BACK ON TRACK

One met with professional and personal failure, and the other was young and aimless, but the two recipients of SIM's resilience award have found their footing

- Venessa Lee

Resilience has become a buzzword in recent times, with trade wars, market volatility and artificial intelligence disruptions adding to global uncertainty.

Since 2023, Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) has given out the SIM Chairman's Award for Resilience to students who have overcome deep adversity while excelling in their studies and careers. There have been 10 recipients so far, including two announced this year.

SIM chairman Euleen Goh, who personally funds each cash award of $3,000, says the accolade "challenges conventional views of success". Highlighting traits like perseverance and determination "broadens the narrative of achievement, while fostering a more empathetic and inclusive society", she adds.

She hopes this will help "level the playing field for individuals from backgrounds that face greater odds".

The two awardees for 2024, who received their awards on May 8, 2025, returned to higher education at SIM following multiple setbacks. Here are their stories.

HOW TO PUSH PAST A 'WHY ME?' MINDSET

Before the age of 40, Mr Premnath Suparamaniam had hit rock bottom and gone through a series of personal, professional and financial failures.

His business had collapsed, incurring debts that led to the repossession of his HDB flat.

His first marriage broke down. Then he had a heart attack at age 33.

Now 43 and remarried with a one-year-old son, Mr Premnath has sprung back from adversity stronger than before.

He is now an account manager at BlackSky, a company that specialises in geospatial intelligence and satellite imaging and analytics.