Watch Personalities

1 December 1920 – 12 April 2001
Sportsman, Scholar and Politician

Born in Singapore on 1 December 1920, Barker was educated in Serangoon English School and Raffles Institution where he was the school captain, head prefect and Champion Athlete in 1938. He joined Raffles College and was awarded the College Exhibition and Scholarship.  He also represented the College at cricket, soccer, rugby and athletics of which he was champion in 1940.

Barker was awarded the Queen Scholarship in 1946 and preceded in 1948 to study law in Cambridge University, England. He graduated with Honors in Law (Ma, LL.B) in 1951. A Barrister-at-Law of the Inner Temple, London, he practiced law in Singapore from 1952 to 1964.

He ventured into politics in 1963 under the P.A.P’s banner and was elected the Member of Parliament for the Tanglin Constituency. He has been returned unopposed in the Constituency in six subsequent General Elections. His significant contribution in Singapore was in the law portfolio. His tenure as Minister for Law ensured Singapore’s laws were current, relevant and of international standard.

27 April 1909 – 29 June 1944
A World War II anti-Japanese Resistance fighter

Born in Fujian, China, Lim came to Singapore in 1917 to study in the Raffles Institution of Singapore under the British colonial government, and later went on to further his studies in the University of Hong Kong. In 1930, Lim married Gan Choo Neo, a Nonya woman in the Lim Clan association hall of Singapore. They had seven children.

At the time of the Second-Sino Japanese War, Lim took part in fund-raising for Japanese resistant forces and boycott activities of Japanese goods organized by the Nanyang Federation.

On the 11th of February, just before the fall of Singapore to the Japanese, Lim fled from Singapore to Sumatra with other Chinese community leaders, before making his way to India where he recruited and trained hundreds of secret agents through intensive missions from the military and intelligence point of view in India and China. Together with Captain John Davis, they set up the Sino-British guerilla group Force 136 in mid-1942. 

Lim sent the first batch of Force 136 agents to Malaya to set up an espionage network to gather military intelligence about the Japanese. This updated the Force 136 against the Japanese. One of the Chinese provision shops in Ipoh, Jian Yik Jan, was an Allied espionage base. Lim, to avoid identification by the Japanese, passed himself through checkpoints as a businessman, using the alias Tan Choon Lim.

However, one of their members, Lai Teck, who served as a triple agent between the Force 136, Japanese and the British, leaked out much valuable information that allowed the  Kempeitai to pick up several coded messages from Force 136 and capture many of its members.

On 27 March 1944, Lim was captured by the Japanese. Marshall Onishi Satoru, who sent him to the Kempeitai headquarters for interrogation. Strong as he was, Lim battled through all sorts of physical and mental torture and duress daily but he refused to give up information about Force 136. Instead, he protested against the ill-treatment of his comrades in the prison. Due to unhygienic sanitation and the lack of good food and water, Lim became bedridden by the end of May 1944. In the early hours of June 29, 1944, Lim was buried behind the Batu Gajah prison compound in an unmarked spot. After the death of Lim, many of the Japanese authorities softened their stance and for a period of time, prisoners were given better food and simple medical treatment. After the surrender of Japan, Lim's wife, Choo Neo,  traveled with her eldest son to bring her husband's remains home. A funeral ceremony was held on January 13 1946 in front of the City Hall to mourn the death of Lim. The coffin containing his remains was transported to a hill in MacRitchie Reservoir for burial in full military honour.

8 August 1937
Cabinet Minister of Foreign Affairs and National Development

Born in 1937 in Singapore, Dhanabalan received his secondary education in Victoria after which he pursued his tertiary education in the University of Malaya, Singapore and earned a Bachelor of Arts, Honours (Economic) degree,. He joined the Singapore Administrative Service in 1960. He was seconded to the Economic Development Board starting as Senior Industrial Economist and moved up to Deputy Director (Operational and Finance) by the time he left EDB. He resigned from EDB and joined DBS as Vice President. He was promoted to Executive Vice President in 1971.

Dhanabalan made a foray into politics in 1976 and was elected as MP for Kallang Constituency. He held on to the ward until his retirement from politics in 1990s. His contribution to Singapore politics was immense. He is currently holding key appointments in both Singapore Airlines and DBS.

29 November 1910 – 14 September 2006
A Woman of Substance

Elizabeth Choy was a dedicated social worker, teacher, war heroine, and a politician. She was born in Sabah, East Malaysia. Most parents in those days did not believe that daughters need education. Her family, however, believed in education and so she was one of the few women who attended school then. She came to Singapore to sit for the Senior Cambridge Examinations (GCE ‘O’ LEVELS) in 1993 and topped the examinations in her school. Elizabeth Choy then became a teacher and taught for many years.

The Japanese Occupation of Singapore marks the darkest chapter in Singapore history. It was a period of great suffering; food was scarce and many people died of sheer torture and illnesses. It was in the midst of this suffering that Elizabeth Choy stood out. Out of goodness of her heart, she helped the prisoners-of-war who were badly treated by the Japanese. She bought food and medicine and passed secret messages for them. Unfortunately, she was captured and tortured while in prison.

Elizabeth always put the interest of others above her own. During her imprisonment, her health worsened and she became frail and weak. It was a period of great difficulty for her. But she was more aware of the sufferings of others than her own. Although she was starved and tortured, Elizabeth often gave away her small portions of rice porridge to her fellow prisoners. Realising that the cell she shared with other prisoners was dirty, she volunteered to scrub the cell to make it cleaner. These acts of hers were said to have even moved her Japanese guards.

After the war, Elizabeth Choy was nominated as an unofficial member of the Legislative Council. She was the only woman council member from 1951 to 1955. According to her, she served in the Legislative Council because she ‘felt there was a lot to be done for the underprivileged, especially since there was no free education in those days’. She left politics in 1955 and returned to her first love, teaching. From 1956 to 1960, she was the Principal of the Singapore School for the Blind. She devoted much time and energy to her work. She visited kampongs to locate blind children and persuaded their parents to let them attend school. At that time, many people could not understand how blind people could learn to read and write. Among the children whom she helped was Chan Poh Lin, a highly intelligent young woman who was blind and deaf. Poh Lin went on to study in America. She later returned to Singapore to teach the blind.

