Not many people would persevere after meeting so many obstacles, but Chandran did. He quit school in Secondary 3 when his mother was diagnosed with uterine cancer to help his father pay the mounting medical bills. But he did not give up on learning, working part-time and studying in the night to take his N, then O, levels.

After becoming a full-time lorry driver, he saved enough money to study for a diploma in travel and tourism. But he failed his exams because he had no time for revision due to his long working hours. Chandran was disappointed. But despite being ill able to afford the course fees, he decided to retake his exams. At the same time, his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. That was when he sank into so deep a depression that he contemplated suicide.

Fortunately, he picked himself up again. His mother is still on medication to treat the cancer and Chandran has also gone on to do well in his studies, completing a diploma in logistics management and more recently, attaining his Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Logistics and Supply Chain Management.

Today, he is reaping the rewards of his perseverance. The confident executive with Singapore Technologies Aerospace Supplies is also a great believer in learning — he is sponsoring his wife’s diploma in the hope that she will go on to take her degree.

He said: “Education is the key to enlightening ourselves and to moving forward.”