In this biography
Quick facts
- Born
- 25 February 1915
- Died
- 22 February 2006
- Birthplace
- Jaffna, British Ceylon
- Country
- Singapore
- Nationality
- Singaporean
- Known for
- Building Singapore’s early foreign policy and largely drafting the National Pledge
- Full name
- Sinnathamby Rajaratnam
- Office
- Minister for Foreign Affairs, 1965–1980
- Later office
- Deputy Prime Minister, 1980–1985
- Political party
- People’s Action Party
Why this life matters
Rajaratnam turned the shock of separation from Malaysia into a diplomatic and civic programme: international recognition abroad and a common national identity at home.
Timeline
Key moments
Helped found the PAP
Joined Lee Kuan Yew, Goh Keng Swee and others in establishing the party.
Became culture minister
Entered government after the first election under full internal self-government.
Built a foreign ministry
Became independent Singapore’s first minister for foreign affairs.
Drafted the National Pledge
Wrote the central draft that became Singapore’s civic pledge.
Helped found ASEAN
Signed the ASEAN Declaration on Singapore’s behalf.
A Malayan journalist becomes a politician
Born in Ceylon and raised in Seremban, Rajaratnam studied in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and London. Journalism made him a prominent anti-colonial and anti-communist voice. He returned to Malaya after the Second World War and helped found the PAP in 1954.
Foreign policy from scratch
When Singapore separated from Malaysia in 1965, Rajaratnam became foreign minister of a state with little diplomatic machinery. He helped secure international recognition, took Singapore into the United Nations and became one of the signatories establishing ASEAN in 1967.
A pledge for a multiracial nation
Rajaratnam largely drafted the National Pledge in 1966, framing citizenship around unity regardless of race, language or religion. That text, his idea of Singapore as a global city and his early diplomacy made him one of the principal architects of the country’s civic and international identity.
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions about S. Rajaratnam
- Who was S. Rajaratnam?
- S. Rajaratnam was a founding Foreign Minister of Singapore. Rajaratnam turned the shock of separation from Malaysia into a diplomatic and civic programme: international recognition abroad and a common national identity at home.
- What is S. Rajaratnam best known for?
- S. Rajaratnam is best known for building Singapore’s early foreign policy and largely drafting the National Pledge.
- When and where was S. Rajaratnam born?
- S. Rajaratnam was born on 25 February 1915 in Jaffna, British Ceylon.
- When did S. Rajaratnam die?
- S. Rajaratnam died on 22 February 2006.
Sources and further reading
How this biography was checked
Core dates and offices are checked against the sources below. This profile was last reviewed on 7 September 2026.