Elizabeth Choy has been guided by a conscience to help the poor and the need all her life. She is indeed a remarkable woman.

20 January 1940- 5 August 1993
Minister of State for Education

Dr. Tay Eng Soon spent his early education at the Anglo- Chinese School (1947-1959). In 1960, Dr. Tay went to the University of Bristol, UK and graduated with First Class Honors in Electrical Engineering. He continued his studies at the University College, London (1963-1965) under a Royal Society Scholarship and obtained a Doctor of Philosophy degree in microwave engineering in 1966.

On returning to Singapore in 1970, he joined the staff of the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department of the National University of Singapore. Eight Years later, he left NUS and joined the Ministry of Defense Science Organisation.

Dr. Tay made his maiden voyage in politics in 1980 as a MP for River Valley Constituency. He held on to his ward till his sudden death in August 1993. His significant contribution to Singapore politics was in the Education portfolio. In April 1981, he was made Minister of State (Education). Five years later, he was appointed the Senior Minister of State for Education.  

2 October 1869 - 30 January 1948
Indian Political and Spiritual Leader

Mahatma (Great Soul) Gandhi, was a leader of India’s struggle for independence from Britain, a goal that was realized in 1947, the year before his death. He undertook nonviolent action that he originated and called Satyagraha, Literally, “holding onto truth” that hastened the decolonization of India. 

Born in the western state of Gujarat, India, Gandhi was sent to England to study law. In 1889 he was called to the bar at Inner temple. His first practice as a lawyer was in South Africa. His short stay in Durban made him a popular civil rights leader. The discriminatory policy of the minority white government against the majority blacks and Indians appalled Gandhi. He organized several nonviolent protest movements against the government. Prior to his departure back to India, he was able to attain for the Indians some form of civil rights that were not present before. His works in South Africa inspired Nelson Mandela, who later played a pivotal role in dismantling apartheid and becoming the first black President of the country. 

In India, Gandhi set about his task of emancipating India from foreign rule. Together with Nehru, he challenged the right of British rule in India. Through his civil disobedience he was able to galvanize the entire India populace to the nations cause. This inevitably led to the decolonization of India in 1947. But Gandhi’s sincere attempts in preventing the breaking up of India into present India and Pakistan broke his spirit. He firmly believes that Hindus and Muslims are brothers. Although he was helpless in the division of India, nevertheless he was able to convince Nehru and other Indian political leaders to enshrine a secular’s constitution for India. This infuriated hard-line Hindus and coupled with Gandhi’s other attempts to hold Muslim back in India, led to his assassination a year after bringing back independence to India. 

17 November 1882 - 1961
British Shipping Baron

• Chairman of Blue Funnel shipping Lines and Lord Mayor of Liverpool.

• Transported goods across Atlantic Ocean 🡪 prime target for German U boats in WWII.

• Younger sailors fared poorly under duress and rigors of ship life, war and lifeboat rescues.

• Youth and technical abilities no match for experience.

• Asked Kurt Hahn for solution.

• Hahn modeled a 28-day training program for sailors.

• Blue Funnel Shipping Lines accepted proposal  and sent Hahn 1000 pounds, provided ships and captains to start out the first course

• Gave the name for the school, Outward Bound.

30 November 1916 -20 July 2006
Cabinet Minister

Lim Kim San is the brainchild behind the success story of the low cost housing in Singapore in the 1960s and the 1970s. Born in Singapore in 1916, he was educated in the Anglo Chinese School and Raffles College. He began as a gas pump attendant, made a fortune in Sago manufacturing and was called to be the chairman of Housing and Development Board in 1959. He stood as a member of Cairnhill in 1963, and was appointed as Minister for National Development. 

For his achievement as the chairman of the HDB and the chief builder of low cost housing for Singaporeans, Lim Kim San won the Ramon Magsaysay Award from the Philippines Government and Singapore’s highest award, the Darjah Utamah Temasek (Order of Temasek). In a long and distinguished career in the public service, he held portfolio of Finance, Defense, Education, and Communication and Environment. He retired from political life in 1981 but continued in many active offices including the Chairman of Port of Singapore Authority and executive chairman of Singapore Press Holdings. 

6 October 1918 - 14 May 2010
One of the Founding Fathers of Singapore

Dr Goh Keng Swee is widely hailed as the architect of Singapore’s success. He was also responsible for establishing Outward Bound School in Singapore in 1967. Born in Malacca and educated in Anglo-Chinese School, he studied Economics in Raffles College, graduating with First Class Honours. He won the post-graduate scholarship and received his Doctor of Philosophy from the London School of Economics. He joined the colonial civil service, rising to be Director of Social Welfare and Director of the Social and Economic Council in Joint Action with K.M. Byrne, the future Minister for Law, to campaign for equal pay for Asian civil servants. In 1959 he became a PAP MP for Kreta Ayer and was appointed Minister of Finance. There, he began the industrialization of Singapore. Jurong Industrial Estate was a brainchild of Dr. Goh. Upon independence in 1965, he became Minister for the Interior and Defence. He molded the infant Singapore Arm Forces into the present status, a deterrent force for her neighbours. Dr. Goh also spent some time holding the Education portfolio before retiring from politics in 1984, His success story is recognized by the People's Republic of China, which appointed him as their economic advisor.

5 June 1886 - 14 December 1974
Founder of Outward Bound Movement

Kurt Mathias Robert Martin Hahn is the key figure in the development of adventure education. He is the founder of Salem Schools (Castle Salem 1920), Gordonstoun public school (1934), Outward Bound (1941), the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme (1954-6) and the Atlantic Colleges (1957).

Kurt Hahn was born in 1886 into a cultivated Jewish family in Berlin, whose affluence was stemmed from his paternal grandfather. He was educated at Wilhelm Gymnasium, Berlin, University of Gottingen and Christ Church, Oxford (where he studied philosophy and classics). Kurt has decided in his early years to be an educator and school master. 

Outward Bound also grew out of Kurt’s Gordonstoun activities. There had been some emphasis on sea training and coastguardship at Gordonstoun, but when the school moved to its wartime home near Aberdovy, the idea of sea training and learning from sea took root. The first Outward Bound School, the Aberdovey Sea School, was founded in August 1941. The practice of short challenging courses (26 days) for boys from industry – complete with a confidential report on their behaviour and performance under pressure became established.

