For Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) officer Lieutenant (LTA) Mahendra Prasad Sivakumar, seeing his mother shed tears at his primary school hall shocked him.
She had been so worried that he would flunk his Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE). “I felt like I’d let her down. When I saw her cry, it hit me that I might fail and be retained,” says the 25-year-old.
Fortunately, that did not come to pass. LTA Mahendra managed to scrape through that year. But as he witnessed his mother break into a smile after the results were announced, he thought to himself: “How would mum feel if I’d really worked hard?”
That revelation kick-started a reversal of his academic performance. Streamed to the Normal (Academic) track, he did well enough for his N-level examinations to skip Secondary 5 and progress to Nanyang Polytechnic.
There, he worked hard and was encouraged to apply for The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Scholarship, which he received in 2021.
With the scholarship, LTA Mahendra is currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree in international relations at King’s College London (KCL).
It is a major that is not commonly offered in Singapore’s universities at the undergraduate level.
“If you’d told me I would one day have the opportunity to travel to the United Kingdom and pursue my passion for the humanities, I would not have believed you,” the world history buff admits candidly.
Not only does he get to study under distinguished professors at KCL, but he also has a chance to learn from leading experts in fields like military history and visit historical sites such as the Imperial War Museums and Palace of Versailles.
“Standing in the Hall of Mirrors, where the Treaty of Versailles was signed, was surreal,” he reflects.
“To think that such a defining moment in history – one that shaped much of the 20th century – unfolded right where I was standing was truly mind-blowing, exciting and awe-inspiring.”
Having visited the places he first encountered in his secondary school history textbooks “reaffirmed my conviction that there is no other career path for me but the military”, he says.
At the same time, it also gave him a chance to reflect on the value of Singapore’s peace and the importance of safeguarding its airspace and sovereignty.
“We cannot be under the illusion that we are shielded from events unfolding in other parts of the world,” says LTA Mahendra. ”The onus is on us to remain alert and secure our future.”
“Unlike big countries, we can quickly become strategically irrelevant if we do not safeguard our territory and airspace with high-quality weapon systems.”
– Lieutenant Mahendra Prasad Sivakumar, recipient of The SAF Scholarship
After commissioning as an Air Warfare Officer (Air Defence Weapons) (AWO (ADW)) in 2022, he was posted to 160 Squadron, which augments air surveillance and monitors Singapore’s skies round the clock.
“Air defence is important to protect our small and densely populated territory. Unlike big countries, we can quickly become strategically irrelevant if we do not safeguard our territory and airspace with high-quality weapon systems,” he says.
As he approaches the tail end of his university studies, LTA Mahendra is excited to start work with the RSAF in mid-2025.
“This scholarship has been instrumental in clarifying my career path, deepening my interest in the military and enhancing my understanding of the responsibility and honour that come with such a career,” he says.
“I want to achieve proficiency in my core competencies of deployment and controlling, which are essential for every ADW officer,” he notes.
“Mastering them is vital to my ambition of becoming a competent and confident SAF officer and to make a meaningful contribution to my country.”
| About MINDEF/SAF Scholarships The mission of MINDEF and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is to enhance Singapore’s peace and security through deterrence and diplomacy, and should these fail, to secure a swift and decisive victory over the aggressor. MINDEF/SAF continually seeks talent who are willing to take up the challenge of defending our nation. Taking up a MINDEF/SAF scholarship is a lifelong mission to contribute to the peace and security of Singapore. Answer the higher calling. Defend what matters. |
This article is brought to you by the Ministry of Defence.
