MCI (P) 114/12/2013 JULY 2014

SINDA wins
Governance Award
Education Minister
visits SINDAs Tuition
Programmes
HITTING ALL
THE RIGHT
NOTES
KAUSHIK SURESH
05
13
03
Football Fever
11 CONFIDENT PRIMARY ONES 12 ACE THE RACE 16 RIDDLE-O-MANIA
Contents CEOs Note
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08
14
10
10
CEOs Note
01
Youths,
the Herald of Change 04
Education Minister
visits SINDAs Tuition
Programmes
05
Malabar Gold & Diamonds
- SINDA Family Health Fair
07
Keeping an Eagles Eye
on Our Future
06
Celebrating Mothers
Celebrating Families
1015
Juniors Bring It On!
Return of Camp Jumanji
Camp Arise 3.0
Condent Primary Ones

Today in Parliament...
Our SINDA Youth!
Ace the Race
Game On!
Football Fever
A Peek at their Future Careers
Bolstering Maths Skills for the
Major Exams
Seeing Clearly Again!
Respecting Relationships,
Protecting Families
Riddle-O-Mania
About Us
16
Game On!
Seeing Cleary Again!
Return Of Camp Jumanji.
KAUSHIK SURESH
Hitting All The Right Notes
IBRs Vidya Daan - Gift of Learning
Introducing SINDAs New CEO 02
SINDA Wins Governance Award
Top Human Resource Award for SINDA COO 03
CEOs Note
Mr Kumaran Barathan
CEO, SINDA
It is a great honour to lead SINDA as its new Chief
Executive Ofcer. Over the years, I have witnessed
SINDAs work and the difference it has made in
peoples lives. My predecessors have laid a strong
foundation in service to the community, and
I am proud to follow their steps to champion the
furtherance of SINDAs mission in serving the
Indian community and national interest.
I believe my past experiences at the Economic
Development Board (EDB), the Agency for
Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) and
the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and
Industry (SICCI) will serve me well, as I begin my
work at this organisation.
In recent months, I have had the opportunity to
become closely acquainted with SINDAs work,
and I have seen the passion and commitment of
the staff as they work for the betterment of the
community. Such staff are an inspiration and they
bolster my condence in SINDAs abilities to meet
its mission head-on.
The programmes and services offered at SINDA
have evolved signicantly over the years to
become holistic and wide-ranging. We prep our pre-
schoolers and their parents to face new challenges
as they begin school; our tuition programmes and
enrichment workshops complement the educational
pursuits of our students.
From primary school children to tertiary students,
our two-pronged approach with youth focuses on
motivating our students as well as grooming those
who show potential, to become passionate leaders
of the community.
The SINDA Family Service Centre provides a helping
hand to those who need social assistance. SINDAs
Community Engagement and Volunteer Management
team seeks new community partners as it strengthens
existing warm ties with a myriad of community,
business and religious organisations. Behind the
scenes, SINDAs work is ably supported by units like
the Corporate and Marketing Communications and the
Corporate Services divisions.
I believe that SINDAs work is sound. We have made
great inroads into the community, and together with
our partners and stakeholders, we have propelled the
community to greater heights. But the work does not
stop there; we have much work ahead to ensure our
communitys continued success.
At this point, I would like to commend my predecessor,
T. Raja Segar, who helmed SINDA for ve years. In
this time, he has done a marvelous job in bringing this
organisation forward, for SINDA would not be where it
is today, without his vision, passion and dedication. I
congratulate him for his achievements and I wish him
the very best in his future endeavours.
The coming months will be lled, as always, with
communal events, programmes and initiatives, and
I am excited to be part of them, to meet all of you and
work with our partners and stakeholders.
I trust that all of you will give SINDA your continued
support as I embark on this new adventure and I invite
you to join me on this journey towards the next stage
of development for the Singapore Indian Community.
Dear friends of SINDA,
01
At a Glance
IBRs Vidya Daan
Gift of Learning
The Indian Business-leaders Roundtable
(IBR) hosted its inaugural fundraiser with
an evening of fusion music on 22 March
at the M Hotel Singapore.