Kurt’s emphasis on experience and ‘experiential therapy’ can be seen as deriving from educationalists such as Pestalozzi and Dewy. His concern for service and helping could be seen as coming from ‘old aristocratic’ values. There was the Platonic ideal (paideia) – the development of energetic participation’ and the Jamesian notion of psychological motivation as an aid to self knowledge.

Kurt died in 1974. However, the movement that he had started lives on.

12 February 1809 - 05 April 1865
US President who abolished slavery

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States of America. He prevented the breaking up of the United States during the Civil war between the Southern and Northern states within America. However, he is known for the emancipation of the slaves in US. Of humble origin, Lincoln was a self-educated lawyer in Illinois in the 1830s and 1840s. Before becoming prominent in national politics, Lincoln had made himself one of the most distinguished and successful lawyers in Illinois. He was noted not only for his shrewdness and practical common sense, which enabled him always to see the “nub” of any legal case, but also for his invariable fairness and utter honesty. 

After serving a term in congress (1847-1849), Lincoln became a Republican in 1856. Four years later, he became the 16th President. His period as a President was wholly taken up with the war against the secessionist Southern States. As a war measure, Lincoln proclaimed that the slaves in the rebellious states free in 1862. This measure served as a catalyst for the victory of the Northern over the Southern states. In 1865, just days after his successful triumph, Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth as he sat in the Ford Theatre in Washington D.C. He was later regarded as a hero and martyr.

12 March 1908 - 12 December 1995
1st Chief Minister of Singapore

David Marshall was the first Chief Minister of Singapore in 1955. A founding leader of the Workers Party, Marshall was a fiery orator and inspired many Singaporeans to join the struggle for independence. He was born in 1908 in an orthodox Jewish family from Baghdad. In 1941, with Singapore under the threat of Japanese invasion, he joined the volunteer corps to help the island’s defense. He became a prisoner of war and was shipped to a forced- labor camp in Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan. After the war, he excelled as a criminal lawyer, joined the Labor Front, and led the party to victory in 1955. In 1978, at the age of 70, he became Singapore’s ambassador to France. He retired in 1994, but was still outspoken in his political views. He died in December 1995.  

1797 - October 1854
Teacher and Translator

Munshi Abdullah was a famous Malay writer and teacher who lived in Malacca and Singapore in the first half of the 19th century. As a teacher, he taught Malay to several British officials, including heads of Government.

Munshi Abdullah was born in Malacca in 1797. He was of mixed parentage – his great grandfather was an Arab who married an Indian lady and Abdullah’s mother was a Malacca born woman of India- Malay parentage. At a very young age, his father exposed Munshi to formal education. He studied Arabic, Malay, Tamil, and later English and Hindi. Unlike youths of his time who will be spending their time playing games, Munshi will be preoccupied with learning. He would be spending hours to perfect his pronunciation and writing skills.

By the age of eleven, Abdullah had learned a great deal and was able to put his knowledge to good use. He was already earning money by copying passages from the Quran for others and teaching the Quran to the Indian Muslim soldiers in the fortress of Malacca. It was thus that he came to be called Munshi, which means teacher. He grew up to become a teacher. During his time, the local population was indifferent to formal education. Munshi was working tireless to arouse the Malay awareness towards education. During this time he was involved in translating Arabic works into Malay. He also wrote on events that took place during his time and before which were all compiled in the Sejarah Malayu or Malay Annals. 

14 November 1889 - 27 May 1964
1st Prime Minister of India

India’s first 17 years of independence was dominated by the goals and dynamic leadership of its gifted Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Nehru was born on November 14, 1889, at Allahabad, North India. At the age of 16 he went to England for further studies. He enrolled at Trinity College, Cambridge in 1907. His time spent in England stirred his interest in the growing Indian nationalist movement. He also became sensitive to discrimination against Indians from the English. In 1912 he passed his bar examination in London.

He returned to India at the age of 22 and immediately dedicated his life to seeking freedom for his people. He was one of Ghandi’s Chief Lieutenants in the fight for independence from the 1920’s through 1940’s. For that he had to spend numerous times in prison. His determination and tenacity in seeking to drive the British out of India materialized in 1947, when India became an independent country. When Ghandi was assassinated a few months after independence, Nehru was left alone with the terrifying responsibility of guiding India through its first dangerous year of freedom.

Nehru is well remembered as the architect of modern India. By his magic grip on his people, he was able to push through progressive ideas and reforms that another leader might have found difficult to achieve. As Prime Minister he gave the Government the stamp of his highly individual personality. He imbued India with a democratic spirit, and gave it a framework of unity. He inspired a spirit of secularism that removed traditional religious influences from government affairs. In international affairs he became a spokesman for the developing countries. He championed for the poor countries’ plight in the world arena. Non-align movement was conceptualized by Nehru as a body of countries not belonging to either the USA, rich European countries or the communist nations. This movement played a significant role in helping decolonize countries to prosper and modernize.

23 February 1915 - 22 Feb 2006
One of the Founding Fathers of Singapore

Together with Lee Kuan Yew, Goh Keng Swee, and Toh Chin Chye, Rajaratnam is considered one of Singapore’s “Founding Fathers”. Born in Ceylon (presently Sri Lanka), he was raised in Seremban, studied at Singapore’s Raffles Institution and then at King’s College, London. During the Second World War, he became a journalist in London and joined Marxist Left Book Club. A founder member of Peoples Action Party, he ran for the Legislative Assembly in 1959 as the Member for Kampong Glam. He held on to the constituency till he retired from politics in 1988 to become Senior Minister. In the fifties and sixties, Rajaratnam was the party ideologue and theoretician. As Minister of Culture, he mastered the use of radio, printed news and television to mould the thinking of a generation of Singaporeans. As Minister for Foreign Affairs, where his presence was most felt, he traveled the world, preaching the rightness of Singapore and its independence. And as Senior Minister, he retired to write thoughtful pieces about his country, and its leaders.

12 August 1907 - 12 May 1981
2nd President of Singapore

Dr Benjamin Henry Sheares was Singapore’s second President, Sworn in on January 2, 1971. He was born in August 12 1907 in Singapore and was the son of a former Public Works Department Technical Supervisor. He rose to become Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Malaya, in Singapore and was the most highly respected man in his field. 

