Rajah, V K

Vijaya Kumar Rajah, commonly known as V.K. Rajah (born 1957), served as the Attorney-General (AG) of Singapore and a Judge of Appeal of the Supreme Court. Regarded as an innovative thinker in the field of law, he has made substantial contributions to promoting Singapore as a prominent international arbitration hub.

Rajah studied at the Anglo-Chinese School and pursued his law degree at the National University of Singapore, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1982. Four years later, he earned a Master of Laws degree with First-Class Honours from Trinity Hall, Cambridge University, United Kingdom. Rajah commenced his legal career with Rajah & Tann and rose to the position of Managing Partner, which he held from 1987 to 2003. Recognised for his legal expertise, he was among the first batch of legal practitioners appointed as Senior Counsel in 1997. His legal practice primarily focused on commercial, corporate, and insolvency litigation. Furthermore, Rajah actively participated in numerous local and international arbitrations, serving both as counsel and arbitrator. 

In early 2004, Rajah was appointed as a Judicial Commissioner and swiftly elevated to the position of a Judge of the Supreme Court later that year. He was later appointed as a Judge of Appeal in 2007. During his tenure on the bench, Rajah presided over a multitude of cases and authored more than 200 reported decisions. Many of his judicial rulings, spanning a decade, played a pivotal role in shaping the development of Singapore law. In 2013, Rajah chaired the 4th Committee on the Supply of Lawyers, a significant contribution that led to the establishment of Singapore's third law school.

In 2014, Rajah was appointed the eighth AG of Singapore and held this position until 2017. Though eligible for re-appointment, he opted for retirement from public service. During his tenure as AG, Rajah strived to enhance professional standards across various divisions within the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) and established the AGC Academy for that purpose.

Subsequently, Rajah transitioned into the role of an international arbitrator. In 2021, he was appointed as a Vice President by the International Chamber of Commerce International Court of Arbitration. His involvement in numerous and significant international arbitrations has contributed substantially to promoting Singapore as a key international arbitration hub. In 2022, Rajah was made Chairman of Singapore's Advisory Council on the Ethical Use of AI and Data. Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon has characterised V.K. Rajah not only as a great litigator but also as an innovative thinker in the realm of law.



For more information
Singapore International Arbitration Centre. “V. K. Rajah – Profile.” Accessed 1 August 2025. https://siac.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/V-K-Rajah_Profile_January2022.pdf. 
Duxton Hill Chambers. “VK Rajah SC.” Accessed 1 August 2025. https://duxtonhill.net/advocates-arbitrators/vk-rajah-sc/. 
Loong, Lee Hsien. “Valedictory Letter from PM Lee Hsien Loong to Attorney-General V K Rajah SC,” Prime Minister’s Office Singapore, 9 January 2017. https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/valedictory-letter-pm-lee-hsien-loong-attorney-general-v-k-rajah-sc. 

தமிழில் வாசிக்க

Return to home page 

About the Encyclopedia

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.