SELVA1/4 Giants
Channel: 50FACES
Date: 2015-08-23

It was a dark moment in the history of Singapore. The Japanese had finally surrendered and the British had taken over. Singapore was reeling from the effects of war and trying to build itself up once again. Singaporeans were faced with a battered British force trying to pick up the pieces once again while the threat of communism lingered in the air. Patience for the British rule was wearing thin and the people of Singapore wanted Independence. A growing group of patriots were drawn to each other to launch Singapore into unchartered waters in the firm believe that we will make it. Little did Mr Selvadurai realise that he would be part of this movement.

Born in Singapore in the year 1933, Mr P Selvadurai had a wonderful childhood prancing around the huge open fields in Monks hill.  He describes Singapore as an ideal place for a child, growing up playing with marbles, tops etc. Although he lived through the Japanese war as a child, he had moved to Malaysia at that point in time and was left unscarred by this terrible period in Singapore’s history. His education continued in RI where he played a lot of cricket and learnt carnatic singing while his sister went into traditional Indian dance. 

He went on to pursue a law degree at the University of London. It was there that the seeds of nationalistic pride were sown when his path crossed with the early pioneers of Singapore’s nation building.