Dr Sheares received his early education at the co-ed Methodist Girl’s School and later at St Andrew’s School and the Raffles Institution. He joined the King Edward VII College of Medicine in 1923 and began to specialize in Obstetrics and Gynecology. In May 1947, he proceeded to London for a postgraduate study. And in January 1948, he became the first Singapore obstetrician to qualify as member of the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynecology of England. 

Dr. Sheares held the post Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Malaya in Singapore from January 1950 until June 1960, when he retired and went into private practice. Since his retirement he had written many articles for international and local journals. 

The significant contribution Dr. Sheares made in his medical specialization in Singapore earned him numerous honors from foreign countries. This was brought to the attention of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, Prime Minister of Singapore and PAP cabinet minister. Thus, when Mr Yusof Ishak, 1st President of Singapore, died on 23 November 1970, the government unanimously appointed Dr. Sheares as the next president.

16 April 1916 - 14 October 1983

Minister for Finance

Hon Sui Sen was born in Penang. He received his early education at St. Xavier’s Institution, Penang and Raffles College, Singapore. He joined the Straits Settlements Civil Service in 1939, and was later transferred to Singapore Administrative Service.  He held a variety of posts, culminating in the appointment in 1959 as the Permanent Secretary, of the Economic Development Division of the Ministry of Finance.

Hon Sui Sen made his foray into politics in 1970 by election when he was voted Member of Parliament for Havelock Constituency. He held his Constituency uninterrupted until late 80’s, when he retired from politics. He is well remembered for holding the Finance Portfolio in Lee Kuan Yew’s Cabinet and playing a pivotal role in transforming Singapore into a financial hub of the region. His Contribution to Singapore’s success story witnessed a number of awards conferred to Sui Sen. E.g. Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Meritorious Service Medal) in 1962.  

1798 - 24 February 1850
Friend of the Poor

Tan Tock Seng was born in Malacca in 1798. He first started his business by going to the country to buy fruits, vegetables and fowl and selling them in town. With his savings, he opened a shop along the riverside at Boat Quay.

Although not much was known about his background, it was believed that Tan Tock Seng could speak English and got on well with the Governor. His friendship with J.H. Whitehead was believed to have led to him joining some speculation where he made his fortune; this, in addition to his business acumen, made him one of the richest Chinese in Singapore.

Tan was well known for his generosity. He often shouldered the costs of burying poor Chinese immigrants and when Whitehead died, Tan erected a tombstone at Fort Canning as a token of affection for his friend. His generosity did not go unnoticed – he became the first Asian to be made a Justice of the Peace by Governor Butterworth. This led to his involvement in helping his countrymen settle disputes and he was honoured as the ‘Captain of the Chinese’, indicating his influence in the community.

It was also due to his generous act of donating $5,000 to the Chinese Pauper’s Hospital and the continuous support from his wife and son for the hospital in later years, that he became immortalized when the hospital took his name. Tan was also one of the early founders of the Thian Hock Keng temple at Telok Ayer Street, which became the headquarters and place of worship for the Hokkien community in Singapore. He topped the list of donors to the construction of the temple and became the head of its management committee.

Tan Tock Seng’s greatest contribution to Singapore was to alleviate the sufferings of the poor immigrants in the form of a hospital. He died in 1850 at 52 years old.

22 February 1732 – 14 December 1799
1st President of
the United States of America

Born into a wealthy family of Virginian planters, Washington had an irregular formal education. At the age of 14, he began to work as a surveyor, making trips into the wilderness areas of Virginia and Pennsylvania. His first military experience came in the French and India Wars (1754 - 1763). In the war of independence against the British Colonialist he proved himself as a capable commander. It was his able leadership that is able to lead America to its independence. He was overwhelmingly elected President of the United States in 1789 and reelected in 1792. In his two terms as a President he established innumerable precedents and left a permanent stamp on the office of the Presidency.   

12 August 1910 – 23 November 1970
1st President of Singapore

Yusof bin Ishak was the first President of the Republic of Singapore. Born near Taiping in Perak of Minangkabau descent, he was the eldest son of Ishak bin Ahmad, a civil servant. He attended Victoria School and Raffles Institution. In 1938 with another prominent Malay leader, he founded the Utusan Melayu, the leading Malay newsapaper of the day. He was also the Editor-in-chief and Managing Director. Yusof Ishak became the leader of the Malay community and an active nationalist. In 1959 he left Utusan Melayu and became Chairman of the Singapore Public Service Commission.  On the 3rd of December 1959, he was appointed Yang di Pertuan Negara (Head of State) of Singapore. In 1965, upon the separation of Singapore from Malaysia, he became the first President of the newly independent Singapore. He played a critical role in representing and strengthening the multi-racial creed of the new nation. He died in 1970 while in office.

16 July 1872 - June 1928
First man to reach South Pole

Roald Amundsen was a Norwegian polar explorer who was the first person to fly over the North Pole in a dirigible (May 11-13, 1926) and was the first person to reach the South Pole. Amundsen and his small expedition reached the South Pole on December 14, 1911, traveling by dog sled. Amundsen was also the first person to sail around the world through the Northeast and Northwest passages, from the Atlantic to the Pacific (in 1905). He was the first person to reach both the North and South Poles. Amundsen died in a plane crash attempting to rescue his friend, the Italian explorer Umberto Nobile who was lost in an airship.

Roald Engebreth Gravning Amundsen of Norway took pride in being referred to as "the last of the Vikings." A powerfully built man of over six feet in height, Amundsen was born into a family of merchant sea captains and prosperous ship owners in 1872. As a youth he insisted on sleeping with the windows open even during the frigid Norwegian winters to help condition himself for a life of polar exploration. Amundsen developed a fascination with Antarctica from the time he first glimpsed its frozen terrain in 1897. Antarctica, a continent the size of Europe and Australia combined, had not yet been traversed by humans. Amundsen aimed to be the first.

