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Top 10 Interesting Facts about Tharman Shanmugaratnam

Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Vyacheslav Volodin/

Tharman Shanmugaratnam is a Singaporean politician and economist who has been serving as a senior minister in the cabinet since 2019.

Tharman is married to Jane Yumiko Ltoggi, they have one daughter and three sons. She is a lawyer and of Chinese and Japanese descent. She is actively engaged in social enterprise and the non-profit art sector.

1. Tharman has served in different ministerial positions

The Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam calls on the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on August 26, 2016, by unknown Arthur/

He was first elected as a member of parliament in November 2001 in Jurong GRC. He has spent his working life in public service in roles principally related to economic and social policies.

He was previously Deputy Prime Minister for eight years, Finance Minister for eight years, and Minister of Education for five years.

Tharman is currently a senior Minister since 2019, he is also the coordinating minister for social policies and advises the Prime Minister on Economic Policies.

2. Tharman the Deputy Chairman of the Government of Singapore

The Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam called on the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on July 22, 2017, by Unknown Arthur/

In addition to his political responsibilities in the government, he is the Deputy Chairman of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC).

Tharman Chairs the Group of Thirty, an independent Global council of economic and financial leaders. He has also chaired the G20 Eminent person group on global financial governance.

He earlier led the International monetary and financial committee (IMFC). He also co-chairs the advisory board of the UN human development.

He chairs the board of trustees of the Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA). Currently also the chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

Tharman served for five years as a chairman of the Singapore-Liaoning Economic Trade Council (SLETC) which was established to advance stronger links between Singapore and Liaoning Province China.

3. Other than politics Tharman had a passion for poetry

Singapore By Fabio/

Shanmugaratnam has more ardent fans, and netizens have long clamored for him to be Deputy Prime Minister. Critics of the PAP have heaped him with praise.

Tharman is known for his imperfections but he is more connected with the people and this has made him popular.

He is also defiant, Tharman said he was once a dissident government critic and this made him get into trouble with the law.

His love for music goes hand in hand with his passion for poetry. He has an admirable record as a finance minister and is the first Asian to chair the G-30 a prestigious global body of top financial experts.

The Euromoney magazine named him the finance minister of the year. For someone who is not an attention seeker, he has a great touch and rapport with citizens.

4. Tharman’s greatness came from his schooling at a young age

London School of economics by Kimberly Farmer/Unsplash

Tharman schooled in Singapore and later studied at the London School of Economics and the University of Cambridge.

He revealed as a youth he was disinterested in studies. As an ACS boy, Tharman spent much of his time indulging in sports playing football, hockey, cricket, and many more. In later years he played for the Premier hockey league of Singapore.

5. Tharman made it to a top IMF job shortlist to succeed Lagarde

IMF Headquarters, Washington, DC by unknown Arthur/

The IMF succession race was set off in July 2019 when Lagarde was nominated to succeed Maria Draghi as European Central Bank chief.

Singapore ex-finance tsar Tharman Shanmugaratnam may be eminently qualified to succeed Christine Lagarde as head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

6. The famous Deputy Prime Minister’s father Kanagaratnum Shanmugaratnum

Kanagaratnum Shanmugaratnum is the father of the famous deputy Aprime minister Tharman.

Kanagaratnum Shanmugaratnum was a Singaporean pathologist, he was considered to be the father of Pathology. He died at the age of 97 years.

He was best known for establishing Singapore Cancer Registry (SCR), to provide data on cancer trends in Singapore.

According to Asian Scientist Magazine, Professor Shanmugaratnum has been working continuously in the field of histopathology.

The father of three is also an internationally renowned expert on nasopharyngeal carcinoma, cancer of the upper respiratory tract.

7. The Astonishing Deputy Prime Minister was the highest paid political leader

Singapore ministers are the highest paid in the world. The Deputy Prime Minister remains the highest-paid political leader in the world. Tharman is ranked number three in the list of the top ten richest politicians in Singapore.

The  Deputy Prime minister is a member of parliament appointed by the president. Shanmugaratnum estimated net worth grows significantly yearly and it’s mostly from his success.

8. The Deputy Prime Minister’s success story is one of a kind

When one becomes a politician, they are allowed to enhance the lives of people and lead their country to a new age.

Tharman is a man that has won the admiration and respect of his people. He is the man his people turn to, as he has become a foundation of knowledge and can make great policies.

The world has a lot of politicians already but not everyone has the drive to truly serve the people of Singapore they have Tharman Shanmugaratnum to be their political champion.

Tharman is a born leader; he has great political intuition as he can make connections with the people. He is like a father of the Nation of Singapore.

 9. His excellency Tharman discussed on the changing global governance

His excellency Tharman discussed with students, fellows, and researchers about changing global governance dynamics.

In his speech, the minister indicated that the major challenges facing our world today concerning the global commons such as the deterioration of natural ecosystems which leads to loss of hope.

In this respect, Transnational governance must serve as a means to promote collective investment in global public goods.

10. The popular deputy Prime minister’s Legal Charge and Conviction

The Official Secret Act (OSA) case was stretched over more than a year and was reported extensively by the Singapore press.

While serving as Economics Director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore in 1993. Tharman was charged under the Official Secret Act.

The case involved the release of Singapore’s 1992 second-quarter flash projections to a research director Mr. Raymond Foo, Economist Manu Bhaskaran, Journalist Kenneth James, and Patrick Daniel of the business times.

Tharman contested for a lesser charge and was eventually acquitted of the charge of communicating the GDP growth flash projections.