1. Asoka Markandu (Markandu Kanapathippillai Son)
My father, Markandu, was the youngest of four children. Born in Seremban in 1930, educated in Malaysia and Singapore, before he returned to Ceylon with his parents, after the 2nd World War, in 1951. Unable to find suitable employment, he returned to Singapore in1956 and built his family (married in 1960) and social life as a Ceylon Tamil immigrant. He worked for the Water Department all his life until his retirement. Both my parents dedicated their life to the Temple and the community at large.
Appa aspired to have a University education, to be financially stable and to travel around the world. That which he could not have for himself, he made sure I had it all, but at a much earlier age in life. He gave me the opportunities he never had. He sacrificed his youth, working two jobs to make ends meet. When the time came, post his retirement, and he no longer had to save for a rainy day, he travelled. My most memorable trip was in 2010, when I brought him to Jaffna (in a wheelchair) to see his nieces. Throughout his life, he did as much as he could to help his elder sister’s family. By a twist of fate, they had decided to remain in Ceylon instead of moving to Singapore. The well-being of his nieces was always on his mind. Appa taught me responsibility, hard work and zest for better things in life. That which he could not achieve in his lifetime, he ensured I could achieve them in my lifetime.