Over 200 members, well-wishers and
guests were treated to a performance by
acclaimed husband-and-wife duo, violinist
Dr L Subramaniam, hailed as The Paganini
of Indian Classical music, and multi-
platinum singer Ms Kavita Krishnamurthy.
The funds raised, more than $300,000, will
benet SINDAs STEP and Project Teach
students through a three-year subscription
to the HeyMath! e-learning portal.
The evening was graced by Guests-of-
Honour, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam,
Chairman, SINDA Board of Trustees and
SINDAs President Ms Indranee Rajah.
Introducing SINDAs New CEO
On July 1, SINDA welcomed our new CEO, Mr Kumaran Barathan,
who succeeds Mr T Raja Segar.
Mr Raja, who has led SINDA for the past ve years, has moved on
to pursue other personal interests. Deputy Prime Minister and
SINDAs Chairman, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, paid tribute to
Mr Raja on behalf of the Board, Raja has provided steady and
thoughtful leadership, and developed a talented and dynamic senior
management team. Barathan will take over a strong organisation.
Looking forward, Mr Barathan says his focus will be on creating
the right synergy between the social and business sectors.
This includes providing Indian students with the right skill sets
beyond the academic scene so that they are well equipped for the
workforce. He said, I have always considered social and economic
upward mobility through education as a lever.
I also intend to carry on building on the success of the
predecessors, to reach out to the larger social community in
Singapore and remain relevant to the community.
Mr Barathan is the former Chief Executive of the Singapore Indian
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI). His distinguished
career includes senior positions at the Economic Development
Board (EDB) over 25 years.
SINDA Wins Governance Award
SINDA is the rst recipient of the Special Commendation Award 2013 for Corporate Governance Policies and Strong
Management, conferred by the Charity Council.
The Charity Governance Awards 2013, organised in partnership with the National University of Singapores Asia
Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy (ACSEP), brought together 140 guests from 70 organisations.
Then Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Mr Lawrence Wong, was Guest-of-Honour at the event held
at Novotel Clarke Quay.
Top Human Resource Award for SINDA COO
SINDA congratulates Mrs Sarojini Padmanathan, our Chief Operating Ofcer and head of Corporate Services, on
being named HR Professional of the Year at the 2nd HR Excellence Awards on 21 May.
Mrs Sarojini received the prestigious award for her excellence in implementing change and improving organisational
effectiveness, and for demonstrating extraordinary leadership qualities. Under Mrs Sarojinis capable stewardship,
SINDA became the rst Self Help Group to attain the Singapore Quality Class Award (2012), as well as the People
Developer Award. She has also been instrumental in strengthening and enhancing many of our manpower initiatives.
This is a recognition I never dreamt of, Mrs Sarojini declared. This is an accolade to all my bosses and teams and I
dedicate this award to each and every HR professional.
The mother of three daughters has been a Human Resource practitioner for the last 29 years, even going as far
aeld as South Africa to train senior ofcials.
Honoured for her focus, goal-oriented mindset and meticulous delivery as much as for empowering, nurturing and
uniting her teams, Mrs Sarojini also writes media articles and is a sought-after trainer in essential parenting skills.
She has touched many lives through her high-prole work with families.
Im Vadi PVSS
and This is How I Work!
Coming soon: Look out for exclusive interviews with
inspiring Singaporean Indians on the SINDA website in July.
www.sinda.org.sg
03 02
Education Minister visits
SINDAs Tuition Programmes
Education is a family affair thats what SINDA believes in and
thats what guides our unique approach of providing all-round
services to families.
Our tuition programmes and wide range of enrichment and
motivational activities cater to the young ones; and parents are
offered workshops that equip them with the necessary skills to
support their children. This allows parents to create optimal
home environments, and play engaged roles in their childs
educational pursuits.
All of these complement MOEs efforts to nurture a student-centric,
values-driven education.
On the evening of 1 April, Minister for Education Heng Swee Keat
dropped by the Woodlands Ring Secondary STEP Centre to see
this in action.
I am very happy to see that the programmes are not just about
academics, but also about holistic education, Minister Heng said.
