S. Rajaratnam, The Authorised Biography, Volume Two: The Lion’s Roar

S. Rajaratnam, The Authorised Biography, Volume Two: The Lion’s Roar
Irene Ng, author
Date of publication:  2024
Publisher:  ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute
Number of pages:  776
Code:  BM627
Hard Cover
ISBN: 9789815203288
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Soft Cover
ISBN: 9789815104646
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About the publication

"Irene Ng’s biography of S. Rajaratnam is a monumental and painstaking record of the life, beliefs and moral courage of a core member of Singapore’s founding generation of leaders. Rajaratnam’s significance is more than a matter of history. The principles he advanced as our first foreign minister to secure a small country’s interests remain central to how Singapore shapes its destiny in a tumultuous world. So too his inexhaustible optimism, even in the darkest of times, as this compelling narrative brings to life. Yet Rajaratnam’s deepest imprint was in his vision of a multiracial Singapore, encapsulated in the national pledge for which he was principal author. It was his most powerful conviction: that we can and must be one united people, regardless of race, language or religion. The diversity of our cultures gives Singapore strength. But Rajaratnam’s conviction that Singaporeans could create a national identity that transcends and takes priority over other affinities remains what we must live up to. The Lion’s Roar should be read by new generations, today and tomorrow.”                               —Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President of Singapore

“The Lion’s Roar is not just a biography of S. Rajaratnam but also a detailed account of Singapore’s history. For many of us who belong to the post-independence generation, this book will bring us closer to Rajaratnam the man, and provide a vivid sense of what it was like in the early years of nation building. Irene has truly done Singapore a great service in bringing him to life for a new generation of Singaporeans.”                                                                                                                                                     — Lawrence Wong, Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Singapore

“This book does not just recount facts and events from the distant past; it also explains rationales and realities that remain fresh and relevant today… Irene has done a service to Singapore with this biography. The fruit of years of thorough, painstaking research and countless interviews, The Lion’s Roar is a serious yet captivating account of the life of a pivotal character in Singapore’s history. It gives an insight into what Raja was like, what he believed in, and what he fought for.”                      — Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong

“Irene’s outstanding biography of a leading pioneer generation political leader of independent Singapore is thoroughly researched and brilliantly written. Having been granted access to relevant government classified material, she has revealed exciting details never known publicly before, thus enriching our knowledge of Singapore’s recent political history. She has carefully and meticulously captured Mr. Rajaratnam’s views and his personality and character not only from written sources but also from many interviews of those who knew, and worked with, him. Her book deserves to be read by all - especially younger Singaporeans - who wish to gain a deeper understanding of the problems faced by a young country struggling to succeed and prosper and Rajaratnam’s key role in that struggle.”
            — Eddie Teo, Chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisers who has served in various key positions in the civil service including Permanent Secretary of Defence and Chairman of the Public Service Commission

“Irene Ng’s second volume of her biography of Singapore’s first Foreign Minister is a masterpiece. I love the book.”
                      — Professor Tommy Koh, Ambassador-at-large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and a professor of law at the National University of Singapore

“Of Singapore’s first generation leaders, S. Rajaratnam is arguably the least known because his most important contributions were intangible —the fundamental ideas and attitudes or in his own words, the “essential values” which made Singapore, Singapore. These include his deep commitment to multiracialism which he shared with all first generation leaders and which is the crucial component of our political culture, and the core tenets of our foreign policy. Yet precisely because they are intangible Rajaratnam’s contributions are, paradoxically, simultaneously omnipresent in every aspect of modern Singapore, and in danger of being forgotten. It is vital that they be better known and never taken for granted. In this respect, Irene Ng’s monumental two volume intellectual biography of Rajaratnam, has provided a new generation of Singaporeans with an invaluable resource on Rajaratnam in a readable and easily assessable form. It should be required reading in our schools, tertiary institutions of learning, and public service, particularly our Foreign Service.”
                                             — Bilahari Kausikan, former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore, and Singapore Ambassador

“An outstanding contribution to Singapore’s recent political history. Irene Ng has weaved the remarkable story of S. Rajaratnam’s role in Singapore’s post-colonial politics into a discussion of Singapore’s foreign policy and its attempt to build a nation from the disparate ethnic, language and religious groups within Singapore.”
                                          — Barry Desker, former Singapore Ambassador and founding Dean of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

“Without Rajaratnam, Singapore would not be as extraordinary as it is today. The Lion’s Roar is still alive and vibrant in Singapore. This book does an amazing job of explaining the unique genius of Rajaratnam. It’s a must-read.”
                                            — Kishore Mahbubani, former Singapore’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and President of the UN Security Council, and founding Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy

“The prose is clear and forthright, with meticulous research and first-hand interviews with Raja’s close associates like Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first Prime Minister. What makes it compelling is the parallel between between Raja/Singapore, between a founding father/nation. She also probes the man, the devoted husband, for instance. What emerges is an intimate mix of the public and the personal to create an inclusive portrait of a great man and the vibrant new nation, Singapore, that S. Rajaratnam nursed and helped to create.”
                                                                                                                                                                                         — Robert Yeo, poet, playwright and novelist

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