In 1903 he established himself as a sailor and explorer of the first order when he successfully led a 70-foot fishing boat through the entire length of the Northwest Passage, a treacherous ice-bound route that wound between the northern Canadian mainland and Canada's Arctic islands. The arduous journey took three years to complete as Amundsen and his crew had to wait while the frozen sea around them thawed enough to allow for navigation. Soon after his return to Norway, he learned that Englishman Ernest Shackleton was setting out of an attempt to reach the South Pole. Shackleton would be forced to abandon his quest a mere 97 miles short of the Pole. Amundsen studied all he could of Shackleton's attempt and began the long process of preparing for his own. He was as highly regarded for his skills in organization and planning as he was for his expertise as an explorer. Amundsen, who was thought to be "taciturn under the best of circumstances," took special measures to be sure members of his crew possessed personalities suitable for long polar voyages. Crew members onboard his ships knew he was firm but fair, and affectionately referred to him as "the chief".

By August of 1910, Amundsen was ready to make his own attempt to reach the South Pole, although all the world thought he was headed in the complete opposite direction. He had secretly ruled out attempting to reach the North Pole, because Americans Robert Peary and Frederick Cook had already laid claim to that feat. Amundsen even kept his plans for a South Pole expedition a secret from officials within the Norwegian government. He feared that government officials would be hesitant to challenge Great Britain, upon whom they were highly dependent, in a race to the Pole. It was not until Amundsen's ship, "Fram", was well off the coast of Morocco that he announced to his crew that they were headed for the South, not the North, Pole.

Crucial to Amundsen's success in reaching the South Pole was his use of carefully selected sled dogs. Amundsen's canine crew members had been superbly equipped by centuries of natural selection for survival in the Arctic. He referred to them as "our children," and revealed, "The dogs are the most important thing for us. The whole outcome of the expedition depends on them." On October 18, 1911 Amundsen's entourage set out from the Bay of Whales, on Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf, for their final drive toward the pole. His British counterpart, Robert Scott, dependent on Siberian ponies rather than on dogs, began his trip three weeks later. Aided by exceptionally cooperative weather conditions, Amundsen's party, passed the point where Shackleton was forced to turn back on December 7. At approximately 3pm on December 14, 1911, Roald Amundsen raised the flag of Norway at the South Pole, and naming the spot Polheim -- "Pole Home". He and his crew returned to their base camp on January 25, 1912, 99 days and 1,860 miles after their departure.

Roald Amundsen lived to experience other polar adventures, including flying over the North Pole in a dirigible in 1926. But the Arctic would eventually claim his life, too. While flying on a rescue mission in 1928, Amundsen was killed when his plane crashed into the Arctic Ocean. That same year, speaking to a journalist about his love of the icy Arctic, Amundsen said, "If only you knew how splendid it is up there, that's where I want to die."

5 August 1930 - 25 August 2012
First man on the moon

Neil Alden Armstrong was born on August 5,1930 in Wapakoneta, Ohio. He holds a degree in aeronautical engineering from Purdue University and a masters degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Southern California. 

From 1949 to 1952, Armstrong was a naval aviator. Upon leaving military service, he became a test pilot. As a test pilot, Neil Armstrong made 7 flights in the X-15 aircraft. He was able to attain an altitude of 63,198 meters (207,500 feet) !!

While serving as a test pilot, he was chosen to be a member of the astronaut corps. Though he was on the backup crew of many previous flights, his first space flight occurred in 1966 aboard Gemini 8. During this flight, he and fellow astronaut David Scott successfully performed the first docking in space between two vehicles. In July of 1969, Neil Armstrong was the commander of Apollo 11, America's first attempt to land a manned vehicle on the Moon. On July 20, 1969 Commander Armstrong and fellow astronaut Edwin Aldrin successfully touched down on the lunar surface. 

As Armstrong became the first person to touch the Moon's surface, he spoke the unforgettable phrase, "That's one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind". He and Aldrin explored the Moon's surface for 2.5 hours. Armstrong was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of his accomplishments and his contributions to the space programme.

7 November 1728 - 14 February 1779
One of the greatest explorers

James Cook was born on October 27, 1728 in Marton, (near modern Middlesborough), Yorkshire, Britain. He commanded three voyages of discovery for Great Britain, and sailed around the world twice. Captain Cook's voyages led to the establishment of colonies throughout the Pacific by several European countries. He is considered one of the world's greatest explorers. 

Cook was an apprentice to a shipping company at age 18 and joined the British Navy at 27 in 1755. In 1768, the Navy appointed him leader of a scientific expedition to Tahiti to observe a solar eclipse by Venus. He also had secret orders to seek a southern continent geographers long believed kept the world in balance. He set out on his first voyage round the world in the ship Endeavour. The trip to Tahiti was successful. The search for the southern continent ("Terres Australes" or lands in the south) was not. In October of 1769 Cook was the first European to visit New Zealand. 

On August 22, 1770, Cook claimed for Great Britain the eastern coast of New Holland, as Australia was known by the Dutch at that time. He claimed the part of New Holland the Dutch had not technically mapped. The name "Australia" was not used until the early 1800s. During his return trip to England in 1771, Cook was the first ship commander to prevent the outbreak of scurvy, by serving his crew fruit and sauerkraut to prevent the disease. 

On Cook's second journey he sailed farther south than any other European. He circled Antarctica in his famous ship Resolution but the ice surrounding the continent prevented the sighting of land. The existence of the Antarctica remained unproven until 1840. He returned to England in 1775 and was promoted to Captain. 

In July of 1776 Cook set sail on his third voyage, again in Resolution. His mission was to look for a possible northern sea route between Europe and Asia. In 1778 he became the first know European to reach the Hawaiian Islands. Later in 1778 Cook sailed up the northwest coast of North America, and was the first European to land on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. He continued up the coast through the Bering Strait, and entered the Arctic Ocean. Great walls of ice blocked the expedition, so Cook headed back for the Hawaiian Islands. On February 14, 1779 Cook was stabbed to death by Hawaiian natives while investigating a theft of a boat by an islander. The expedition arrived back in England in October of 1780.

1451 - 20 May 1506
First Explorer of America

After securing support from the Spanish monarchs, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Christopher Columbus was the first to explore uncharted seas to the west. In four voyages, discovered the Bahamas, Hispaniola, Cuba, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Central America, and South America. 

Born in Genoa, Italy in 1451 to a weaver, young Columbus first went out to sea at the age of fourteen. As a young man, he settled in Portugal and married a woman of noble background. After his wife's death in 1485, Columbus and his young son moved to Spain. 

