J. M. J. Supramaniam

James Mark Jeyasebasingam Supramaniam (13 October 1921 - 11 December 2008) was a doctor, public administrator, research clinician and the first Chairman of the Singapore Medical Research Council, WHO Fellow, and acknowledged world expert on tuberculosis, with Sir John Crofton and Wallace Fox.

Supramaniam played an important part in the elimination of tuberculosis in Singapore, and is sometimes called the 'Father of Tuberculosis' there. He established aviation medicine in Singapore and was founding chairman of the Singapore Medical Aviation Board.

He was deputy permanent secretary of health in Singapore from 1971-1981. His father was Reverend James Arumugam Supramaniam, a Methodist minister.

Education Supramaniam studied at Anglo-Chinese School in Singapore and Methodist Boys School in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He was the top student in the Senior Cambridge Examinations and enrolled in the King Edward VII College of Medicine in Singapore in 1940.

Supramaniam was founding chairman of the Singapore Medical Research Council and the Civil Aviation Medical Board of Singapore.

Personal life Supramaniam has an elder brother, George Supramaniam, who was a house surgeon. His elder brother helped British POWs at Batu Lintang Camp in Kuching and died of beri beri during the Japanese Occupation in 1944.

In 1955, Supramaniam married Eunice Princess Jebaranee Aiyathurai, daughter of physician to Sultan Ibrahim, in Ceylon, India.

Supramaniam moved in 1990 to Kent, England to spend time with his children and grandchildren.