Contribution Name: SiewShi / Tzu Chi Singapore
Pseudonym: Mdm Rema Satheesan
Year of Author: 1962
Satheesan, born in 1962 in India, grew up in a close-knit family, rooted in the values of education and resilience. She was the elder of two daughters, with a younger sister just two years her junior. Her father, a dedicated accountant, and her mother, a teacher, instilled in her the importance of education and a strong work ethic. Encouraged by her family’s commitment to academic achievement, Rema pursued her studies diligently, eventually earning an engineering degree, a significant accomplishment at a time when engineering fields were still largely male-dominated in India. Her sister also pursued a career in medicine, going on to become a doctor, a testament to the family’s high regard for education.
After completing her studies, Mdm Rema worked as an engineer in India, a role that brought her both pride and independence. However, as was common in her culture, her marriage was arranged by her family, leaving her little choice in the matter. Fortunately, she considers herself lucky, as her husband turned out to be supportive and kind. A fellow engineer, he shared her values and respected her ambition, a rarity in many arranged marriages. Yet, as life often brings unexpected changes, she had to make a difficult decision when she became a mother. Her young sons needed her full attention, and she chose to put her career on hold to focus on raising them, especially as her husband’s work took them to Singapore when she was 35.
Arriving in Singapore, Mdm Rema adapted to a new environment and culture, focusing on creating a stable, nurturing home for her family. As a mother, she prioritized her sons’ education and well-being, drawing from the same values her parents had taught her. Today, her hard work has borne fruit, as both of her sons have excelled in their own right—one graduating from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the other from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), both institutions renowned for their academic rigor. Her elder son followed in her footsteps by studying engineering, continuing the family’s legacy in the field.
Despite the many responsibilities and sacrifices she has made, Mdm Rema remains closely connected to her Indian roots. Once a year, she returns to India, staying for a few weeks to visit family and maintain her property there. She cherishes these trips as a way to honor her heritage and to spend time with her husband’s relatives. Her husband, although officially retired, returned to work to stave off boredom, something she teases him about, calling him a “workaholic” who just can’t stay away from his projects—even at the age of 67. This shared dedication to hard work is a bond between them, a reminder of the partnership they have built over the years.
In Singapore, Mdm Rema finds solace and fulfillment in her role as the family matriarch, looking after her husband and supporting her children in their pursuits. Her life, marked by the balance between family duty and personal ambition, reflects the quiet strength that many women of her generation embody—sacrificing when needed, yet always holding onto their dreams and heritage.
坚韧与成就之旅：Rema Satheesan 女士的故事
Rema Satheesan 女士于1962年出生在印度，成长于一个紧密团结的家庭，家庭价值观以教育和坚韧为核心。她是家中两个女儿中的长女，妹妹比她小两岁。她的父亲是一名敬业的会计师，母亲是一位教师，二人从小就向她灌输教育的重要性和勤奋工作的价值。在家人对学术成就的高度重视下，Rema勤奋学习，最终获得工程学学位——在当时的印度，工程领域仍主要由男性主导，这无疑是一个重要的成就。她的妹妹则选择了医学道路，成为了一名医生，这也彰显了这个家庭对教育的高度重视。
完成学业后，Rema女士在印度担任工程师，这份工作让她感到自豪并赢得了独立。然而，按照当时的文化传统，她的婚姻由家人安排，她几乎没有选择的余地。幸运的是，她认为自己很幸运，因为丈夫性格温和且充满支持。同为工程师的丈夫与她有着相似的价值观，并尊重她的抱负——这一点在许多包办婚姻中并不常见。然而，生活充满了意外的转折，当她成为母亲后，不得不做出艰难的决定。由于两个年幼的儿子需要她的全身心投入，她选择暂停职业生涯，专注于家庭，尤其是在35岁时随着丈夫的工作调动移居新加坡之后。
初到新加坡，Rema女士适应了全新的环境和文化，专注于为家人创造一个稳定、充满关爱的家庭氛围。作为母亲，她继承了父母传授的价值观，优先考虑儿子的教育和成长。如今，她的努力得到了回报，两个儿子都在各自领域取得了优异的成绩——一个从新加坡国立大学（NUS）毕业，另一个从南洋理工大学（NTU）毕业，这两所大学均以学术严谨著称。大儿子更是追随她的脚步，选择了工程学专业，延续了家族在这一领域的传统。
尽管承担了许多责任并做出了诸多牺牲，Rema女士始终与自己的印度根源保持紧密联系。每年，她都会回印度待上几周，探望家人并打理自己的房产。这些旅行对她来说意义非凡，不仅是为了传承文化，也是为了与丈夫的亲戚共度时光。她的丈夫虽然正式退休，但为了避免无聊又重新投入工作。对此，她总是打趣地称他为“工作狂”，即使到了67岁，也无法离开他钟爱的项目。这种对工作的共同热忱，成为他们多年来建立的亲密伙伴关系的纽带。
在新加坡，Rema女士通过担任家庭的“主心骨”找到了内心的安宁与满足。她照顾丈夫，支持儿子的追求，同时平衡家庭责任与个人抱负。她的生活体现了那个年代许多女性所拥有的内敛力量——在需要时甘于牺牲，但始终坚持自己的梦想与传统文化。
This work includes translation generated by ChatGPT, an AI language model developed by OpenAI.
此作品包含由OpenAI开发的AI语言模型ChatGPT生成的翻译内容。