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Marshall Cavendish International - K. Kesavapany

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189 pages

English

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This biography documents K. Kesavapany's journey from the Malayan estates in the late 1930s to his move to Singapore when he was headhunted to join the Singapore Civil Service in the 1970s, and from his entry into Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to his subsequent sojourns abroad, such as in Australia, Turkey, Geneva, Jordan, Indonesia, Russia, United Kingdom and Malaysia. After retiring from his last post with the MFA, he took on the position of Director of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore. This book also elaborates on the next phase of his journey where he holds several prominent portfolios in Singapore's social and academic scene, such as at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Dyslexia Association of Singapore, Singapore Indian Association, Inter-Religious Organization, as well as the Singapore International Foundation.

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Diplomacy

Diplomatie (homonymie)

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Publié par	Marshall Cavendish International
Date de parution	22 mars 2019
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9789814841665
Langue	English

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A fascinating account of Ambassador Kesavapany s remarkable journey from modest origins to a distinguished career in public service and diplomacy - and now, with boundless energy, in community service. Written with his characteristic brevity, wit, charm and candour, it also offers the author s personal glimpse into Singapore s evolution since independence and of his peers and friends who helped shape it.
HE Jawed Ashraf
High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Singapore
Ambassador Kesavapany has done Singapore a great service by recounting these illuminating and inspiring stories; stories which also provide valuable insights into the history of Singapore (and Malaysia) and into the nature of diplomacy. Personal relationships matter: imagine a Brazilian Ambassador tearing up an EU paper at a WTO meeting just out of solidarity with his friend, Pany. This book will surprise, amuse and entertain you.
Kishore Mahbubani
former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore
From Estate to Embassy: Memories of an Ambassador is a book full of history and knowledge. It is an invaluable source of guidance and advice for many generations to come.
The author, Mr Kesavapany, is a diplomat, a scholar and an interfaith leader. As Singapore s High Commissioner to many countries as well as Singapore s Permanent Representative to the UN, he represented Singapore to the best of his abilities. His experiences became an asset when he was made the Director of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. It was not surprising that our former President SR Nathan was the one who recommended that Kesavapany take up the role of President of the IRO from 2017-2018. It was during Mr Kesavapany s tenure as president that the IRO received its biggest donation (over a quarter million dollars) since its founding in 1949.
I first heard of Kesavapany through Professor Syed Hussein Alatas, the former Head of the Department of Malay Studies (NUS) and Vice-Chancellor (UM), who had very high regard for him and used to say that Kesavapany was highly intelligent and a man of vision. It is no doubt that Mr Kesevapany is an icon that Singapore should be proud of for his tremendous contributions that spanned decades.
Syed Hassan Al-Attas
Imam Head, Ba alwie Mosque, Singapore
I had the good fortune to join, and spend my maiden year at, the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO), Singapore, during Ambassador Kesavapany s presidency in 2017. Ironically, I had the good fortune to spend my first cycle of reservist duty in the Singapore Armed Forces with the Ambassador s son, Murali, 15 years prior.
Usually armed with a kindness of some sort, a word of encouragement, or a knowing smile, it was immediately clear that Ambassador Kesavapany s many years of leadership in public service and his easy-going personality were twin assets for the IRO.
Ambassador Kesavapany infused in the IRO a renewed energy to drive forward and to urgently reconsider its current standing in a changed world. He introduced and initiated various new programmes during his presidency and supported key modernising initiatives that may very well prove to be fundamental to the future of the IRO s inter-faith work.
True to Ambassador Kesavapany s nature, From Estate to Embassy is a modest, elegant and hopeful read about life. I hope others enjoy it as much as I have.
Ben J Benjamin
President, Inter-Religious Organisation, Singapore
A distinguished diplomat s understated record of a long and dedicated service to his nation.
Ravi Velloor
Associate Editor, The Straits Times
I am delighted that that this long-awaited book, From Estate to Embassy , has finally come to surface. But it was worth the wait as it takes time to chronicle in detail the life of an amazing individual. Indeed, Ambassador Kesavapany has led a truly remarkable life in service to nation and community. His contributions are immeasurable and extend beyond his diplomatic service to his indefatigable leadership in the upliftment of the Singapore Indian community and his contributions particularly in the social, inter-faith and charity sectors, all earning him much deserved high admiration and recognition. I can think of no greater honour than to call him my friend.
Ameerali Abdeali, JP, PPA (G), PBM
President, Muslim Kidney Action Association
Like thirty percent of the graduates of the Malayan Teachers Training College, Kirkby, Liverpool, (MTTC Kirkby), K Kesavapany (Pany) and I opted out of the teaching profession after serving the government of newly independent Malaya for the contractual period of five years. Pany and I had the same ambition: to become lawyers. However, our financial situation was such that we accepted, gratefully, the offer to be trained as teachers in England.
Pany and I were in the same batch, the fifth, 1955-1957, and in the same English tutorial class under Cambridge graduate, Mr Geofrey Broughton. Pany was his favourite student, topping in the term tests.
There was a spiritual, religious trait in Pany. At Hindu festival times like Deepavali, Kesavapany became the College s Hindu priest. Donned in his Veshti and bare chested, he conducted poojas and recited the mantras with all solemnity and divinity in a shivering cold climate!
At ambassadorial level, Pany was an accomplished diplomat who was known to have worked closely with Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew himself. As High Commissioner of Singapore to his native Malaysia, he helped to resolve many a knotty issue between the two countries. It was during that time that Pany organised one of the best attended and most enjoyable Kirkby Reunions in the Concorde Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, patronised by HRH Tuanku Bainun, herself a Kirkbyite of the 1952-1954 batch. Pany was also involved as a principal organiser of the 2018 reunion in Johor Bahru and continues to keep close touch with the Kirkby alumni.
Thank you, Pany, for contributing substantially to the success of the Alumni.
Dato VL Kandan
President, Persatuan Alumni Malayan Teachers Training College Kirkby, Liverpool, England
Kesavapany s skill as a people person able to connect across cultures, sparring with elites and interacting with the man in the street comes through clearly. This book is more than the memoirs of a diplomat. Pany gives us a feel of the societies that he lived in, an insight into the rapid changes in Malaysia and Singapore during his lifetime, as well the challenges facing Singapore as we become a middle aged society.
Ambassador Barry Desker
Distinguished Fellow S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University

