Telling Singapore’s stories through theatre
For playwright and director Ms Lim Hai Yen, theatre has long been a way to explore the rhythms, tensions and humour of everyday life in Singapore.

As Artistic Director of The ETCeteras, Ms Lim creates original theatrical works that reflect the Singaporean life — inspirations, aspirations and frustrations included. With a light-hearted and unfettered style, her sharp observations and in-depth contemplation are manifested in her satirical approach, which often results in multilingual comedies with a combination of wit, humour and a concern for social issues.

In a theatre career spanning close to four decades, she has more than 40 original theatrical works to her name, including commissioned works like Curtain Call (2021), presented by National Arts Council during pandemic times, and Out of the Red Box, commissioned by the Singapore Heritage Festival in 2025 and written and directed by her.

Beyond the stage, Ms Lim, a 2017 NUS Distinguished Alumni Service Award recipient, is also dedicated to nurturing the next generation of storytellers through teaching playwriting and acting to students and community groups.

As an author, Ms Lim has written books on theatre, parenting, marriage, travel and lifestyle.  She is also a columnist and gives talks frequently to share her family values and promote positive vibes.  Published in 2023, For Better, For Worse, a collection of essays Ms Lim had written from 2006 to 2022, won the second prize in Readers’ Choice Award.

Reflecting on her time at NUS, Ms Lim fondly recalls how her university years gave her the space to explore her passions — a foundation that would later shape her career.

“My years at NUS were a time when I could try many things — not just academic work, but activities I was passionate about. I got to experiment, to dream, and most importantly, to be myself. This is a lesson I still carry today: Be yourself, because nobody else can be you,” she said.

Ms Lim graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Chinese Studies and English Language from NUS in 1992 and receiving her Master of Arts in Directing from Goldsmiths College, University of London in 2002.

Representing Singapore on the world stage
While theatre connects people to local stories, diplomacy allows individuals to connect Singapore to the world. Mr Ashok Mirpuri’s career has been defined by representing Singapore abroad and applying his expertise in international relations across public and private sectors.

Mr Mirpuri started his career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1984 right after graduation from NUS. He has served in a wide range of diplomatic roles across the region and beyond — spending about 30 of his 40 years of diplomatic service overseas. His postings included stints in Jakarta, Indonesia where he served both as Political First Secretary and later as Ambassador to Indonesia, as well as appointments as Singapore’s High Commissioner to Australia and Malaysia.

In 2012, he was appointed Singapore’s Ambassador to the United States, a role he held for more than a decade — making him the second-longest serving Singapore ambassador to Washington. During his tenure in Washington, Singapore–US relations continued to deepen in areas such as trade, security cooperation and technological collaboration.

Mr Mirpuri joined Temasek in 2023 as Head of International Policy and Governance at Temasek International, where he now contributes his experience in global affairs to the organisation’s international engagement.

Singapore’s growth story — particularly the grit and determination of the pioneer generation — is a constant source of inspiration to Mr Mirpuri.

“When I look back, I am inspired to take those early lessons on overcoming adversity and difficulty and take Singapore forward even as the world gets complicated,” he said.

When asked for advice for the younger generation, Mr Mirpuri emphasised the need for curiosity to learn and desire to connect and network with people. “The world is far bigger than your academic pursuits — take every opportunity to expand your world,” he urged.

Mr Mirpuri graduated with Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Political Science from NUS in 1984 and holds a Master of Arts from the University of London’s School of Oriental & African Studies under a Raffles Scholarship.

Strengthening communities through social policy
From shaping Singapore’s relations on the global stage, attention turns next to the equally vital work of nurturing and strengthening communities at home. Just as Mr Mirpuri connects nations through diplomacy, Ms Ang Bee Lian has spent her career building networks of care and opportunity within society — demonstrating that meaningful impact can happen both internationally and in the lives of individuals.

Ms Ang began her journey in the public service as a young Child Protection Officer, eager to apply what she had learnt in her social work training to help vulnerable individuals and families. Throughout her career, she helped shape Singapore’s social service landscape through key leadership roles, including Director-General of Social Welfare at the Ministry of Social and Family Development and Chief Executive Officer of the National Council of Social Service.

Amongst her career highlights are the opportunity to start the National Volunteer Centre in Singapore and set up the groundwork for various schemes and programmes and scholarships to develop a manpower pipeline for the social service sector.

Under her leadership, Singapore’s social service sector saw major strides in integrated service delivery, workforce development and evidence-informed policymaking to improve the quality and effectiveness of social services as society and communities evolve.

Ms Ang says knowing her purpose, and staying anchored by it, turned even the most mundane tasks into something meaningful and helped her through difficult times.

“If you set out wanting to make a difference in people’s lives, you sometimes wonder why you are doing something as simple as data entry,” she said. “But when you step back and see the bigger picture, you realise the value of data collection and see how it is necessary to initiate system changes and enhance service delivery for the people you serve.”

Beyond policy and administration, she has also been a mentor and thought leader within the sector, encouraging social workers to seek out opportunities to stretch themselves beyond comfort zones to grow.

“Through my years in the Public Service, I have always practised continuous learning and development — both for myself and for others. The world never stagnates so neither should we.”

Her contributions have helped strengthen safeguarding systems for vulnerable populations while building a more professional and resilient social service workforce.

Ms Ang is currently Senior Advisor and Commissioner for the Maintenance of Parents (Singapore) at the Ministry of Social and Family Development, and continues to mentor young aspiring social workers at NUS and the Singapore University of Social Sciences.

Ms Ang graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from the University of Singapore in 1977 and holds a Masters in Social Policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

The enduring influence of a FASS education
Together, the achievements of this year’s honourees illustrate the many ways the humanities and social sciences can shape society.

From designing social policies and strengthening international relationships to enriching the cultural imagination, their work reflects the breadth of impact that FASS graduates continue to have in Singapore and beyond.

Their journeys stand as a reminder that the arts and social sciences are not only fields of study, but powerful tools for understanding people, building connections and shaping a better world.