He added, As for students, it is important to reach out to them in
their social, emotional learning so that they learn to be condent,
they learn to interact with other students and they learn to be
resilient. Those are the qualities that we think are very important to
the success of the children, not just in their studies, but for life.
He also noted that parents play a very critical role. Most important
is to encourage your children to keep trying. That way, the students
build resilience.
Many parents attended the visit a wonderful show of engaged
students and supportive parents in a shared journey towards success.
Sometimes, we need a life-changing experience to help us
change the lives of others.
Sharing how their eyes were opened were the 20 youths of
the SINDA Young Leaders Programme 2014 (SYLP), at their
graduation ceremony on 24 May.
To their families who were there, they showcased the results of
their 10-month journey with the SYLP, through presentations of
their Act to Change community projects. These ranged from
short lms expostulating the health of married Indian women,
and the importance of proper sleep habits, to workshops on
cyberbullying, and non-academic avenues for primary school
Indian students; to the igniting of meaningful relationships
between the elderly and orphans.
SINDA President, Ms Indranee Rajah also addressed the
evolving role of Indian youth in community work at the event.
The SYLP is a agship programme of the SINDA Youth Club. It
aims to develop the next generation of leaders who will be active
contributors in community-building and service, and exemplars
in social innovation and leadership.
On 18-23 March, this batch undertook an international study trip
to Kerala, India, where they were exposed to community causes
there, while learning more about the people, culture and history.
There, they had the opportunity to learn from social groups,
such as their Kerala youth counterpart ALTIUS World Malayalee
Council, the National Institute of Speech & Hearing for the
education and rehabilitation of the speech and hearing-impaired,
and the Kudumbashree community network, one of the largest
women-empowerment projects in the country.
Ghayathiri, 18, from National Junior College, was particularly
struck by her visit with Kudumbashree. She shared, Visiting
Kudumbashree was a very educational experience because in
Singapore, gender discrimination is not widespread. However,
in India it was evident that everyday affairs for women were a
daily struggle. Their passion to ght for their rights and rise up
in society was denitely an eye opener for us.
Vijayakumar Arul Oswin, 21, who is now serving National Service,
learnt something new from Altius. Smiling, with good thoughts,
was their spiritual uniform. As they taught: we should all be
generators and distributors of positive energy!
Youths, the
Herald of Change
05 04
Sometimes, all it takes is a little guidance to make your
path seem smoother.
For the 25 students who have come through the Eagles
Eye programme, where senior Rafes Institution (RI)
students mentor academically-inclined Primary 5 students
from low-income Indian families, the benets are clear.
Surekha Shanmugam, now in Primary 6 at North View
Primary School, is one of those who feels enriched by the
experience. She shares that over the months, I have learnt
many things, such as condence, conscientiousness and
resilience, and brushed up my leadership skills.
Besides getting problem solving tips, the students also
embark on learning journeys organised by the RI student
mentors. They also have discussions about their individual
strengths and weaknesses.
I have always looked forward to Wednesdays, as it meant
going for the Eagles Eye programme, Surekha smiles.
Surekha leads her schools Indian Dance troupe, is a
prefect, and has twice won Edusave Certicates of
Academic Achievement.
Her Primary 5 teacher, Mrs Sreelatha Prasad, has only
praise for her. Surekha has a positive attitude towards
her work and life, and her determination and commitment
will lead her to success in life.
Eagles Eye is hosted by SINDA in collaboration with RI.
This year seven pupils are in the programme, which will
also offer them an opportunity to be enrolled in RI when the
time comes.
It has been a valuable partnership for both the mentors and
mentees so far. As Surekha says, I hope this programme
will continue to inspire other kids.
Keeping an
Eagles Eye on Our Future
Malabar Gold & Diamonds - SINDA Family Health Fair
Tying in with Fathers Day on 15 June, SINDA celebrated the International Year of the Family with our rst-ever
Malabar-SINDA Family Health Fair.
For some 400 adults between the ages of 18 and 50 from SINDAs programmes, this was an opportunity to not only
learn about preventive health measures, but also to get a free physical health screening.
Do you know what the top-killer diseases among Indians are? Or how to deal with common illnesses? Health-conscious
parents are better prepared for medical issues, having the required knowledge and skills to attend to them, and this
leads to healthy families. Raising this awareness and changing attitudes towards health screening was the order of the
day at the event at the Umar Pulavar Tamil Language Centre.
