Uma Sambanthan
Encyclopedia
Toh Puan Umasundari Sambanthan née Subramaniam is the wife of the late Tun V.T. Sambanthan, former Malayan Labour Minister, president of the Malaysian Indian Congress and regarded as one of the founding fathers of Malaysia. She is an activist, social worker and leading figure of the cooperative movement in Malaysia.
, to O.M. Subramaniam, a senior officer with the Public Works Department and his wife Jayalakshmi Swaminathan Sastrigal. Uma was educated at the Anglo-Chinese School in Sungai Siput
, Perak
, where she won the Best Indian Student of the Year scholarship in 1942.
However, her education was interrupted by the Japanese Occupation
from 1942 to 1945.
After the war, she went to India to study science at the University of Madras
, majoring in chemistry and graduating with First Class honours. She then studied for a Masters degree at the Presidency College, Chennai
in India
.
Upon returning home, she taught in Singapore
for three years but gave up her teaching career and returned to Malaya in 1956, when she married the young Sambanthan, the first MIC president.
"It was so symbolic... a sign that we were free of the colonial regime, free to think for ourselves, free to lead our own country", she said.
It was truly a moment of great intensity. Uma and Sambanthan, who stood behind the country's first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman
, did not speak much as they were overcome with emotion as the Union Jack was lowered and the Federation of Malaya flag raised.
The feeling of being present at the historical event on the eve of the country's Independence Day was indescribable, said Uma.
"Many years have passed, but that feeling still lingers and I think it will live in me forever", she said.
and during the early years of independence, Uma was involved in making rural women aware of the benefits of Malayan
citizenship. Her lifelong battle has been to bring uneducated rubber-tappers into mainstream national life. In the 1950s, this meant getting Indian women to sign up as citizens.
In 1956, she was made a founder-life member of the NCWO and held the presidency for four years.
She was also an active member of the Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW), helping to organise the Asian regional conference of the ACWW in 1961 and participating in another ACWW conference in Manila
in 1966.
In 1960, she was the co-founder of Persatuan Sri Ramakrishna Sarada and continues to be its general-secretary.
From 1960 to 1972, she was involved in the Children's International Art Class which was committed to encouraging young children to have hobbies.
She was also the chairman and director of the National Land Finance Co- operative Society (NLFC) from 1980 to 1995 and its president in 1995 and 1996. The co-operative was established by her husband to prevent the fragmentation of estates in the early `60s.
In 1996, she attended the Asian Regional Conference of the International Cooperative Alliance in Kuala Lumpur. She is a member of the Asian Regional Women's Committee formed at that meeting.
Today, she still keeps herself busy and helps out with the Sri Ramakrishna Sarada Society's early childhood development programme.
, who is married to her sister, Puan Sri Vijayalakshmi. He is the former Secretary-General of the Primary Industries Ministry.
Early life
She was born in Bruas, PerakPerak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...
, to O.M. Subramaniam, a senior officer with the Public Works Department and his wife Jayalakshmi Swaminathan Sastrigal. Uma was educated at the Anglo-Chinese School in Sungai Siput
Sungai Siput
Sungai Siput is a town and also a parliamentary constituency in Kuala Kangsar district, Perak, Malaysia. Since the recent Malaysian general election of 8 March 2008, this parliamentary constituency is represented by Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj, from Pakatan Rakyat Party, in the Dewan Rakyat, the lower...
, Perak
Perak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...
, where she won the Best Indian Student of the Year scholarship in 1942.
However, her education was interrupted by the Japanese Occupation
Japanese occupation of Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak
Throughout much of World War II, British Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak were under Japanese occupation.The Japanese Empire commenced the Pacific War with the invasion of Kota Bahru in Kelantan on 8 December 1941 at 00:25, about 90 minutes before the Attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii at 07:48 on 7...
from 1942 to 1945.
After the war, she went to India to study science at the University of Madras
University of Madras
The University of Madras is a public research university in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the three oldest universities in India...
, majoring in chemistry and graduating with First Class honours. She then studied for a Masters degree at the Presidency College, Chennai
Presidency College, Chennai
Presidency College is an arts, law and science college in the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, India. Established as the Madras Preparatory School on October 15, 1840 and later, upgraded to a high school and then, graduate college, the Presidency College is one of the oldest government arts colleges...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Upon returning home, she taught in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
for three years but gave up her teaching career and returned to Malaya in 1956, when she married the young Sambanthan, the first MIC president.
Independence Day memories
She was only 27 years old during the proclamation of independence on August 31, 1957. She still remembers what she wore on that momentous occasion — an off-white silk sari with a red border, a personal favourite as it had been an engagement gift from Sambanthan."It was so symbolic... a sign that we were free of the colonial regime, free to think for ourselves, free to lead our own country", she said.
It was truly a moment of great intensity. Uma and Sambanthan, who stood behind the country's first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman
Tunku Abdul Rahman
Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah, AC, CH was Chief Minister of the Federation of Malaya from 1955, and the country's first Prime Minister from independence in 1957. He remained as the Prime Minister after Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore joined the...
, did not speak much as they were overcome with emotion as the Union Jack was lowered and the Federation of Malaya flag raised.
The feeling of being present at the historical event on the eve of the country's Independence Day was indescribable, said Uma.
"Many years have passed, but that feeling still lingers and I think it will live in me forever", she said.
Pre-Independence
Prior to Malayan independenceHari Merdeka
Hari Merdeka is a national day of Malaysia commemorating the independence of the Federation of Malaya from British colonial rule in 1957, celebrated on August 31 each year. It is not to be confused with the formation of Malaysia...
and during the early years of independence, Uma was involved in making rural women aware of the benefits of Malayan
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
citizenship. Her lifelong battle has been to bring uneducated rubber-tappers into mainstream national life. In the 1950s, this meant getting Indian women to sign up as citizens.
After independence
Uma was well-known for her charity work and her work to raise the status of women, especially in rural areas, and children. She was actively involved in many women's organisations and was one of the founders of the National Council of Women's Organisations (NCWO).In 1956, she was made a founder-life member of the NCWO and held the presidency for four years.
She was also an active member of the Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW), helping to organise the Asian regional conference of the ACWW in 1961 and participating in another ACWW conference in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
in 1966.
In 1960, she was the co-founder of Persatuan Sri Ramakrishna Sarada and continues to be its general-secretary.
From 1960 to 1972, she was involved in the Children's International Art Class which was committed to encouraging young children to have hobbies.
She was also the chairman and director of the National Land Finance Co- operative Society (NLFC) from 1980 to 1995 and its president in 1995 and 1996. The co-operative was established by her husband to prevent the fragmentation of estates in the early `60s.
In 1996, she attended the Asian Regional Conference of the International Cooperative Alliance in Kuala Lumpur. She is a member of the Asian Regional Women's Committee formed at that meeting.
Today, she still keeps herself busy and helps out with the Sri Ramakrishna Sarada Society's early childhood development programme.
Awards and recognition
In 1992, she was awarded the Tun Fatimah Gold Medal award by the NCWO in conjunction with the Women's Day celebrations.Family
She is related to Tan Sri Rama IyerG. Rama Iyer
Tan Sri G.K. Rama Iyer is the former Secretary-General of the Primary Industries Ministry. He did much for the civil service in the years following independence.Born in 1932 in Penang, his father is V.K. Ganapathy Iyer, a teacher at Penang Free School...
, who is married to her sister, Puan Sri Vijayalakshmi. He is the former Secretary-General of the Primary Industries Ministry.