| P. S. Raman | |
|---|---|
 Raman in 1971 | |
| Ambassador of Singapore to Indonesia | |
| In office June 1968 – November 1969 | |
| Preceded by | position established |
| High Commissioner of Singapore to Australia | |
| In office December 1969 – May 1971 | |
| Preceded by | Stanley Toft Stewart |
| Succeeded by | A. P. Rajah |
| Ambassador of Singapore to the Soviet Union (Russia) | |
| In office June 1971 – 1976 | |
| Preceded by | position established |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Francis Conceicao |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1919 or 1920 Papanasam, Madras, British Raj (present-day Chennai, India) |
| Died | 15 December 1976 (aged 56) Moscow, Soviet Union (present-day Moscow, Russia) |
| Spouse | Lim Eng Neo |
| Children | 3; including Bilahari |
P. S. Raman (1919 or 1920 – 15 December 1976) was an Indian-born Singaporean diplomat who served as the Ambassador to Indonesia and the Soviet Union (present-day Russia), from 1968 to 1969 and 1971 to 1976 respectively, and the High Commissioner to Australia from 1969 to 1971.
A former educator, Raman also worked as a broadcaster, serving as the acting director of Broadcasting from 1965 to 1968 at Radio Singapore. In broadcasting, he was best known for advising then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew to not edit out the clip of him crying after announcing the separation of Singapore from Malaysia.
Early life and career
Raman was born in the British Raj either 1919 or 1920 in Papanasam, Madras, India (present-day Chennai, India) and moved to Singapore in 1947 following the Partition of India. He had originally planned to move from Singapore to Indonesia but was unable to due to financial problems.
While living in India, Raman studied philosophy at Madras Christian College and worked as a Royal Air Force radar operator in Burma (present-day Myanmar) for the British during World War II. In Singapore, he worked as a teacher at Saint Andrew's School and a tutor. In 1963, he became a member and later chairman of the Council of Adult Education.
In the 1950s, Raman later got interested in broadcasting, working with Tamil and later English at Radio Singapore under the Central Production Unit, receiving further training in broadcasting in Madras, India.
He later served as the acting director of Broadcasting from 1965 to 1968. Whilst working as the acting director of Broadcasting, Raman advised then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew to not edit out a clip of him crying following his announcement of the separation of Singapore from Malaysia. Lee stated in his memoir that " strongly advised against it. The press, he said, was bound to report it, and if he edited it out, their descriptions of the scene would make it appear worse."
Diplomat career
Ambassador of Singapore to Indonesia (1968–1969) and High Commissioner of Singapore to Australia (1969–1971)
In 1968, Raman served as the first Ambassador of Singapore to Indonesia following tensions between Singapore and Indonesia after the MacDonald House bombing. After the hanging of the perpetrators Harun Thohir and Usman Haji Muhammad Ali, Raman and his staff worked from Hotel Indonesia following death threats from Indonesians and the sacking of the Singapore Embassy in Indonesia.
In 1969, Raman suffered from a heart attack and went to a hospital in Jakarta before being flown back to Singapore for treatment. In December 1969, he was appointed as High Commissioner of Singapore to Australia.
Ambassador of Singapore to the Soviet Union (1971–1976)
In June 1971, Raman served as the first Ambassador of Singapore to the Soviet Union. Whilst serving as Ambassador to the Soviet Union, he was also appointed as Ambassador of Singapore to Finland, Poland, Bulgaria, and Hungary.
Death
On 15 December 1976, Raman collapsed in a subway station in Moscow and died of a heart attack. He was flown back to Singapore and had a service held at St. Paul's Church before being cremated at Mount Vernon Columbarium. Then-Foreign Minister S. Rajaratnam stated " was one of our better ambassadors, a good man, hardworking and conscientious."
He was survived by his wife Lim Eng Neo, a Peranakan Chinese of Malay ancestry, and his 3 children. One of his children, Bilahari Kausikan, became a diplomat like him.
References
- ^ Rajendran, Jawharilal; Kumar, V. K. Santosh (3 December 2018). "Like father, like son: Bilahari Kausikan is known to speak his mind, like father P. S. Raman". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ "Singapore names envoy to Indonesia". The Straits Budget. 26 June 1968. p. 11. Retrieved 16 September 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
- "RAMAN FLIES TO MADRAS FOR TRAINING". The Singapore Free Press. 22 December 1960. p. 7. Retrieved 16 September 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
- ^ "Raman to be our man in Moscow". The Straits Times. 16 June 1971. p. 9. Retrieved 16 September 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
- "S'pore envoy in Jakarta lodges protest over embassy sacking". Eastern Sun. 8 November 1968. p. 1. Retrieved 16 September 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
Singapore Ambassador P. S. Raman today lodged an official protest over the sacking of his embassy in Indonesia, as he considered a Government offer of temporary new premises from which to operate.
- "Unwell Envoy Raman Back". Eastern Sun. 2 June 1969. p. 1. Retrieved 16 September 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
The Singapore Ambassador to Indonesia, Mr. P. S. Raman, returned to Singapore suddenly yesterday for medical treatment.
- "Envoy Raman 'Seriously III'". Eastern Sun. 26 April 1969. p. 1. Retrieved 16 September 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
Singapore's Ambassador to Indonesia. Mr. P. S. Raman, is still on the seriously ill list in a Jakarta hospital but improving after suffering a heart attack last Tuesday.
- "Raman off to Canberra today". The Straits Times. 14 December 1969. p. 7. Retrieved 16 September 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
- "NOW RAMAN IS ENVOY TO FINLAND AS WELL". The Straits Times. 6 July 1973. p. 8. Retrieved 16 September 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
- "Envoy's body flown home from Moscow". The Straits Times. 21 December 1976. p. 13. Retrieved 16 September 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
- "Envoy Raman dies of heart attack". The Straits Times. 16 December 1976. p. 1. Retrieved 16 September 2024 – via NewspaperSG.