The place was buzzing with activity - health talks, cooking demonstrations, skits and quizzes, besides the on-the-spot
check-ups. Just round the corner at SINDA, the mobile mammogram bus Mamma-on-Wheels was also in action.
This health fair is a joint project between established jeweller Malabar Gold & Diamonds and SINDA, in partnership with
the Health Promotion Board and SATA Community Health. In an effort to cultivate regular health screening and healthy
lifestyle practices in the community, Malabar Gold & Diamonds will be generously sponsoring the annual event and the
health screenings for low-income families for three years.
Celebrating Mothers
Celebrating Families
It was a whole day of fun and games for 31 families on Sunday 18 May,
as they took time out from exam season to fete their mums.
Among the 114 who joined in the merriment at the Singapore Indian
Association was housewife Malliga, 46, who cheered, We enjoyed the
food, games and celebration. Thank you SINDA!
07 06

What have been some of the
biggest highlights in your life?
One of them was winning Yaar Antha
Star and embarking on my musical
journey with Vasantham. This was a
result of sheer hard work and intense
practice sessions, which reiterated
the point that there is no shortcut
to success in life.
The second biggest milestone was
attaining straight As in my A
Levels and being named top student
of National Junior College. That was
a big boost to my self-belief, and it
also proved that one can achieve
much academically whilst pursuing
other interests.
What have been challenging
moments in your life?
There were many critics who said a boy
in the media industry can never excel
academically. It took me three years to
dispel such narrow-mindedness, and
there have been others like me since.
Another challenging moment was
when I was runner-up in Superstar Asia
Challenge 2013. When I displayed my
disappointment on TV, it led many to
believe that I was an arrogant young
man who had only tasted success in
life. Actually, it was just my frustration
and angst at missing the rst prize by
a mere 0.5 points and not being able
to do my country proud. However, the
criticism and support after the show
reminded me that this path is a double-
sided coin. As an artiste, I respect the
opinions of my viewers.
How do you nd time to relax
amidst your busy schedule?
I do have a busy schedule, studying for
two degrees. However, performing and
singing relax me, so even if I have back-
to-back performances on weekends,
I can successfully de-stress!
Do you think that you are at a
peak in your life, or is there
more you want to achieve?
Ah this may be a peak in my life,
but just as the Himalayas has several
peaks with a pinnacle in Mount
Everest, I wish to out-perform my
individual achievements every year,
so that by the time I hang up my
boots, I would have been a successful
role model for young Singaporeans.
That is my Mount Everest!
Tell us about the journey of
Singai Thamizhan.
In my six years in the media industry,
I saw several young talents who lost
their way after a couple of shows and
could not nd a way back in. I also
observed others waiting eternally
on the sidelines for a chance to act,
sing, or host.
Instead of starting an academy or a
coaching workshop, I founded Singai
Thamizhan as a non-prot initiative
to provide youths with an opportunity
through every song of mine. This has
been possible only because of my
team of passionate youth, who work
tirelessly behind the scenes, coming
up with new concepts and talent-
hunting youngsters with a passion
to perform.
There was criticism that we were a
group of youngsters who were trying
too many different things. Many also
said we were exploiting new talents
to gain recognition for ourselves.
I think our past few projects speak
for themselves.
We released our rst single, Singai
Thamizhan, introducing new talents.
Subsequently we introduced singers
through the theme song for the NUS
Singapore Tamil Youth Conference.
Hes only 21, but the 2008 Yaar
Antha Star has overcome naysayers
and founded a movement to foster
an authentic identity for the
Singapore Tamil community through
song. This singer and avid cricketer
is determined to go places hes
concurrently pursuing a second
degree in Computer Engineering
at NUS while completing his nal
year in Banking & Finance with
the University of Wales.
Meet Kaushik Suresh.