Like all learned men of his time, Columbus knew the world was round. He theorized that since the earth was a sphere, a ship could eventually reach the Far East from the opposite direction. He thought to establish trade routes to Asia in this manner. The fifteenth-century Europeans were not aware of the South and North American continents during this time frame. Mapmakers did not show an accurate picture and no one knew there was a Pacific Ocean. For a decade, Columbus approached the Portuguese king and the Spanish monarchs to obtain a grant to explore possible trade routes to the west. After initially turning him down, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella reconsidered. Columbus promised to bring back gold, spices, and silks from the Far East, to spread Christianity, and to lead an expedition to China. In return, Columbus asked for and got the hereditary title "admiral of the ocean seas" and became governor of all discovered lands.

11 June 1910 – 25 June 1997
A Great Underwater Explorer

Jacques-Yves was born in Saint-Andre-de-Dubzac, France, on June 11, 1910. Cousteau always loved the water and in his early teens he became interested in machines. At the age of 11, Cousteau built a model crane and at 13, he built a battery-operated car. Also in his early teens, Cousteau became fascinated with films. He saved his money and bought a home movie camera.

In high school, Cousteau became bored with school and began to cause trouble. As a result, his parents sent him to a strict boarding school. Cousteau excelled in this new environment and upon graduation, he entered the Ecole Navale (Naval Academy) in Brest. In 1933, Cousteau joined the French Navy as a gunnery officer. It was during this time that he began his underwater explorations and began working on a breathing machine for longer dives.

In 1937, Cousteau married Simone Melchoir, and they had two sons. Two years after their marriage, Cousteau fought for the French in World War II. He spent time as a spy and was awarded several medals. During the war, Cousteau still found time to continue his underwater work. In 1943, he and French engineer Emile Gagnan perfected the aqualung, which allowed a diver to stay underwater for several hours. Divers used the aqualung to located and remove enemy mines after World War II.

Cousteau was named a capitaine de corvette of the French navy in 1948, and two years later he became president of the French Oceanographic Campaigns. That same year, Cousteau purchased the ship Calypso to further his explorations. To finance his trips and increase public awareness of his undersea investigations, Cousteau produced numerous films and published many books. His films included The Silent World (1956) and World Without Sun (1966). Both won Academy Awards for best documentary. His books include The Living Sea (1963), Dolphins (1975), and Jacques Cousteau: The Ocean World (1985).

Because of his many projects, Cousteau retired from the French navy. In 1957, he became director of the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, founded the Underseas Research Group at Toulon, and headed the Conshelf Saturation Dive Program. The Conshelf program was an experiment in which men lived and worked underwater for extended periods of time.

In 1968, Cousteau was asked to make a TV series. For the next 8 years, The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau introduced the public to a world of sharks, whales, dolphins, sunken treasure, and coral reefs. In 1974, Cousteau started the Cousteau Society to protect ocean life. The membership of this non-profit group has grown to include more than 300,000 members worldwide. Cousteau was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Reagan in 1985 and in 1989, he was honored by France with membership in the French Academy. Cousteau died on June 25, 1997.

1460 or 1469 – 24 December 1524
First explorer of the
Water Trade route to India

Vasco da Gama is famous for his completion of the first all water trade route between Europe and India.  

Vasco da Gama was born in Sines, Portugal in 1460 or 1469.  Being the son of the town’s governor, he was educated as a nobleman and served in the court of King Joao II.  Da Gama also served as a naval officer and in 1492 he commanded a defense of Portuguese colonies from the French on the coast of Guinea.  Da Gama was then given the mission to take command of the first Portuguese expedition around Africa to India. 

He set out on July 8, 1497, and finally arrived in Calicut, India on May 20, 1498.  Da Gama was not able to establish his trading station or negotiate a trading agreement, because the Zamorin (the Hindu King) did not want to alienate the local merchants.  Vasco da Gama and his crew departed in August 1498 and reached Lisbon in September of 1499. When Vasco da Gama returned, he was rewarded with a great celebration.  Da Gama was looked upon as a hero, and King Manoel awarded him with titles and a large income. 

When Vasco da Gama went out on his second expedition on February 12, 1502, he was prepared for an encounter with the Muslim traders.  He set sail with 20 well-armed ships.  He bombarded the city with guns and forced his way into the trading system upon arrival in Calicut.  This led the way for other Portuguese conquests in the East Indies. 

In February of 1503, he returned home.  During his final voyage to India, da Gama got sick and died on December 24, 1524.  Vasco da Gama's remains were taken back to Portugal, where he was buried in the chapel where he had prayed before his first voyage. 

20 July 1919 - 11 January 2008
One of the first man to summit
Mount Everest

Sir Edmund Hillary was born in 1919 and grew up in Auckland, New Zealand. It was in New Zealand that he became interested in mountain climbing. Although he made his living as a beekeeper, he climbed mountains in New Zealand, then in the Alps, and finally in the Himalayas, where he climbed 11 different peaks of over 20,000 feet.

Between 1920 and 1952, seven major expeditions had failed to reach the summit of Everest. In 1924, the famous mountaineer George Leigh-Mallory had perished in the attempt. In 1952, a team of Swiss climbers were forced to turn back after reaching the south peak, only 1,000 feet from the summit. 

Edmund Hillary joined in Everest reconnaissance expeditions in 1951 and again in 1952. These exploits brought Hillary to the attention of Sir John Hunt, leader of an expedition sponsored by the Joint Himalayan Committee of the Alpine Club of Great Britain and the Royal Geographic Society to make the assault on Everest in 1953. The expedition reached the South Peak on May, but all but two of the climbers who had come this far were forced to turn back by exhaustion at high altitude. At last, Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, a native Nepalese climber who had participated in five previous Everest trips, were the only members of the party able to make the final assault on the summit. At 11:30 on the morning of May 29, 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit, 29,028 feet above sea level, the highest spot on earth. 

Now world famous, Sir Edmund Hillary turned to Antarctic exploration and led the New Zealand section of the Trans-Antarctic expedition from 1955 to 1958. In 1958 he participated in the first mechanized expedition to the South Pole. 

Hillary went on to organise further mountain-climbing expeditions but as the years passed he became more concerned with the welfare of the Nepalese people. In the 1960s, he returned to Nepal to aid in the development of the society, building clinics, hospitals and 17 schools. 

