Mr S R Nathan was borned and raised in Singapore. During his younger days, Mr Nathan received his education
at many places. These places include Anglo-Chinese Primary and Middle School, Rangoon Road Afternoon School and
Victoria School.
Before his education was completed, Mr Nathan had already started working. Duirng the Japanese Occupation, he worked
and at the same time, completed his secondary school education purely by self-studying. After that, he enrolled for a place
at the University of Malaya which was in Singapore then. He graduated in 1954 with a Diploma in Social Studies which he got a
distinction.
Mr Nathan started his career by working as a humble medical social worker in the Singapore Civil
Service in 1955. Due to his outstanding performance, he was soon appointed Seamen's Welfare Officer in the following year.
In 1962, he became the Assistant Director of the Labour Research unit and in 1966, he was appointed to become the Director.
He continued as a Member of its Board of Trustees until April 1988.
In February 1966, Mr Nathan was transferred to the Foreign Ministry where he served as Assistant Secretary. He soon rose to the post of
Deputy Secretary and after that, appointed as Acting Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Home Affairs in 1971. In the same year in August,
Mr Nathan was transferred to Ministry of Defence where he served as a Director with the rank of Permanent Secretary.
In the year 1979, he went back to the Ministry of Foreign Affair and became its first Permanent Secretary till 1982. He then became the Executive
Chairman of the Straits Time Press Ltd. He also held the directorship of several companies such as Singapore Mint Pte Ltd, Singapore Press Holdings
Ltd and Marshall Cavendish Ltd. He also held the directorship in the Singapore International Media Pte Ltd
between September 1996 and August 1999 as well as being the Chairman of Mitsubishi Singapore Heavy Industries from 1973 to
1986.
From 1983 all the way till April 1988, Mr Nathan was also the Chairman of the Hindu Endowments Board.
He was also the founding member of the Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA) and its Term Trustee until
August 1999.
In April 1988, he was appointed Singapore's High Commission to Malaysia and in July 1990, he became the Ambassador to the United
States of America until June 1996.
When Mr Nathan returned in 1996, he was appointed Ambassador-at-Large and at the same time Director of the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies
at Nanyang Technological University. However he resigned from these 2 posts on 17 August 1999 to stand for election. He was elected President
of the Republic of Singapore the following day.
