National Day Tamil Song

National Day songs have long served as a powerful medium for projecting Singapore’s nationhood and its people’s Singapore identity. They are composed and sung in all four official languages: English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil. Though a small community, the Tamils have contributed a significant share to the collection of National Day songs.

The Tamil media, such as the Tamil Murasu and then Radio Television Singapura, were quick to utilise their channels to encourage and promote the composition of National Day songs since Independence in 1965. Programmes were dedicated to poetry as well as popular songs in Tamil that celebrated the National Day. Unfortunately, there are no reliable records of broadcast songs on vinyl or tape. Tamil Murasu editions on or around August 9, since 1965, usually carried a handful of poems and lyrics related to National Day. 

One early example is Alaipayum Valanaadu (A rich land surrounded by the sea), composed by Amalathasan, a well-known poet in the community. It was sung by Ganapathy Desikar, a reputable temple singer, at the National Day celebrations at the Padang in 1966. There were numerous such poems and songs over the following decades, but they did not gain enough traction to be recognised as national songs sung by the masses. 

The government began to pay special attention to Singapore songs and community singing in the 1980s. The National Folk Songs Committee was set up in 1980, under then Senior Minister of State (Prime Minister’s Office) Lee Koon Choy, to lead a “quiet campaign” to popularise community singing. The government viewed group singing as an effective means to foster a sense of national belonging and social cohesion. Several songs, including “Singapura” and “Di-Tanjong Katong”, were selected to be sung by popular singers and groups and widely broadcast over radio and television. 

The government was concerned enough about the lack of Singapore songs that it began commissioning songs with local themes. One of the first national songs was “Stand Up for Singapore”, composed in 1984, which was introduced as the theme song for the National Day Parade (NDP) that year. The government thus began to coordinate and promote NDP anthems in all four official languages as part of its community singing project, known as Sing Singapore.

Among the Tamil songs that made a significant impact not only on the Tamil community but also across ethnic groups is Munnaeru Vaalibaa (Advance, Oh Young man!), penned by S. Jesudassan in 1996. The song highlighted Singapore’s progress as a nation and instilled a sense of optimism for the future. For many years, this catchy anthem was a fixture at NDP celebrations and in schools and community centres.

In 2012, another Tamil National Day song, Singai Naadu (The Nation of Singapore) became a big hit. It was independently produced, conceived, written, and composed by Shabir Sulthan. With its ideas of unity, patriotism, and cultural diversity, it resonated not only with the Tamil community but with Singaporeans as a whole. 

The Tamil community’s contribution to National Day songs continues to grow, with many composers and singers making significant contributions. It is a testament to the relevance of the Tamil language in shaping national identity and unity.



For more information
National Library Board. “National Day Songs.” Singapore Infopedia, 11 March 2015. https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=07d7e2c6-e52c-4be5-9d0b-eb9080448908 
“Sing Singapore.” Wiki.sg. Accessed on 1 August 2025. https://wiki.sg/p/Sing_Singapore

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The information in this article is valid as of August 2025 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. If you have any feedback on this article, please submit here.