In celebrating Singapore’s bicentennial, it is fitting to listen to the story of Tengku Sri Indra’s family. The history and the contributions of his family is deeply intertwined with that of modern Singapore – indeed, it can be argued that the decision of Tengku Sri Indra’s ancestor is one of the causes for which we celebrate the 200th anniversary of modern Singapore. The Family of Tengku Sri Indra As taught in schools today, the British arrived in Singapore in 1819, with the goal of establishing a trading post in Singapore. Having already possessed Penang and Malacca, a foothold in Singapore would enable the British to control the vital Malacca Straits and become the dominant European power in South-East Asia. Tengku Sri Indra is the 6th direct descendent of Sultan Hussien Shah, then the Sultan of Singapore and the Riau Islands. It was with Sultan Hussein Shah with whom the British engaged and recognised as the King of Singapore; in return, Sultan Hussein Shah agreed for the British to set up their trading post, laying the groundwork that would eventually become a metropolis. When Sultan Hussein Shah passed away, the mantle of the Sultan passed to his eldest son, Ali, whom became the King of Singapore and Riau. However, after losing in a power struggle between the Singapore Sultanate and the Temenggong of Johore, the Sultanate position in Singapore was passed over to Johore with the support of the British. The Singapore Sultanate ended with the death of Sultan Ali in 1851. Even as the position was abolished, the noble bloodline lived on. The right of primogeniture was the order of the day: Sultan Ali was succeeded by Tengku Alam, Tengku Hussein, Tengku Ismail and as of 2018, Tengku Sri Indra. The Contributions of the Nobles It must be emphasised that Sultan Hussein Shah agreed to British requests for a trading post for more than the prestige of a title. Even then, when the island was largely unpopulated and rural, he recognised its potential be developed, and he had the foresight that to understand the British had the means and the capabilities to realise that potential. Sultan Hussein Shah acknowledged that the British had what was perhaps the most advanced societies of the era and could turn their resources to that use. To use a modern economic term, Singapore was “outsourced” to the British to thrive as a modern economic entity as envisioned by Sultan Hussein Shah. In addition to the recognition of the Sultan, the British built a palace for the Sultan, which today has been repurposed as the Malay Heritage Centre. For the community, the British funded the Sultan Mosque, which still stands today in the historic enclave of Kampong Glam. The British went a step further and offered to construct a school for the education of the Malay elites; this suggestion was resisted by the latter. Nonetheless, Raffles went one to develop the eponymous school in 1823, and which today is one of the most prestigious and renowned educational institution in the nation: Raffles Institution, where Tengku Sri Indra received his secondary education from 1966 to 1971. This action was perhaps one of the most enduring consequence of the Sultan’s support of the British – it laid the foundations of education in Singapore, which eventually became one of cornerstones of the city’s success. The Family Today Certainly, the noble family today holds no privileges that such as those that distinguishes their foreign counterparts from the common citizens and have largely led lives similar to the average citizen. However, through the years since the end of the Sultanate, the family has always stressed the necessity of education. Tengku Sri Indra graduated from the then University of Singapore in 1976 with a Bachelor of Arts (2nd Class Upper Div. Hons. Degree in History). Upon graduating, he joined the Administrative Service with Singapore Airport Terminal Services which was just set up by the SIA Group. Subsequently he developed his management career in General Electric and Monsanto where he held the job as a Regional Director. In 1996 Tengku Sri Indra embarked on an entrepreneurial career by setting up his own management consultancy business which he manages till today. Married with six children, Tengku Sri Indra has raised his children to be successful and skilled in their chosen fields. His eldest son is the CEO of Kalms, a leading gift company while his youngest daughter graduated with a first class honours degree in Law from the University of Manchester and subsequently received a Master’s Degree in Law from the King’s College specializing in Finance and Investment. Tengku Sri Indra born in 1953 is now part of the 500,000 Singaporean Merdeka Generation. He has sung 3 national anthems in his life and has witnessed the development of Singapore. He remembers the days when the roads were potholed, the drainage would overflow, and jobs were scarce. The path that his family has traced through history in many ways mirrors that of Singapore. The bicentennial marks the progress of Singapore, particularly in the field of its human capital. Likewise, Tengku Indra’s family has embodied the results of education, enabling the family to continue to contribute to Singapore, a tradition that has continued since Sultan Hussein Shah signed the treaty in 1819.