A. K. Sigamoney

Asai Kurugula Sigamoney He studied physics in Singapore and graduated from the Michigan Technological University in the United States with a Master of Science degree in 1965. His graduate thesis was An Investigation of an Induction-Coupled Argon Plasma at Atmospheric Pressure Using Ultrasonic Probes.

Career Sigamoney began as a teacher at the Gan Eng Seng School in 1955. He remained there for half a decade before he was transferred to the prestigious Raffles Institution (RI) in 1960. He proved popular with the staff for his "kindness and humility." A physics teacher, He became the Senior Assistant of RI by 1962, when E. W. Jesudason was appointed headmaster. On the latter's retirement in 1966, he acted as the principal until Philip Liau was appointed to the post later that year. Sigamoney resigned as principal in 1976 and was transferred to MOE

Raffles Institution It was announced in September 1977 that Sigamoney was to succeed Liau, who was to retire at the end of the year, as principal of RI. He was conferred the Public Service Medal as a "social and community worker" at the 1979 National Day Awards. As principal, he oversaw the split of the school's pre-university classes into its own institution, Raffles Junior College, in the early 1980s. This was the result of MOE's decision to restrict such classes to junior colleges. He received an award from the council in July 1984 for his contributions to the organisation. He was elected the chairman of the Science Teachers Association of Singapore in April 1980. In 1981, he was appointed to the newly founded Schools Council, established to improve communication between schools and MOE. He served on the council for two years. He and several other members strongly opposed the ministry's proposal for a new type of management committee to be instituted at government schools, called the School Executive Committee. This committee, which was to include one Singapore Armed Forces officer, would have "powers" over schools' budgets and curricula. Sigamoney was one of four principals selected to accompany the MOE on its three-week-long trip to Haifa, Israel as part of its gifted children project.

It was announced in August 1985 that Sigamoney would be retiring from RI at the end of the year, after which he was to be transferred to the MOE. He was to be succeeded on 7 December by Eugene Wijeysingha, a former teacher at the school. A large farewell ceremony was held at RI on 18 October.

Ministry of Education On his resignation from RI, Sigamoney was appointed the assistant director of MOE's Services Division. He was to help "strengthen" the division, which had been "weakened" on Earnest Lau's resignation. and continued in this position for around a year. By 1988, Sigamoney was the assistant director for Career and Guidance. He sat on the management committee of the Junior Flying Club.

In his retirement, Sigamoney actively engaged in social and community work, A grassroots leader, Sigamoney was elected to the Moulmein Community Centre Management Committee in 1973. He became the chair of the Moulmein Citizens' Consultative Committee in 2000.

Sigamoney died of pneumonia on 9 November 2011 at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. The wake was held two days after. RI then established the Sigamoney Leadership Award, to be given to the "best leader from the Year 6 (JC 2) cohort".