Balaji Sadasivan

Balaji Sadasivan (11 July 1955 – 27 September 2010) was a Singaporean politician and neurosurgeon. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he was the Minister of State for the Ministry of the Environment (2001–2003), Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Transport (2001–2004); and subsequently Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Health (2004–2006), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2006–2010) and Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (2004–2008). He was also a Member of Parliament representing the Ang Mo Kio Group Representation Constituency from 2001 to 2010.

Balaji was a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) and a Fellow of Harvard University. He worked as a neurosurgeon until 2001, publishing over 50 book chapters and journal articles. In 2007, he was appointed chairman of the executive board of the World Health Organization (WHO).

In 2008, Balaji was diagnosed with colorectal cancer and underwent surgical removal of a malignant tumour. Following a relapse of his cancer, Balaji died in his sleep on 27 September 2010 at the age of 55 years, having suffered internal bleeding the previous night.

Early years and education Balaji was born on 11 July 1955 in Singapore, the son of Indian immigrants. He studied at Raffles Institution, Siglap Secondary School (1969–1971) and National Junior College (1972–1973), he subsequently studied medicine at the University of Singapore. becoming a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) in 1984. He trained at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, between 1985 and 1990, obtaining a diploma from the American Board of Neurology Surgery and becoming a fellow at Harvard University in 1990. In 1997, he obtained a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B. (Hons.)) from the University of London. and Balaji was declared elected to Parliament on 25 October 2001. to Muslims and the 2003–2004 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak. He also worked to combat the spread of HIV, advocating education about the disease in schools and workplaces, and early and regular HIV testing. He brought in universal antenatal testing for HIV, and spoke out against discrimination on the ground of HIV status.

For his constituents, he set up the Cheng San–Seletar Neighbourhood Club. He also conceived an active ageing centre in Ang Mo Kio Town Garden East, which was slated to open in 2010. After the election, Balaji was appointed Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts from 30 May 2006 to 31 March 2008. non-communicable diseases and climate change. the president of the Singapore Indian Development Association (from March 2009) Chairman of the Indian Heritage Centre Steering Committee and a member of the National Art Gallery Implementation Steering Committee, Chairman of the National HIV/AIDS Policy Committee, a member of the National Steering Committee on Racial and Religious Harmony, and the People's Association Indian Activity Executive Committee Co-ordinating Council, a member of the Singapore Industrial and Services Employees' Union Council of Advisors, and Honorary Advisor to the Singapore Furniture Industries Council.

Personal life Balaji was married to Ma Swan Hoo whom he met in medical school and had two children.

Balaji was diagnosed with colorectal cancer and underwent surgical removal of a malignant tumour in 2008. Following a relapse of his cancer, Balaji died in his sleep on 27 September 2010 at 1:50 a.m. at the age of 55 years, having suffered internal bleeding the previous night. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Ma Swan Hoo, his son Dharma Yongwen and daughter Anita Jiawen, and five siblings.

On 18 October 2010, during a sitting of Parliament, Abdullah Tarmugi, Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore, and Mah Bow Tan, Leader of the House, paid tribute to Balaji in the presence of his widow and children, Mah saying "We have lost a dear friend and colleague and an outstanding Singaporean." Parliament then observed a minute's silence. Balaji's medical school classmates set up the Balaji Sadasivan Fund for Medical Undergraduates in his honour.

Selected works

Book (published posthumously).

Medical articles

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