Devan Nair

Devan Nair Biography

Devan Nair was a Malaysian-Singaporean politician of Kerala origin. He served as the third President of Singapore during the period, 23 October 1981 – 27 March 1985. He was the founder of Democratic Action Party along with Chen Man Hin in Malaysia. He remained a prominent trade union leader in Singapore and has led Singaporean trade union movement. He also founded National Trades Union Congress in 1961.

His full name is Chengara Veetil Devan Nair. His father I.V.K. Nair was originally from Thalassery, Kerala, who worked as a clerk in a rubber plantation in Malaysia. Devan Nair was born there. He was born on August 5, 1923 in Malacca. When Devan was 10 years old the family shifted to Singapore. He completed his schooling at Singapore, and passed his Senior Cambridge examination in 1940. After World War Second, he worked as a teacher at different school, before joined politics.

Initially he was associated with Communist Anti-British League. In the early 1950s he has been arrested by British for his anti-colonial activities. In 1954 he joined Lee Kuan Yew's People's Action Party. He was detained for the second time in 1956. By that time he had turned an active trade union leader. Nair was released in 1959 when his party won the elections. He served as political secretary to the Minister for Education for a while before he returned to teaching.

In 1964 Malayasian general elections, he was the only leader representing PAP to win the elections and got elected from Bangsar constituency. He stayed in Malaysia after the Separation. He returned to Singapore as the leader of National Trades Union Congress and entered Singapore Parliament in 1979. He retained the seat in the 1980 general election as well and got elected as the third President of Singapore on 23 October 1981.

Published: February 15, 2019

Updated: February 15, 2019