HITTING ALL
THE RIGHT
NOTES
KAUSHIKS PERSONAL INVITATION TO OUR YOUNG READERS
Dear SINDA Connections Readers,
If you believe you are talented and deserve a chance in the media industry, contact us @ Singai Thamizhan
on Facebook. We promise to assess your skills and bridge the gap between you and the industry. You will
not need to pay a single cent for this; neither do we earn from your talent. This is purely out of goodwill, to
provide a showcase for your potential.
Yours sincerely,
Singai Thamizhan
SINDAs support has been essential
to us as we can pool our talents with
SINDAs Youth Club to create quality
media productions.
The entertainment industry is
not a traditional choice. What
advice do you have for young
people who are torn between
taking up careers doing what
they love versus one which is
seen as more grounded?
I am a strong believer in multi-variant
personalities. Only an all-rounded
individual will be able to stand out
in this competitive world. We
recommend all Indian youths pursue
their interests in conjunction with
their academics, to ensure steady
progress in an uncertain future. Not
everyone can become an AR Rahman
or Siva Karthikeyan, so choose wisely,
my friends.
What were your growing-up years like?
Due to the nature of my fathers job, I spent most of my
younger days shuttling from one city to another. Finally,
when I was ve, we settled down in Singapore and I began
my schooling in a neighbourhood primary school.
How have your parents helped you get where
you are today?
My mother, Mrs Bharathi Suresh, was my rst guru and
greatest inspiration. She enrolled me for singing lessons,
and from age ve to 18, I studied Indian Classical Vocals.
She is a talented singer herself and I was intent on making
her proud! My father motivates me and pushes me to
succeed in my studies and hobbies.
My parents accompanied me to every competition and
performance, giving me much-needed moral support in
those times of pressure. I have nothing but gratitude and
appreciation for all the hard work, effort and time they
have invested in me. Even now, they constantly remind me
that regardless of success or failure, being a good person
is of paramount importance.
Regardless
of success or
failure, being a
good person is
of paramount
importance.
09 08
Camp Arise 3.0
Excitement was the order of the day for 150 lower secondary students
from 11-13 June as they eagerly anticipated the activities of Camp Arise.
This third edition of Camp Arise, held at Camp Challenge in Admiralty,
was themed Resilience Finding your Strength. Over the three days
and two nights, the teens tested their hardiness and condence through
challenging activities that whetted their spirit of exploration and discovery.
A chance to relive the fun was too good to pass up for several former
participants, who came back as co-facilitators for the programme. They
helped the students learn from their own adventures, and shared skills
to respond to challenges.
The June holiday camp may be over, but participants can look forward to
several stimulating booster sessions, in a year-long programme of sustained
guidance. These will emphasise developing a strong core of resilience, with
topics on sense of purpose, perseverance, achieving balance and harmony,
developing a positive outlook in life, and understanding ones strengths,
weaknesses and limitations. With such skills in hand, it certainly looks like
the competition to be a leader at next years camp will be keen!
Juniors Bring It On!
It was a Saturday and during the school holidays at that, but that didnt
stop 191 students and their parents from making their way to Seng
Kang Secondary School on 22 March.
They were eager to attend the SINDA Junior Challenge 2014, back for a
third year running after enthusiastic response at the previous editions.
Primary-schoolers from 19 STEP Centres showcased their talents as
they engaged in healthy competition with their peers. The activities
were conducted with the ultimate aim of motivating them towards
better academic performance.
After a scrumptious breakfast, the kids competed by age group in a
World of Words (P1&2s), Math Madness (P3&4s) and Simply Science
(P5&6s) while their parents were engaged in a talk. Mr Pugalenthii
entrepreneur, author, editor, life coach and scriptwriterkept the adults
engrossed in lively discussions on preparing work plans for the children,
establishing nurturing environments, and good sleep and study habits
for success. Especially popular was the topic on motivating and
disciplining using humour.
The prize presentation ceremony was opened by CEO Mr Raja Segar,
with trophies and medals awarded to the delighted kids. Woodlands
Ring STEP Centre students were crowned Overall Champions this year.
Congratulations to all participants!

Return of Camp Jumanji
Whats a holiday without some adventure? On 4-6 June some 100 students from
Primary 4 to 6 arrived at SAFRA Yishun Country Club for a residential camp that
delivered just that.
