SINGAPORE - When Mr Raulinder Singh was 17, his father died of a sudden heart attack. It was about 1½ months before his second attempt at the O-level examinations.

His father’s death motivated the student, who was then more engrossed in video games than his schoolwork, to work harder and to also try to fill the void left by his father, “the glue of the family”.

Mr Singh, now 28, said this drive spurred him through his polytechnic studies, and ultimately led him to be awarded the Lim Kim San Memorial Scholarship on Aug 7 at a ceremony held at SPH Media.

The final-year history student at Nanyang Technological University was among 13 recipients, out of 60 applicants. The scholarship, funded by SPH Foundation, provides financial aid to exemplary students from modest family backgrounds.

Now in its 20th year,

the bond-free annual award has supported over 190 recipients since its inception.

Recipients have their tuition fees fully covered and are given a $3,000 allowance per year. They may also take up internship opportunities at SPH Media if they are keen.

The scholarship will relieve Mr Singh’s worries about funding his university tuition fees. He was unable to secure a bank loan as he could not find a suitable guarantor, and had to rely on his sister’s Central Provident Fund monies.

To support himself and his 68-year-old mother, Mr Singh worked throughout university, though it was at times difficult to juggle his school work with his two part-time jobs. Thankfully, his lecturers were understanding and provided extensions on his assignments when needed, he said.

Apart from the financial help, Mr Singh is also excited about the opportunities the scholarship brings.

“Although I am still deciding on what to do in t...