Award-winning Indian-origin writer and playwright Kamaladevi Aravindan was among six women who were inducted into the Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame recently, making up a total of 198 women who have been honoured since 2014.
Initiated by the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations (SCWO), which marks its 45th anniversary this year, the Women’s Hall of Fame celebrates progress in gender equality and recognises inductees’ contributions to Singapore’s history, society, and progress.
Aravindan, 75, writes in both Tamil and Malayalam, and some of her works have been translated into English and published in India, Canada, and Malaysia, Channel News Asia reported on Sunday.
She has published more than 160 short stories and essays, 18 stage plays, 300 radio dramas, and five books. She also conducts creative writing workshops organised by the National Library Board and the Association of Singapore Tamil Writers.
“Balancing the roles of a mother and wife was never easy. I devoted my days to caring for my children and would write through the quiet hours of the night. Despite the challenges, my love for writing never wavered,” she was quoted as saying by the channel.
She said that reading the works of Tamil writer-journalist and advocate of women’s rights Subramania Bharati, also known as Bharathiyar, sparked her interest in writing.
“I observed the struggles women faced as they navigated their many roles, yet I also saw their resilience. No Singaporean woman is ever truly defeated. Writing became my own way of capturing that strength and perseverance,” she said.
Aravindan joined five other Singapore women in the Hall of Fame on Friday.
Liu Bin, 51, is an internationally recognised scientist, engineer and innovator.
Ivy Ng, 67, is a clinician and former group chief executive officer of SingHealth and KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. June Rusdon, 65, has grown her business into a regional network of 142 centres with an enrolment of more than 15,000 children, and two teacher training colleges.
A pioneer art curator of the National Museum of Singapore, Constance Sheares, 84, helped establish the National Museum Art Gallery in 1976.
Vivien Goh, 77, is a pioneer music educator. She founded the Singapore National Youth Orchestra in 1980, now regarded as one of the best youth orchestras in Asia.
