INTRODUCTION

The mission of the Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA) is to raise the educational standards of Indian students. But education does not and cannot work in isolation. To uplift the educational performance of an entire community, one needs to go beyond tuition and the classroom. Teachers have to be more than just tutors. Motivation is the key, not just for students but for their parents as well. Achievement of this mission calls for a wider involvement of the community at all levels an involvement that has resulted in SINDA being viewed as a key for most problems and issues beyond just education. Perhaps that is why for the lady in saffron robes, SINDA was the first organization that came to mind. To her it was only her SINDA that could resolve the issue.

The strong sense of ownership that the Singaporean Indian community has for SINDA comes laden with responsibilites. On the one hand, the community has shown exceptional resolve and uncommon unity in supporting SINDA through donations and coming forward to volunteer. On the other hand, there are expectations in some quarters that SINDA should engage itself more aggressively in dealing with all manner of social and economic issues faced by the Indian community.