| Group: | Sri Lankans in Singapore |
| Langs: | TamilEnglishSinhalaOther languages |
| Rels: | HinduismBuddhismCatholicismIslam |
| Related: | Sri Lankan diasporaSri Lankans in MalaysiaSri Lankan Tamil diaspora |
Sri Lankans in Singapore consist mainly of Singaporeans of Sri Lankan origin whose ancestors came to Singapore before the independence of the island. With respect to ethnic group data in Singapore, Sri Lankans were classified under "Others" until 1970, and have since been classified as "Indians".
The Jaffna Tamils were predominantly large in number amongst people who came to resettle in Singapore and British Malaya in the 19th and early 20th centuries.[1] Ever since their arrival in Singapore, they identifying themselves "Ceylonese". They dominated the bureaucracy in Singapore as the British administration preferred employing Ceylonese individuals as bureaucrats in many of their Asian colonies. Ceylonese Tamils made up an overwhelming majority in the civil service of British Malaya and Singapore prior to independence.[2]
In 1909, the Ceylon Tamils, who had grown in number to about 300 families, formed the Singapore Ceylon Tamils’ Association (SCTA).[3] Sri Lankans in Singapore and Malaysia formed the "Lanka Regiment" of the Indian National Army, directly under Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.[4]
Former Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew once said:
Some Ceylonese-founded institutions from the colonial era still exist. The Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple was founded by Ceylonese Tamils on the appropriately named Ceylon Road. Ceylon Sports Club was established in 1928 at its current premises along Balester Road and continues to function as not only a sports club but a social and charitable institution.[5]
In recent years, many Sri Lankans have been coming to Singapore. Sri Lankan domestic workers form a large number of the 150,000 maids in Singapore.[6] Many students from Sri Lanka have also been coming to Singapore for further education.[7] On 31 July 2010, the Singapore Ceylon Tamils' Association celebrated its 100-year anniversary.[8]
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