The Short Stories And Radio Plays of S. Rajaratnam

Fourteen stimulating literary works that shine a new light on Singapore’s first foreign minister and one of its most eloquent and farsighted leaders—the late S. Rajaratnam. Celebrated as one of Singapore’s founding fathers, very little has been said of his literary prowess. The seven short stories, which he wrote in London in the 1940s, were previously published in various collections alongside some of the most distinguished writers in the world. Impressed by his talent, George Orwell, who at the time worked for the BBC Eastern Service, recruited Rajaratnam to contribute scripts for the network.Upon his return from London, Rajaratnam stopped writing fiction and took to journalism. Excelling in political commentary and satire, he also wrote a number of politically-charged radio scripts. This anthology collects a six-part series titled “A Nation in the Making” and another titled “Looking Forward”. All seven scripts were broadcast on Radio Malaya in 1957.