S. Narayanan (b. 1930) was Singapore’s first Tamil interpreter in Parliament. He was also regarded as one of the best newsreaders in Tamil broadcasting.
Narayanan was born in Tamil Nadu, India, and arrived in Singapore in 1938 with his father, a private financier. He attended City High School and St. Joseph’s Institution, but his schooling was interrupted by the Japanese occupation during World War II. He continued his studies at Sri Ramakrishna Mission School during the occupation and returned to India shortly after the British regained control of Singapore. He pursued higher education in Tamil Nadu, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
In 1953, Narayanan returned to Singapore and joined the teaching service as an English and history teacher. However, he made a career switch in 1959, when Singapore attained self-government and Parliament introduced simultaneous interpretation services for all four official languages – English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. Narayanan was appointed as the first Tamil interpreter in Parliament.
He served in that capacity for 31 years, interpreting live debates, translating speeches and statements, and supporting parliamentary delegations abroad. Even after his retirement, Narayanan continued interpreting in Parliament as a freelancer until 2008.
Known for his rich, resonant voice and command of both Tamil and English, Narayanan was also a highly respected radio newsreader, delivering national broadcasts to Tamil-speaking audiences through the government broadcasting service.
Beyond Parliament, he translated key publications for the People’s Action Party and the National Trades Union Congress and served in leadership roles within the Singapore Interpreters and Translators Union and Ceylon Sports Club. He was also involved in the Singapore Indian Development Association’s formative years as an educational centre supervisor.
In 1990, Narayanan was awarded the Long Service Medal by the government in recognition of his public service.
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