Indians in Singapore - Institutions

Institutions

Many of the clubs and associations established by and for Indians in Singapore are defined along narrower linguistic, religious or other sub-ethnic lines. The following groups are among the more important national Indian organisations in Singapore that cater to all Indians, regardless or cultural background.

• Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA) - SINDA was set up in 1991 to address educational under-performance in the Indian community. It also deals with other social and economic problems faced by Indians.

• Singapore Indian Association (IA) - The IA was set up in 1923 by Singapore's Indian elite to promote the social, physical, intellectual, cultural and the general welfare of its members. While the association initially focussed on social and political issues faced by the Indian community, it has evolved into a private sports and recreation members-only club.

• Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) - Established first in 1924 as the Indian Merchants Association, the SICCI is an independent, non-profit organization with over 500 members.

• Society of Indian Students (SOIS) - Established first in 1999 in the National University of Singapore, the primary objective of SOIS is to provide a framework for students to interact with and to assist one another; Virtually all Indian students at NUS are directly or indirectly linked to SOIS.