Home, truly

A young Singaporean who grew up and worked overseas, questioning his identity, found his way back to the city state - to find the world in Singapore

The writer, who made the decision to return to Singapore to serve national service, and his mother Selvarani Bannirchelvam, now 60, at his Officer Cadet School commissioning parade at Safti Military Institute in 2009.
The writer, who made the decision to return to Singapore to serve national service, and his mother Selvarani Bannirchelvam, now 60, at his Officer Cadet School commissioning parade at Safti Military Institute in 2009.
The writer (far right) with Dr Rajesh Dash (beside him) - with whom he is working in the Global Health Impact Partnership - and community members earlier this year at a Basti Dawakhana clinic, a low-cost primary care clinic, as part of a collaboratio
The writer (far right) with Dr Rajesh Dash (beside him) - with whom he is working in the Global Health Impact Partnership - and community members earlier this year at a Basti Dawakhana clinic, a low-cost primary care clinic, as part of a collaboration with the Telangana government in Hyderabad, India. PHOTOS: COURTESY OF SHANTHAKUMAR BANNIRCHELVAM
Shanthakumar Bannirchelvam
Updated
Aug 22, 2020, 12:10 PM
Published
Aug 22, 2020, 05:00 AM

I found myself questioning what Singapore meant as a home as every single fellow officer cadet around me loudly sang the words of Kit Chan's famous National Day song during a route march, while I silently marched ahead, not knowing a single word.

Having moved to Australia at the age of eight, then gone on a scholarship representing Australia to an international school in the United States, I questioned how "Singaporean" I truly was in moments like this.

Already a subscriber? 

Read the full story and more at $9.90/month

Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month

ST One Digital

 $9.90/month

No contract

ST app access on 1 mobile device

Subscribe now

Unlock these benefits

  • All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com

  • Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device

  • E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 22, 2020, with the headline Home, truly. Subscribe

Available for
iPhones and iPads
Available in
Google Play

MCI (P) 066/10/2023. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No. 202120748H. Copyright © 2024 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.

Back to the top