The excitement started a whole week earlier with some parent-child bonding fun
at the half-day brieng session on 31 May. With the twin themes of Motivation and
Leadership, the jam-packed June programme used experiential interactive games to
inculcate a spirit of teamwork and leadership in the kids.
The adventure training even included an 18m-high rope course that led through the
tree-tops at Yishun Park denitely an awesome feat for the students!
It was a proud day for the parents of 13 little ones who
graduated from SINDAs iLeap on 15 March. These
youngsters had just completed a 16-week bridging
programme which aided their smooth transition from
kindergarten to primary school.
iLeap provides K2 pupils who did not complete or had
poor attendance during their two years at kindergarten
the support they need to make the leap to a formal
schooling environment.
The benet is clear to these childrens parents. Said
one parent, Its a great programme. My daughter
has begun to speak in good English to the rest of the
family. Her condence level has been boosted as well.
Another mum attested, My daughters social skills
have improved. I see that she is able to understand her
surroundings and interact in a proper manner.
Besides a full line-up of English, Maths, music and
movement, art, outdoor activities and computer literacy
programmes , iLeap this year also conducted weekly
preparatory sessions for the whole of the rst school
term in Primary 1, to ease the transition.
iLeap was launched on 16 November 2013 in partnership
with Sarada Kindergarten, and engaged potential
pre-schoolers identied by the Early Childhood
Development Agency (ECDA).
Condent
Primary Ones
11 10
Its a race to ace the nals as Junior College and Polytechnic students around
Singapore embark on their nal year. For many students at this crucial period,
the stress can be too much to bear alone.
Instead, 42 students across 15 JCs and Polys are getting a guiding hand through a
ten-month long mentorship journey to face up to the challenge of performing well
in school.
As the Race proved its worth to these nal-year students in 2013. G. Thanya, then
in Innova Junior College, testies, The advice and encouragement from my mentor
helped me to overcome this exhausting and difcult period. I feel really grateful that
I was able to conde in someone who had gone through the same experiences and
who was able to guide and support me all the way.
Lending their condence and morale for the journey this year are 37 undergraduates
from National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University
(NTU) and Singapore Management University (SMU), who will be mentoring the
teens. They will work together with seven Project Directors from the respective
institutions Indian Cultural Groups, with guidance from SINDA staff.
The mentors and mentees will keep in regular contact, meeting up in study and
sports groups, as well as for social outings as a break from hectic school schedules.
Recalling the camaraderie, previous participant Heershan, from Victoria Junior
College, shares, My mentor, Senthil made a concerted effort to keep in contact and
ensure I was ne both emotionally and academically. He was sensitive to my feelings
despite the fact that we had clashing opinions about certain issues.
The 2014 mentors and mentees were introduced to each other at an overnight
Induction Camp on 22 February. Held at the MOE Labrador Adventure Centre,
it laid down the essentials for a healthy, responsible and successful mentorship.
As the Race ends in December, when the students complete this stage of their
education. Heershan is thankful for the programme. I was truly inspired to bring
out the best in myself, he says.
Football Fever
As football fervour mounted around the globe with the World Cup 2014, 70 secondary school boys were in for an experience
to remember. Over the rst weekend in June, these football enthusiasts underwent a two-day residential training camp that
got them right into the spirit of the sport.
Held at Golazo Futsal in Jurong, the Half-Time Soccer Camp on 3-4 June was organised for the mid-year break. With circuit
training, a futsal tournament, an exhibition match by established futsal teams, and the screening of popular international
soccer matches, there was no lack of excitement for the teens. The activities were designed to inculcate positive values,
healthy lifestyles and good study habits in the boys. They even had to follow the strict diet of professional footballers, to
better understand the discipline and commitment required to be successful at soccer!
They had come through 10 months of SINDAs rst-ever
Thought Leadership Programme begun last year, so what
could be better than for these trail-blazers to nish with a
rm demonstration of their leadership prowess?
Organised as a graduating project, a Youth Parliament was
called into session on 11 and 18 January at SINDA and The
Colonial@Scotts.
Over the two days, 30 participants vigorously debated issues
on Singapore and the region. The young peoples positions
on topics such as the economy, foreign affairs, manpower and
education got an airing during the riveting sittings.
