Tharman Shanmugaratnam Age, Wiki and Bio

Tharman Shanmugaratnam

Quick Info

ProfessionPolitician
NationalitySingaporean
Date of Birth25/02/1957
Age67 years
BirthplaceSingapore

Bio/Wiki

ProfessionPolitician
Famous forNinth President of Singapore and third of Indian origin

Physical Stats & More

Height180 cm
Eye ColorBlack
Hair ColorSalt and Pepper

Educational Qualification(s)

Education
  • Bachelor of Science degree in Economics
  • Master of Philosophy degree in Economics
  • Master’s degree in Public Administration

Personal Life

Date of Birth25/02/1957
BirthplaceSingapore
Zodiac signPisces
NationalitySingaporean
SchoolAnglo-Chinese School Singapore

Relationships & More

Marital StatusMarried
Affairs/GirlfriendsJane Yumiko Ittogi
Marriage Year1990

Family

FatherKanagaratnam Shanmugaratnam (Pathologist and Cancer Researcher)
MotherNot Known (Homemaker)
SiblingsHe has 2 siblings
SpouseJane Yumiko Ittogi (Ex- Lawyer and Social Worker)
Children
DaughterMaya
Son(s)Akash, Krishan, Arjun

Career

Political PartyPeople's Action Party (PAP)
Political Journey
  • 2001: Became the Member of Parliament from the Taman Jurong division of the Jurong GRC constituency of Singapore
  • 2001: Appointed Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Senior Minister of State for Education
  • December 2002: Elected to the Central Executive Committee of the People’s Action Party
  • 2003: Joined the cabinet as the Minister for Education, a position he held until 2008
  • 2006: Won the Taman Jurong division of the Jurong GRC constituency of Singapore second time
  • 1 December 2007: Became the Minister for Finance
  • 2011: Won the Taman Jurong division of the Jurong GRC constituency of Singapore third time
  • 2011: Appointed as the Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore while continuing his duties as the Minister for Finance
  • May 2011: Designated as the second Assistant Secretary-General of the People’s Action Party (PAP)
  • 2011-2012: Served as the Minister for Manpower
  • 2015: Won the Taman Jurong division of the Jurong GRC constituency of Singapore fourth time
  • October 2015: Assigned the role of Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies while serving as the Deputy Prime Minister
  • 1 May 2019: During the reshuffle of the cabinet, he became the Senior Minister
  • 2019: Gave up his role as Deputy Prime Minister. He was appointed as the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and provided advice to the prime minister on economic policies
  • 6 July 2023: Resigned from all official and political positions he held within the government to run in the 2023 Singaporean presidential election
  • 2 September 2023: Won the presidential election of Singapore and elected as the ninth president of the State
  • 14 September 2023: Took oath as the President of Singapore

Favourites

FoodChai Tow Kway, Ikan Tenggiri Tapang fish
ActorP. Ramlee

Some Lesser Known Facts

Tharman Shanmugaratnam is a Singaporean economist and statesman of Indian descent.
He attended an Anglo-Chinese School in Singapore for his formal education.
Tharman's father, Kanagaratnam, was a prominent figure in Singaporean pathology and research.
In 1978, Tharman co-authored a poetry collection during his time in the Young Writers’ Circle.
Tharman started as a student activist in the UK during the 1970s.
He met his future wife, Jane Ittogi, while studying at the London School of Economics.
Tharman received the Lucius N. Littauer Fellows Award during his studies at Harvard.
He began working as an economist at the Monetary Authority of Singapore in 1982.
Tharman held various roles at MAS before becoming the Managing Director in 2001.
He transitioned to the Education Ministry in April 1995.
Tharman entered politics in 2001 and won his first election with a large majority.
He successfully defended his seat in the Jurong GRC in five consecutive elections.
Tharman has received multiple honorary fellowships from prestigious institutions.
In 2011, he became the first Asian to lead the IMFC.
Tharman was chosen as the most preferred successor to the Prime Minister in a 2016 poll.
He chaired the Group of Thirty from 2017 to 2023.
Tharman led the Eminent Persons Group on Global Financial Governance in 2017.
In 2019, he joined the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum.
Tharman has been involved in various UN and G20 initiatives.
He qualified for the 2023 Presidential Election in Singapore.
Tharman's campaign symbol for the 2023 election is a pineapple.
He spearheads the National Skills Future initiative in Singapore.
Tharman is involved in several leadership roles in Singaporean organizations.
He is the first non-Chinese president of Singapore to win an election.
Tharman is fluent in English, Tamil, Malay, and Mandarin.
He has been awarded the Pingat Bakti Masyarakat public service medal.
Tharman has been practicing Chinese calligraphy since 2002.