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Lee Kuan YewSingaporean statesman, first Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore (1959-1990), one of the creators of the Singapore "economic miracle".
Date of Birth: 16.09.1923
Country:  Singapore |
Content:
Early Life and Education
Lee Kuan Yew was born into a middle-class Hakka Chinese family in Singapore on September 16, 1923. His great-grandfather had emigrated to the island in the mid-19th century.
Influenced by Singapore's British colonial past, Lee's grandfather named him "Harry Lee," which he used until his youth. Lee attended Telok Kurau Primary School, which he later described as "not brilliant" and "poor."
In 1945, Lee graduated from Raffles College in Singapore (now National University of Singapore) and went to England. He studied at the London School of Economics and then at Cambridge University, where he earned double first-class degrees in law and economics.
Political Career
After returning to Singapore in 1949, Lee worked as a lawyer and was legal advisor to several trade unions. In 1954, he co-founded the People's Action Party (PAP) and became its secretary-general. In 1959, he led the PAP to a landslide victory, becoming Singapore's first prime minister.
Under Lee's leadership, Singapore transformed from an economically underdeveloped "Third World" country into one of the wealthiest in the world on a per capita basis. He served as Prime Minister from 1959 to 1990.
Later Years and Legacy
After stepping down as Prime Minister, Lee held several senior positions in the Singaporean government: Senior Minister (1990-2004), Minister-Mentor (2004-2011). He received numerous honors, including the Order of Friendship and the Order of Honour from Russia.
Lee Kuan Yew passed away at the age of 91 on March 23, 2015. He was laid to rest at the University Cultural Centre at the National University of Singapore.
Personal Life
Lee Kuan Yew married Kwa Geok Choo in 1950. They had three children: two sons (Lee Hsien Loong, Lee Wei Ling) and a daughter (Lee Hsien Yang).
