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SINGAPORE: Former director of news and current affairs at the then-Singapore Broadcasting Corporation, S. Chandramohan, was laid to rest on Monday.
He died on Saturday after a long illness, aged 71.
Over the past days, friends and colleagues paid their final respects to the man who pioneered television news in Singapore.
They remember Mr Chandramohan as a man of smiles and who left a lasting legacy in the development of broadcast journalism in Singapore.
K. Kesavapany, director of Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, said: "He was an extremely nice person. Cultured and well-informed. And we used to have very informed discussions. Almost everybody acknowledges that he is the father of broadcast journalism in Singapore."
Mr Kesavapany, who had been friends with Mr Chandramohan for over 30 years, said he would miss him very much.
Ong Lay Hong, managing director of MediaCorp's Vasantham and Suria, said: "I remember he'd always remind us about things that we do, to be careful, mindful and disciplined."
Arun Mahizhnan, deputy director of Institute of Policy Studies at the National University of Singapore, was a former colleague of Mr Chandramohan. He had worked for Mr Chandramohan for 10 years in the Current Affairs department.
Mr Arun Mahizhnan said: "He was trained in the British Broadcasting Corporation, and he made us all aspire for much higher standards than many people thought were possible. He was a very hard driver and nothing would escape his eyes. But he was a reasonable boss.
"He brought a level of intelligence and sense of aesthetics that was unheard of those days. He also laid the foundation for new formats, like documentaries, forums, and things like that. In fact, for me, he was the great guru of television."
Mr Chandramohan was the man behind current affairs programmes like "Talking Point" and "Friday Background".
He joined the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation as a producer in 1962. As director of news and current affairs in 1980, he oversaw the production of "Today in Parliament".
In a condolence letter to his family, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong wrote that Mr Chandramohan was a professional with a fine political sense.
He had a good understanding of the issues of the day as well as a keen insight as to what would work on TV, added Prime Minister Lee.
"Today in Parliament" programme was launched in the 1980s.
Mr Lee noted that Mr Chandramohan oversaw the TV production of Parliament debates, distilling long, complex political debates into 45 minutes of watchable television and making sure they were coherent and balanced.
It was no surprise then that his wake was attended by various Cabinet ministers.
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth & Sports, said: "My father and I have known him for many decades. We used to stay nearby; he used to walk past our house. For me, I've also known him through my years debating and participating in various current affairs shows. He's always been a very nice man, a good source of advice."
- CNA/ir
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