2019 K. Kesavapany
Published by Marshall Cavendish Editions
An imprint of Marshall Cavendish International

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The publisher makes no representation or warranties with respect to the contents of this book, and specifically disclaims any implied warranties or merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose, and shall in no event be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damage, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.
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Marshall Cavendish Corporation. 99 White Plains Road, Tarrytown NY 10591-9001, USA Marshall Cavendish International (Thailand) Co Ltd. 253 Asoke, 12th Flr, Sukhumvit 21 Road, Klongtoey Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand Marshall Cavendish (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Times Subang, Lot 46, Subang Hi-Tech Industrial Park, Batu Tiga, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Marshall Cavendish is a registered trademark of Times Publishing Limited
National Library Board, Singapore Cataloguing in Publication Data
Name(s): Kesavapany, K. | Pillai, Anitha Devi.
Title: From estate to embassy : memories of an ambassador / K. Kesavapany with Anitha Devi Pillai.
Description: First edition. | Singapore : Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2019 Identifier(s): OCN 1078777661 | e-ISBN 978 981 4841 66 5
Subject(s): LCSH: Kesavapany, K. | Ambassadors--Singapore--Biography. | Diplomats--Singapore--Biography.
Classification: DDC 327.59570092--dc23
Printed in Singapore
Cover photograph by Ashima Suri
I would like to dedicate this book
to my wife Padmini ,
my sons Murali and Sashi ,
my daughters-in-law Jyoti and Geetha ,
and my grandchildren Kishan and Jaynna
for their love and affection .
Contents

Acknowledgements
Foreword
A Message
CHAPTER 1 Before the Journey Begins
CHAPTER 2 The Kirkby Experience
CHAPTER 3 Once I was a Teacher
CHAPTER 4 Varsity Life
CHAPTER 5 The Letter from Singapore
CHAPTER 6 Working in the Ministry of Labour
CHAPTER 7 The Diplomatic Journey Begins
CHAPTER 8 My Southern Odyssey
CHAPTER 9 To the Land of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky
CHAPTER 10 To be in England
CHAPTER 11 Tending to the Region
CHAPTER 12 Diplomacy in Geneva
CHAPTER 13 Returning to my Roots
CHAPTER 14 Entering the World of Academia
CHAPTER 15 The Change that I Wish to See
CHAPTER 16 The Rotary Movement: Service above Self
CHAPTER 17 My Inter-Faith Journey
CHAPTER 18 My Encounter with APJ Abdul Kalam
CHAPTER 19 Lessons I Learnt from Five Decades of Interaction with the Late Mr SR Nathan
CHAPTER 20 My Journey Continues
A Letter from President SR Nathan
Author s Note: The Scribe s Journey
About the Authors
Acknowledgements

As can be seen from the story to be unfolded in this book, the late Mr SR Nathan loomed large in my life, starting from the t