In the process, the youths attained fresh perspectives on the
process of policy-making and parliamentary proceedings in
Singapore. It also enabled them to understand the various
external and internal factors that play a crucial role in
Singapores future.
The Thought Leadership Programme was established in
2013. Its objective is to create thought leaders, by providing
a platform for informal discussions with eminent leaders,
so as to broaden youths outlook on societal and global issues.
Going by the success of the rst batch, we surely look forward
to seeing these youths in the Parliament House in the
not-so-distant future.
Today in
Parliament
Our SINDA Youth!
Ace
the Race
Game On!
Play a computer game while learning? Yes, you can!
The Skoolbo Core Skills pilot project by Skoolbo and SINDA
showed the way, with 20 six-to-eight-year-olds playing over
four Saturdays spanning 31 May to 21 June.
With 60,000 literacy and maths questions available, this free
game-based platform adapts to each childs learning method
and current achievements. Ms Sivakami Chinniah, Deputy
Director of the Family Division at SINDA, enthused, The
Skoolbo App ensures that our children continue to learn in a fun
environment, whilst being encouraged to think creatively.
SINDA will work with Skoolbo to analyse the students results.
This includes tracking their improvement and detecting their
weaknesses and strengths.
Mr Tay Kok Chin, Director of Partnership at Skoolbo, said: We
are very happy to support SINDAs national effort to level-up
the literacy and numeracy skills of the Indian community. With
technology, every child should be given the opportunity to read,
and gain condence with numbers.
It wasnt just the young ones who took part in the projectwhile
they were happily engaged in the IT lab, 20 of their parents
attended Parenting sessions on how to keep their children
motivated. This two-pronged approach will see this batch of
pupils very well-equipped for primary school!
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A Peek at
their Future
Careers
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Thats a question children get asked frequently, but
few young ones have a rm idea of what it takes to
achieve their dreams.
For 25 upper Primary students, their aspirations
were raised when they attended the Star Leadership
programme held at SINDA over 9-11 June. They
were introduced to various occupations through
hands-on activities, games and simulations, videos
and discussions. Over the three full days the
students discovered more about nursing, teaching,
accounting, and even explored artistic careers such
as animation, design, and art therapy. They not
only found out what academic qualications and
character traits are needed for these jobs, but also
regained motivation to work hard in school.
Teamwork, communication and strategy were among
the key skills they picked up, to help them improve
their relationships with others and aid their journey
through school and into the working world.
Bolstering Maths Skills for the Major Exams
SINDA continues to focus our emphasis on mathematics with a range of customised intensive programmes for students
sitting for landmark examinations.
Heres whats on offer:
Maths and Me
This 14-week Maths Intensive programme for PSLE students will give the Primary 6-ers creative thinking skills a boost,
and introduce problem-solving strategies. Maths and Me runs from 7 June-20 September.
Maths in Focus
Primary 6 students weak in Maths will benet from this 15-week Maths Intensive programme, which reinforces concepts
and builds their condence in the subject. Maths in Focus runs from 31 May-20 September.
Maths Express O
The 14-week Maths Intensive programme for O Level students aims to enhance their problem-solving ability, expose
them to different Maths thinking skills, and improve their speed and accuracy in answering standard questions.
Maths Express O runs from 5 July-18 October.
For more information, contact us at 1800 295 4554.
By bringing the topic of family violence out in the
open, SINDAs road show, Respecting Relationships,
Protecting Families on 5 April has paved the way for
further progress.
Held at The Verge to mark the 20th anniversary of the
International Year of the Family, the road show aimed
to address the pervasiveness of the issue in the local
Indian community.
Reaching out to the 500 participants, Social Work
students from Nanyang Polytechnic and SINDA Youth
Club members raised awareness on the various forms
of abuse and their impact, and claried many queries.
The attending families also learnt about preventive
measures and support services available
to those in need.
The host of activities included a quiz and a dramatic
performance by Drama Box artistes. More excitement
and awareness was generated with the dance by
Dhool 2013 group Boombox, who performed to theme
song Veetin Vanmurai specially produced by SINDA
and Ameale (Music-Audio Production) in both Tamil
and Hindi.
