Devan Nair

Devan Nair served as the third President of Singapore from 1981 until 1985, an office he assumed following a varied career in both Malaysian and Singaporean politics. His early political engagement was characterized by leftist activities and multiple periods of detention by British colonial authorities before he became a founding figure in several prominent trade and political organizations.

Early Activism and Detention

Born in 1923 in Jasin, Malaysia, Nair moved to Singapore at age ten. He attended Victoria School and later worked as a teacher at St Joseph's Institution and St Andrew's School. In 1949, he became General-Secretary of the Singapore Teachers' Union. His anti-colonial views led to his 1951 detention by the British. After joining the People's Action Party in 1954, he was detained again in 1956 following student riots, remaining in custody until the 1959 general election.

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Labour and Parliamentary Roles

Nair founded the National Trades Union Congress in 1961, serving as its Secretary-General until 1965 and again from 1970 to 1979. In 1964, he won a seat in the 2nd Malaysian Parliament representing Bangsar. Following the separation of Singapore from Malaysia, he founded the Democratic Action Party. He returned to the Singaporean Parliament in 1979 after winning the Anson seat in a by-election.

Presidency and Resignation

In 1981, Nair resigned his parliamentary seat to serve as President of Singapore. His tenure ended abruptly on 28 March 1985 when he resigned under pressure from the Cabinet. Following diagnoses of alcoholism and reports of personal misconduct, he sought treatment in the United States. He spent his final years in Hamilton, Canada, where he died in 2005.