Immediately after the successful Everest expedition, Hillary and Sir John Hunt published their account of the expedition, The Ascent of Everest. The book was published in the U.S as The Conquest of Everest. Sir Edmund Hillary's autobiography Nothing Venture, Nothing Win was published in 1975. In 1979, he published From the Ocean to the Sky, an account of his 1977 expedition on the Ganges river from its mouth to its source in the Himalayas. 

Sir Edmund's life was darkened by the loss of his wife and daughter in a plane crash in 1975. He later remarried and continued to occupy himself with environmental causes. 

22 September 1939 - 20 October 2016
First woman to summit Mount Everest

Junko Tabei became the first woman to reach the summit of Everest on 16 May, 1975, via the South-East Ridge route. 

Junko was born Fukushima Prefecture JAPAN - 1939, went to Showa Women's University  and is married with 2 children.  When Junko Tabei was growing up in Japan, people called her "weak" and "frail". Despite those labels, Tabei began climbing at age 10 during a  school outing. As it turned out, Tabei loved the beauty of the mountains and the fact that climbing wasn't a competitive sport. She enjoyed going at her own pace and the feeling that she wasn't in a race. 

As an adult, she only grew to a height of 4 feet 9 inches, but even so, Tabei has proved herself to be a world class high altitude climber. In fact, she was the first woman to successfully climb the Seven Summits!

In May, 1975, Tabei led an all Japanese woman Everest expedition. The climbers had to overcome many obstacles, including a massive avalanche. After confirming that everyone in her group was all right, Junko became more determined than ever to continue her climb. Covered with bruises and barely able to walk, she led her climbers, sometimes crawling on her hands and knees. On May 16, 1975, twelve days after the avalanche, Junko Tabei became the first woman in the world to reach the summit of Mount Everest. After her historic climb, she was congratulated by the King of Nepal and honored by the Japanese government. 

Tabei has a goal to climb the highest peak in every country in the world. At 61, she slowed down her climbing, but continued to work passionately on ecological concerns. Troubled by the increasingly negative impact climbers have on the nature, Tabei was the director of Himalayan Adventure Trust of Japan, an organization that works on a global level to preserve mountain environments. 

19 March 1813 – 1 May 1873
An explorer of Africa

Few Europeans have contributed as much to the exploration of Africa as Scottish missionary, David Livingstone. 

Livingstone was a curious combination of missionary, doctor, explorer, scientist and anti-slavery activist. He spent 30 years in Africa, exploring almost a third of the continent, from its southern tip almost to the equator. Livingstone received a gold medal from the London Royal Geographical for being the first to cross the entire African Continent from west to east. He was the first white man to see Victoria Falls and though he never discovered the source of the Nile, one of his goals, he eliminated some possibilities and thereby helped direct the efforts of others. 

In 1865, at age 52, Livingstone set out on his last and most famous journey. He soon lost his medicine, animals and porters, but struggled on almost alone. 

At a village on the Lualaba River he witnessed the slaughter of villagers by slave traders. The letter he sent home describing the event so infuriated the public that the English government pressured the Sultan of Zanzibar to stop the slave trade. 

On November 10, 1871 in the village of Ujiji, on the east side of Lake Tanganyika, Livingstone encountered Henry Stanley. With Stanley's supplies, Livingstone continued his explorations, but he was weak, worn out and suffering from dysentery. Then in May 1873, his two African assistants found him dead, still kneeling at his bedside, apparently praying when he died. They dried his body and carried it and his papers on a dangerous 11-month journey to Zanzibar, a trip of 1,000 miles. The natives buried his heart in Africa as he had requested, but his body was buried in England. 

September 15 1254 - January 8 1324
The great explorer

Marco Polo was born in 1254. He was an Italian traveler and explorer. He was the first European to cross the entire continent of Asia and leave a record of what he saw and heard.

Marco Polo was born in Venice in 1254. His father Niccolo Polo was a merchant. Marco's mother died when he was just 15 years old. When he was 17, he went to China with his father and uncle. Marco Polo served as a government official while over there. His father and uncle served as military advisors to Kublai Khan.

In 1260, he made an overland journey from Bukhoro, Uzbekistan, to China. Two years later, he made a second journey. The route led from modern-day Akko, Israel, to the Persian Gulf, northward through Iran to present-day Amu-Darya, up the Oxus and the Pamir to present day Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and finally across the Gobi Desert. They reached Shang-tu in 1275.

The Polo's left China in 1292. They left the country as escorts for a Mongol princess travelling by sea to Iran. They got to that country by Sumatra, near southern India. They then went overland past Tabriz in northwest Iran. They went along the east coast of the Black Sea, and past Constantinople. They returned from China in 1295.

In 1298, Marco Polo served as a captain of a Venetian galley that participated in a battle between the fleets of Venice and Genoa. He was taken prisoner by the Genoese. While jailed, he dictated to a fellow prisoner what he saw and heard while he traveled. Marco Polo's book, "The Travels of Marco Polo", first published in French, is probably the most famous travel book in history. It was the basis of the first accurate maps of Asia. The book helped Christopher Columbus in his explorations. Marco Polo died in 1324 when he was 70 years old. When on his death bed, he said "I didn't tell half of what I saw, because no one would have believed me."

14th Century
Founder of Singapore

Sang Nila Utama was a prince from Palembang, Sumatra who founded Singapore.  The name Singapura in Sanskrit (an Indian Language) means “Lion City”.  The account of Sang Nila Utama’s founding of Singapore can be found in Sejarah Melay, a book of ancient Malay historic writing written by Munshi Abdullah.

The story goes that in 1299, a Sumatran prince named Sang Nila Utama (or Sri Buana) sailed to the Rhio islands to visit his aunt.  He saw the island Temasek and would like to go to the island.  However, when the boat got near Temasek, a terrible storm broke out.  Water got into the boat, and it began to sink.  When the prince threw his crown into the sea, the storm stopped.  Near the shore Sang Nila Utama saw a strange animal running into the forest.  An old man said it could be a lion.  Sang Nila, witnessing all these wonders, decided to live on the island.  He changed its name to Singapura.  Sang Nila Utama ruled Singapura for 48 years and when he died, he was buried on Bukit Larangan, now called Fort Canning Hill.

