted to the following for the night’s event: The British High Commissioner HE Scott Wightman CMG and his wife Anne for making Eden Hall available and gracing the occasion; our generous donors and contributors Mr Tony Chew and Dr Melanie Chew for their sponsorship of the Whisky Bar, Solicitor General Lionel Yee, Judicial Commissioners Aedit Abdullah and Hoo Sheau Peng for their donations, our piano Kseniia Vokhmianina for her contribution; our speakers Ms Tan Su Shan and Mr Dennis Goh; and the staff of Eden Hall.