I am on a visit to Singapore. September 16 was the 90th birthday of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, considered the Founding Father of Singapore. He was the first prime minister when Singapore became independent in 1965 and stepped down in 1994, making way for younger leaders of his party, PAP, and served as minister mentor until 2011.
 
The Strait Times and Today are the leading English newspapers of this city-state. I did not find any page of these papers carrying pictures of the ‘hero’ of the republic like the way various newspapers in India fill their many pages with the big photographs of the leaders whose birthdays or birth anniversaries fall on that day! These pages, I understand, are perhaps sponsored by various political leaders, public undertakings (using public money) or corporate groups. One can see huge banners in Delhi and other Indian cities proclaiming birthday wishes for the leaders with their big photographs. Also figuring on those posters are the names and photographs of some local leaders. Of late, this phenomenon of telling the citizens about birthdays of even local elected representatives has become more frequent. Electrical posts are often dotted with these proclamations! I sometime wonder why these acts when there are more important things to attend to.
 
On this day in Singapore, for such a tall leader of the Republic, a day-long conference, titled ‘The Big Ideas of Mr Lee Kuan Yew’, was organised by the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy of National University of Singapore. It was attended by more than 500 civil servants past and present, former and current politicians, academics and industry leaders.

The persons associated with him in the past and even now paid glowing tributes to his unwavering dedication to meeting various challenges while building the country to this level. What level Singapore has achieved over the years due to the lifetime of service and struggle is amazing and astonishing, to say the least! Throughout and even now, despite his not so robust health, he keeps on making calls for action and unity among various Singaporeans who are now from various regions of the World - Chinese, Malay, Indians, Indonesians, etc - and of course so many expats who are in Singapore, working for their various organisations.

President of the republic Tony Tan inter-alia remarked while wishing him “joy & continuous good health” that “Generations of Singaporeans have benefitted from Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s life-long contribution towards creating the peaceful and prosperous Singapore that we know today. Mr Lee reminds us that Singapore is a constant work in progress as he continues to work tirelessly to secure our future even after more than five decades of public service”.

I will conclude this brief article with some of the following messages which I could gather from the tributes paid to this Great Builder of Singapore, by his associates and the countrymen. Some of these, I hope, may be relevant to we the people of Indian and others.
 
True leaders of a nation whom the citizens admire are those who are dedicated and obsessed about building their country against all odds, face various challenges with a brave face and infect their colleagues and countrymen with action, commitment enthusiasm, integrity and unwavering positivity.

They do not believe in rhetoric but actually bring positive and tangible changes on the ground and among the system and society.
 
They therefore strongly believe in multi-racialism, multi-casteism and have respect for all religions.

They actively seek help of the citizens to be cooperative, helpful, sharing fruits of collective efforts and to do common good.

They themselves will provide caring governance, leadership and examples of integrity.

They are constantly on the move for positive ideas from all quarters and take all steps to get these implemented.

They do not seek greatness. Greatness is thrust upon them by the grateful citizens.

Some of the remarks of the readers in the newspapers, which came out the next day, “Mr Lee Kuan Yew: a colossus among men. It was his indomitable spirit and willingness to do what others would deem improbable or even impossible that catapulted Singapore to become a bustling metropolis. He opted sensibly and calmly for long-term benefits even as the short-term pains seemed excruciating. We are grateful for his visionary mind and inspiring the Singapore population.”

It is indeed a pleasure for me to be here in Singapore, for a brief while. What a city-state it is! Seeing is believing! I will cherish for ever this visit.