6 July 1781 – 5 July 1826
Founder of Modern Singapore

Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles was born at sea off Jamaica on 6 July 1781. He joined the East India Company (EIC) in 1795 in London as a clerk.

In 1805, he was sent to Penang as an Assistant Secretary to the Governor of Penang. He was appointed Chief Secretary on 22 March 1807 and visited Malacca subsequently. He was appointed Agent to the Governor General in Malaya in preparation for the Java expedition from 4 December 1810 to 18 June 1811. He later served distinguishably as Lieutenant – Governor of Java from 11 September 1811 till March 1816. He met Governor – General of India on September 1818 and received instructions to look for settlement in Straits in order to protect the British trade routes through the Straits of Malachi. His expedition to the south on the sailing vessel "Indiana" landed on the island of Singapore on 28 January 1819. On 6 February 1819, Raffles finally emancipated Singapore from Johore and firmly established British control there. Raffles immediately unfolded his blue print for the later success of Singapore. He laid the foundation of a liberal and enlightened administration. 

It could be rightly said that Singapore's phenomenal growth to its present status had to be credited to the farsighted policies of Raffles then.

1554 – 1618
An English Explorer

Sir Walter Raleigh was born at Hayes Barton, a family home in Devonshire, and attended Oxford University. In 1580, Raleigh became a captain in the army in Ireland. The next year, he went to Queen Elizabeth's court with dispatches. Raleigh became the queen's favorite. She granted him an estate of 4,860 hectares in Ireland. She also gave him trade privileges and the right to colonize in America. In 1585, she made him a knight. Raleigh became deeply interested in exploration. He sent several expeditions to America, and spent a fortune trying to establish an English colony there. His settlers landed in what is now the state of North Carolina and explored the coast as far as present-day Florida. Raleigh and Elizabeth, who was known as "The Virgin Queen", named much of what is now the Eastern United States, Virginia, in honor of the queen. 

Raleigh's first colonizing expedition left Plymouth in April 1585. It established a colony on Roanoke Island. In 1587, Raleigh sent a second expedition. A group of 117 colonists, including 17 women, landed on Roanoke Island. Raleigh took part in the victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588. He led other expeditions against Spanish possessions and returned with much booty. Raleigh also led an expedition to Guiana, in South America, to search for El Dorado, a legendary land of gold. However, the expedition failed. Raleigh, who was also a poet, obtained a pension for the English poet Edmund Spenser and helped Spenser publish The Faerie Queene. Raleigh also helped introduce the potato plant and tobacco use to Ireland. Elizabeth died in 1603, and the new king, James I, distrusted and feared Raleigh. He charged Raleigh with treason and imprisoned him. Raleigh lived comfortably for 12 years, and wrote his History of the World. He was released in 1616 to lead an expedition to search for gold in South America. The king ordered him not to invade Spanish territory. But Raleigh's men attacked the Spaniards. Raleigh's son Wat was killed in the attack, and Raleigh was forced to abandon the project. 

Upon his return to England, he was sentenced to death for disobeying orders. Raleigh met his fate bravely. He joked with the executioner, and even gave the signal for the ax to fall. 

15 February 1874 – 5 January 1922
An explorer of South Pole

From an early age, Sir Ernest Shackleton knew he would become an explorer: 'I seemed to vow to myself that some day I would go to the region of ice and snow and go on and on till I came to one of the poles of the earth, the end of the axis upon which this great round ball turns.' This dream explains why he didn't become a doctor as his father wanted. Instead, he went to sea at the age of 16, travelling through the Far East and America and by the age of 24 had qualified to become a Master, making him able to captain a British ship on any sea. 

On leave in London in 1900, Shackleton volunteered for Scott's National Antarctic Expedition. Shackleton, having impressed those close to the expedition with his personality, was chosen to go with Scott to the South Pole on the famous Discovery expedition in the summer of 1901.

The trip would be a bittersweet one, as Shackleton became seriously ill on the journey and had to be returned home. It was not an empty journey, however, as Shackleton gained invaluable experience in the Antarctic expedition. Once recovered, he was asked to take a ship to rescue Scott and dissuade him from continuing for another winter at the Pole. Shackleton declined, wanting not to save Scott, but 'prove himself a better man' with his own expedition.

His dream was realized as commander of the Nimrod Expedition (1907-09), during which his team climbed Mount Erebus, made numerous important scientific discoveries and set a record by coming within 97 miles of the South Pole.

Knighted in 1909, he commanded another voyage from 1914-1916 on the Endurance. The ship was crushed in the ice in 1915, yet he led his men to safety against all odds-making an incredible journey across 800 frozen miles to South Georgia to get aid--a testament to his skill as a leader of men.

Shackleton's last journey would be with the goal of circumnavigating the Antarctic continent. Under great mental and physical stress, Shackleton died on South Georgia Island where his wife insisted he be buried. 

29 May 1914 – 9 May 1986
One of the first man to summit
Mount Everest

Tenzing Norgay was a Sherpa, one of the legendary mountain guides of Nepal and India and the unsung heroes of mountaineering. Though the media has largely ignored them, they hold world records few can dream of breaking. Of the 1500-odd Everest summiteers, more than 500 are Sherpas. 

Born in Nepal in 1914, Tenzing was one of thirteen children. At the age of around eighteen, he made his way to Darjeeling, India, where he commenced work as a mountain guide or in the quaint colonial terminology of the day, a trekking porter. 

In his autobiography, entitled Tiger of the Snows, The Autobiography of Tenzing of Everest, Tenzing recalls: "On the top of the rock cliff we rested again. Certainly, after the climb up the gap we were both a bit breathless, but after some slow pulls at the oxygen I am feeling fine. I look up; the top is very close now; and my heart thumps with excitement and joy."  At the morning of 29 May 1953, both Tenzing and Edmund Hillary reached the summit, 29,028 feet above sea level. 

After Everest, Tenzing was awarded the George Medal, Britain’s highest civilian award. Tenzing went on to open a mountaineering school for Sherpas in Darjeeling and became a lifelong ambassador and crusader for his people. Despite never having learned to write, he was fluent in seven languages and dictated several books. They have become priceless records of an innocent, lost time when the Himalayas were largely unexplored. 

Tenzing died in 1986. But 33 years earlier and a lifetime ago, he’d already knocked on heaven’s door.

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