Indians play an important role in Singapore's society: PM Lee
SINGAPORE - The Indian community has contributed to Singapore "in deep ways" Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Thursday night as he opened the $21 million Indian Heritage Centre.
Mr Lee said Indians have been in Singapore since Sir Stamford Raffles arrived in 1819 and have contributed to its landscape ever since.
For example, Indian labourers built much of Singapore's early colonial architecture, including the Istana, while there have been many notable pioneers including Government founding member Mr S Rajaratnam who penned the national pledge.
Mr Lee said the new Campbell Lane centre - the first museum here dedicated to Indian history - "affirms the importance and vibrancy of the Indian community in Singapore"
The Little India centre cost the National Heritage Board $16 million to build and another $5 million to fit out.
Divided into five themes, the museum starts with the early interactions between South Asia and South-east Asia, and goes on to feature the origins and movement of Indians from the 19th century to the 21st century.
The third section features the contributions of early Indian pioneers in Singapore and Malaya, while the fourth showcases the social and political awakening of Indians here.
The final section showcases the contributions of Indians in Singapore from the late 1950s to the 1980s.
The 3,090 sq m, four-storey centre is a culmination of about seven years' of work.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Office S. Iswaran, chair of the centre's steering committee, said the project was also "strongly endorsed" by the late founding Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
Mr Iswaran also thanked the community for loaning or donating artefacts including family heirlooms.
The centre has so far received a total of 368 artefacts through a collection drive in 2011. More than 200 of these are now on display. They include a pitcher belonging to the late Mr G Sarangapany who set up Tamil magazine Munnetram and edited the Tamil Murasu newspaper.
The centre's storyline is also a culmination of consultations with 56 Indian organisations, associations and groups.
To mark its opening, a CultureFest will be launched on Wednesday, lasting until May 31.
Activities such as street fairs, performances and outdoor film screenings will be held on the newly-pedestrianised Campbell Lane.
The NHB will also launch a new trail of Little India next year.
SINGAPORE - The Indian community has contributed to Singapore "in deep ways" Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Thursday night as he opened the $21 million Indian Heritage Centre.
Mr Lee said Indians have been in Singapore since Sir Stamford Raffles arrived in 1819 and have contributed to its landscape ever since.
For example, Indian labourers built much of Singapore's early colonial architecture, including the Istana, while there have been many notable pioneers including Government founding member Mr S Rajaratnam who penned the national pledge.
Mr Lee said the new Campbell Lane centre - the first museum here dedicated to Indian history - "affirms the importance and vibrancy of the Indian community in Singapore"
The Little India centre cost the National Heritage Board $16 million to build and another $5 million to fit out.
Divided into five themes, the museum starts with the early interactions between South Asia and South-east Asia, and goes on to feature the origins and movement of Indians from the 19th century to the 21st century.
The third section features the contributions of early Indian pioneers in Singapore and Malaya, while the fourth showcases the social and political awakening of Indians here.
The final section showcases the contributions of Indians in Singapore from the late 1950s to the 1980s.
The 3,090 sq m, four-storey centre is a culmination of about seven years' of work.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Office S. Iswaran, chair of the centre's steering committee, said the project was also "strongly endorsed" by the late founding Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
Mr Iswaran also thanked the community for loaning or donating artefacts including family heirlooms.
The centre has so far received a total of 368 artefacts through a collection drive in 2011. More than 200 of these are now on display. They include a pitcher belonging to the late Mr G Sarangapany who set up Tamil magazine Munnetram and edited the Tamil Murasu newspaper.
The centre's storyline is also a culmination of consultations with 56 Indian organisations, associations and groups.
To mark its opening, a CultureFest will be launched on Wednesday, lasting until May 31.
Activities such as street fairs, performances and outdoor film screenings will be held on the newly-pedestrianised Campbell Lane.
The NHB will also launch a new trail of Little India next year.
