Proposal

1) Firstly, I would like to say that the monument of Govindasamy Pillai should be located at the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple or Sri Perumal Temple. It is located in Little India on Serangoon Road. This is due because he donated a large sum to the Sri Perumal Temple to build a S$425,000 Gopuram or an entranceway to the Temple. This way, Hindus who visit the temple will be reminded of his contributions.

2) As you can see, the sketch I have provided shows Govindasamy Pillai sitting on a chair with a temple next to him. He is looking at the temple which symbolises that he looks out for the temple, which is the Sri Perumal Temple in reality. The satisfaction can be seen from his face and the comfortable position he is sitting on the chair.

Reflections

This history assignment was rather frutiful as I gained a new insight on the social contribution of the immigrant, Govindasamy Pillai. To be honest, I have never heard of him and I am sure that many people are the same. He may not be as renowned as people like Raffles but his contributions should not go unnoticed. After all, he did help make the lives of some people better. Throughout the whole process, I had little time to complete it and this is my negative comment on it. Thankfully, I managed to spare some time to complete this whole project.

Bibliography

I have consulted many sources during the process and the following are them.
Written sources:
1) Pioneers of Singapore : Builders of Our Land by Lim Lee Chin and Chan Soon Oon.

Online sources:
1) http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_262_2005-01-13.html

2)http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/singapore/facts_old_singapore/353/singapore8217s_tamil_pioneer_mr_p_govindasamy.php

Govindasamy Pillai's contributions to Singapore

Govindasamy Pillai died of heart attack in 1980 at the age of 93. He is most remembered for his generosity and charity. A pious Hindu, he donated a large sum to the Sri Perumal Temple to build a S$425,000 Gopuram or an entranceway to the Temple and the first Indian wedding hall which bears his name -- Govindasamy Pillai Kalyanamandabam.

The first wedding to be solemnised here was his granddaughter's to his son Ramakrishnan.In 1952, a new home for the Ramakrishna Mission at Bartley Road was built with his generous donation. He also donated to many other institutions including University of Malaya, Indian Association and Gandhi Memorial Hall.

Brief biography of Govindasamy Pillai

Govindasamy Pillai grew up in an Indian village of Koorainadu, Mayavaram, Tanjore District,Tamil Nadu. In his teens, he ran away from home and boarded a ship to Singapore, landing at Tanjong Pagar in 1905. After many unsuccessful attempts looking for a job, he gained employment at a provision store at 50 Serangoon Road. It was a backbreaking job starting before dawn and ending after midnight. He was given no wages, only food and accommodation. However, it was during this time that he learnt to run a business, knowledge that would put him in good stead later.

Being thrifty and frugal, he managed to save enough to invest in properties and to start other businesses such as textile shops, flour and spice mills. PGP saree shops were popular and his sons later expanded this business. The Little India Arcade currently occupies the place where P. Govindasamy Pillai saree shop and supermarket once stood. He also invested in properties in Serangoon Road, Race Course Road and Buffalo Road.Pillai was one of the few successful South Indian businessmen and managed to build two houses in Campbell Lane and later in Race Course Road.

During the Japanese occupation, Pillai and his family escaped the horrors of war for they were in India but his property and goods were confiscated. He returned to Singapore in 1945 and started all over again. He expanded his business across the Causeway and opened PGP stores in Malacca and Johor.He retired in 1963, handing over the family business, valued at S$3 million to his children. After the death of his youngest son, his daughter-in law managed the PGP stores. It ran into huge debts and was closed down in 1998.