An interactive element throughout the afternoon was
provided by a roving radio jockey from Oli 96.8FM,
who interviewed both participants and experts
present, providing greater outreach through the
broadcast. Later, the experts engaged in an
enlightening panel discussion hosted by Mohamed Ali
of Idhayam Pesugiradhu, bringing the road show to
a successful close.
This event was supported by the Ministry of Social and
Family Development and the Central Singapore CDC.
Seeing Clearly Again!
Over three days in May, some 300 SINDA students
received free eye-screening and spectacles, as part of
the launch of the Essilor Vision Foundation in Singapore.
The initiative kicked off on 19 May with Dr Vivian
Balakrishnan, Minister for Environment and Water
Resources, personally performing an eye examination
for a student. Dr Vivian was formerly the Medical
Director of the Singapore National Eye Centre.
The Essilor Vision Foundation is being established world-
wide to address eye care needs of the underprivileged.
Essilor, which provided the lenses, organised the event
together with SINDA, in partnership with Singapore
Polytechnic, whose optometry students performed the
eye screenings, and BridgeAble and NPS International,
both of which sponsored the spectacle frames.
Respecting
Relationships,
Protecting
Families
15 14
ABOUT US
VISION
To build a strong and
vibrant Singaporean Indian
community together
MISSION
To build a well-educated,
resilient and condent
community of Indians
that stands together with
the other communities in
contributing to the progress
of multi-racial Singapore
VALUES
Respect, our culture
Integrity, our foundation
Service, our promise
Excellence, our pursuit
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Patron
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Chairman, Board of Trustees
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam
Life Trustees
Prof S Jayakumar
Mr S Dhanabalan
Mr S Chandra Das
Mr J Y Pillay
Mr Sat Pal Khattar
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam
Mr K Shanmugam
Dr N Varaprasad
Term Trustees
Mr Inderjit Singh
Ms Indranee Rajah
Mr M Rajaram
Mr V Shankar
Mr Ravi Menon
Mr R Jayachandran
Mr Hsieh Fu Hua
Mr Girija Pande
Mr Gautam Banerjee
Mr Ravinder Singh
Justice Judith Prakash
Mr K Kesavapany
Advisors
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan
Mr S Iswaran
Mr Hri Kumar Nair
Mr Vikram Nair
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
President
Ms Indranee Rajah
Vice Presidents
Mr Viswa Sadasivan
Mr Shabbir Hassanbhai, PBM
Secretary
Mr Sarjit Singh, BBM
Treasurer
Mr Shekaran Krishnan
Members
Mr V P Jothi
Mr R Rajaram
Mr Puvan Ariaratnam
Mr P Thirunal Karasu
Mr R Subramaniam Iyer
Dr Joshua V M Kuma
Mr Raj Mohamed
Mr K V Rao
Mr R Logapreyan
This contest will force you to think out of the box! Get the whole family to join in the fun of guessing!
Simply submit your answers, together with your particulars, to SINDA Family Division, No 1 Beatty Road, Singapore 209943.
Your entries will have to reach SINDA by 22 August 2014.
3 correct entries will each win a $50 voucher. The winning correct entries will be picked in a lucky draw.
The judges decision is nal. Winners will be contacted by SINDA to collect their prizes and their names will be published
in the next issue of SINDA connections.
Riddle-O-Mania
Name: BC No:
School: School Level: Contact No:
Address:
1. Sometimes I am full, but I never overow. What am I?
Answer:
2. I belong to you. However, other people use me more than you do. What am I?
Answer:
3. When I am sick, I run. However, I have no legs. What am I?
Answer:
4. Two fathers and two sons go shing. Each of them catches one sh. So why do they bring home only three sh?
Answer:
5. What is special about this sentence: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog?
Answer:
6. What starts with a P, ends with an E and has thousands of letters?
Answer:
7. What has to be broken before you can use it?
Answer:
8. What begins with T, ends with T and has T in it?
Answer:
9. Which month has 28 days?
Answer:
Congratulations
to the winners of
the previous issues
contest! Winners will be
contacted by SINDA to
collect their prizes.
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