History of Singapore Sindhi Association

Singapore Sindhi Association (SSA) was formed in 1921 – under the chairmanship of Mr T Naraindas. There were 10 members then & till 1939 – the Association membership figure could rise only up to 21. Today, the total membership of the Association is around 650, many of them resourceful businessmen.

The Association bought it’s first property in 1938, at Enggor Street, for the purpose of providing comfortable boarding facilities for the visiting Sindhis & for those, who were in transit – to their destination.

In 1947, after the partition of India, Sindhis had to leave their homeland – Sindh (now a part of Pakistan). Sindhis were compelled to find new abode, who were displaced during the partition of India. The need to provide initial help to the immigrants was felt by the Association & to cope with the requirement of providing suitable boarding facilities to the visiting Sindhis, the Association acquired properties at Neil Road & at Oxley Rise, simultaneously, in the late forties.

The enterprising Sindhi businessmen had almost flocked to Singapore just before 1950s.

In the early fifties, more Sindhi families migrated to Singapore and the Association decided to acquire new spacious Premises for all the resident Sindhis, to assemble & participate in the Association’s activities. The present Sindhu House now located at 795 Mountbatten, was purchased in 1955, as most Sindhi families were concentrated around this area – with their businesses around High Street. The location of Sindhu house was very convenient for the members – either traveling from their homes or from the place of their work.

Singapore, the gateway to the Asian Countries, politically stable and clear in it’s rules / law, soon became a favorite spot, for the visiting overseas Sindhi businessmen.

The main objective of the Association is to look after the interest and welfare of the Sindhi Community and promote the Educational, Social & Spiritual activities.

With the grace of Almighty and the undying – united efforts of the members, the Sindhi Community has grown in Body, Mind & Spirit. The Sindhu House is now a Community / Religious Centre of over 4,000 Sindhis – who are away from their homeland. They very much feel at home – when they are at Sindhu House.

Some of the regular activities of the Association :-

• Sindhi language classes
• Yoga classes
• Social – Cultural – Recreational & Spiritual Gatherings
• Events Celebrated every year
• Sunday morning Assadivars
• Sunday evening Geeta classes in English
• quarterly Blood Donation Drives
• Permanent features & celebrated every year are Deepavali, Holi, Janmashtmi, Chetti Chand (Sindhi New Year), Durga Asthmi, Ram Navmi, Guru Nanik’s Birthday, Swami Lilashah’s & Dada Vaswani’s Birthdays

Other Social functions held here :

• Marriages,
• Engagements,
• Naming – Janeo Ceremony