A Good Man: Tribute to Prof Tan Tai Yong

Prof Tan Tai Yong, Vice Provost (Student Life) used to be the dean of Faculty of Arts and Social Science, National University of Singapore.  I spoke to him even before I got admitted to NUS. That time, I was slightly critical, wondering if local universities are for me. So I asked him what his thoughts are on local universities. He smiled and told me very politely that for undergrad, NUS is very good. If I really want to venture out, do that after my Bachelors. He made good sense. More importantly, his very cheery and polite manners made me think twice about NUS. Ah, if the Dean is not an airy-fairy man, then NUS is probably quite grounded.

And it is. The leadership sitting in the Provost's Office are fortunately people with a heart for students, who could empathise what financial difficulty means, what academic stress means, what undergrad emotional turmoil means.NUS has, alas, provided a very safe environment for students to grow. The Provost, like Prof Tan Tai Yong, is also a good man.

Prof Tan also happens to be teaching history. Life took a strange turn in university. I who studied Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Geography (only) in Junior College ended up reading History, something which I thought I hated. (Of course, to my amazement, it was the best thing that happened to me!) The second time I saw Prof Tan was in a BBC documentary on Singapore. And I read his books as readings for my classes.

Prof Tan goes out of his way to help students cope with NUS life. I wrote a sensational article in a student newspaper, and got slammed for it. Prof Tan, alongside Prof JR and Prof KHC agreed to meet me to talk about the issue. JR and KHC said they cannot accept a student as residential assistant to help with financial difficulty, but Prof Tan told me to go see him at his office. He hired me as an intern so that I could move into the hostel, that I could better concentrate on my studies.

Prof Tan also made sure I settled in well, and he actually met and called the admin people from Office of Accommodation, the Cinnamon College, and possibly a number of other people, just so that I could get my room soon, and settle in. And then he got people to follow up with me to make sure I could move on from that incident. Strangely, no other staff really cared, or remembered. Many promised to follow up with me, but did not. Of course I moved on, but I thought it's quite spectacular to know that the Vice-Provost of NUS actually cares about a small fry like me who's just trying to survive. Quite glad that NUS has such high calibre management who are not only competent but cares.

Then Prof Tan happened to ask what I'm interested to work on for my thesis. My research interest, business history, Singapore, and India, happens to be quite obscure - very few work on India in the history department, and very few work on business history in the world. He helped me link up Ngee Ann Kongsi, and Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce, to explore if I could help them write their history. That took a lot of Prof's time, I imagined. Those options didn't work out very well for me, so they were dropped.

One more chance. How about, write a company history, on a port-logistics company? Honestly, it sounded a bit daunting, partly because of the people I was expected to meet, and partly because I have no clue what CFS (container freight stations) and ICD (inland container depot) mean. Maybe I might disappoint Prof Tan, or embarrass him, or if I mess up, he may have to explain on my behalf. Just try. I met the chairman of the company, and it was an interesting project, and with all the faith people had, I felt that I should at least give it a shot.

At this juncture, I would like to say that Prof Tan would probably do the same for just any other student. There was really nothing I could offer him - no prestige, no salary boost, whatsoever. I still remember once I asked him why he troubled himself for an unimportant person like me and all he did was smile and said he likes working with students.

I really went to India to do research for my undergrad thesis! It was a steep learning curve (more so talking to high net-worth people, interviewing people with a different culture). Thesis is probably one of the best things that happened to me in NUS because it's (still!) fascinating, though not easy. I still hope things would turn out fine, but whatever - I'd put in my best effort, and that's the most I can give.

Thank you prof.

Survival of the Noblest

There are a few jobs that are recognised as "noble" at least in Singapore - nurses, teachers, social workers, paramedics, housewives/homemakers.

Surprise, surprise, all teachers. If you google "noblest jobs", your top searches are mostly related to TEACHING (maybe the websites trolled us or something).

I always thought a lot about this profession - how tough can it be??? Why does everyone complain? I suppose, the stress comes from all sides. Your principal, head of department, very-senior-colleagues, peers, very-junior-colleagues, naughty students, troubled family students, good students who has a crush on you, students who get too much homework at home, students who refuse to do homework no matter what you do, students who think you're too stupid, students who think you are a witch... And let's not forget, parents. They want you to be a nurturer, care-taker, counsellor, sexuality education educator, conservative, creative, hardworking, professional-looking, watchdog against boy-girl relationship, and of course, polish those diamonds in your class whether or not students are real diamonds, synthetic diamonds, carbide, graphite, charcoal or carbon dioxide.

Recently, I met a friend, who told me that senior teachers who stay in the job are not there because it's survival of the fittest, but survival of the noblest. Those who have pride already quit. Those who are there for the money would have found it too hard.

I think my friend's right. :) But it's still a rewarding job!

The Kettle and Vicks Vaporub

Mr Gurcharan Das was the trigger that made me write again. He mentioned in "Local Memoirs of a Global Manager" that an Indian lady in the local bazaar had actually taught him how to use Vaporub in this manner - put a spoon of it into the kettle, and inhale the vapour. Incredible!

Mr Gurcharan Das is former CEO of Proctor and Gamble. He has had many years of industrial experience worldwide, and eventually quit his job to become a writer. Initially I was skeptical when my professor recommended that book. Can a businessman write something moderate, something value-adding to academia? You'll be surprised. I was, at least.

"India Unbound" records a very fascinating perspective of India's progress since its independence from the viewpoint of not only of a businessman, but in many ways, an Indian local, a traveller, a semi-political figure (he's not a politician but he has lots of clout in India, at least, post-Independence). His habit of keeping a diary (I inferred) might have contributed to his colourful writing of how in the past, Indian judges ruled 10 out of 10 times in workers favour and not in businesses' favour and how things has changed. He also doesn't do it overboard and claim that India is the most amazing place to work in after liberalization in 1991, and went through the nitty-gritties that academics from outside might have otherwise missed, e.g. why Narasimha Rao lost the election despite being the person who brought so much good to India.

Another day I was chatting with an Indian friend, who warned me about the "perils of Delhi" after December 2013 protests over a lady who was gangraped on a public bus. I'm not sure whether things became worse, but I think the imaginations of India seem to be more "backward and looming-dark" rather than its possibilities.

I also spoke to lots of business directors during my recent trip to India, and they all agreed that India is full of possibilities, but also agreed that India is associated with everything backward (like Slumdog Millionaire) and dangerous (like the Delhi 2012 incident). I think it's more than that - it's just that international media prefer reporting on the sensational things vis-a-vis the glam and glorious contra-stereotypical India.

The kettle and vicks vaporub.