Architects, healthcare pioneers and storytellers: Meet the five women honoured in SCWO’s Hall of Fame 2026

Angelene Chan, Maud Ethel Perera, Meira Chand, Pauline Tan and Shalini Arulanandam have built their careers in very different worlds – architecture studios, hospital wards, literary circles and military medical units.

What connects them is the scale of their impact.

This year, the five women will be inducted into the Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame (SWHF), recognising contributions that have helped shape Singapore’s social, cultural and professional landscape.

Established by the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations (SCWO) in 2014, the Hall of Fame honours women whose achievements form part of Singapore’s national story. Since its inception, 198 women have been recognised between 2014 and 2025, spanning fields from science and healthcare to the arts, business and public service.

For SCWO, the initiative is about ensuring that contributions which may otherwise go unnoticed are recorded and remembered.

“Too often, the impact of women in shaping our nation happens quietly,” said Dr Seow Yian San, president of SCWO. “The Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame ensures these contributions are recognised and remembered – not only to honour the women who came before us, but to inspire future generations to lead with courage, purpose and conviction.”

The women joining SCWO’s Hall of Fame this year

Angelene Chan

Who she is: Executive chairman of DP Architects, Angelene Chan has led major architectural projects in Singapore and internationally for nearly four decades.

Her work has earned the President’s Design Award three times, and in 2018 she became the first woman to be named Designer of the Year. In 2017, she was also named Her World’s Woman of the Year in recognition of her leadership in the architectural profession.

A strong advocate for sustainable design, she has also contributed to Singapore’s built environment through leadership roles on industry boards and institutions.

Maud Ethel Perera (Posthumous)

Who she is: A pioneer of Singapore’s early public health system, Maud Ethel Perera made history in 1929 as the first Asian staff nurse in the colony’s Health Branch.

Working alongside Scottish health sister Ida Mabel Murray Simmons, she helped transform maternal and infant healthcare, contributing to a dramatic fall in infant mortality from 263 to 57 deaths per 1,000 births over two decades. She later became Singapore’s first Asian Public Health Matron, overseeing more than 20 maternity and child welfare centres and helping rebuild public health services after World War II.

In 1958, she was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire for her contributions to public health.

Meira Chand

Who she is: An internationally acclaimed novelist, Meira Chand has spent decades bringing Singapore’s history and multicultural identity to global audiences through her writing.

The author of nine books, including The Bonsai Tree, The Painted Cage and A Different Sky, several of her works have been longlisted for major literary honours such as the Booker Prize and the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, while A Different Sky also appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s recommended reading list.

Her storytelling has also inspired stage adaptations, including LKY The Musical in Singapore. In 2023, she was awarded Singapore’s highest arts honour, the Cultural Medallion, and continues to mentor emerging writers.

Pauline Tan

Who she is: A trailblazer in nursing leadership, Pauline Tan became Singapore’s first nurse to serve as chief executive of a hospital when she was appointed CEO of Yishun Community Hospital in 2015, after 36 years rising through the ranks as a frontline nurse. She previously served as Singapore’s Chief Nursing Officer at the Ministry of Health, and held senior leadership roles at the Institute of Mental Health and Thomson Medical Centre.

A recipient of the President’s Award for Nurses and the Public Administration Medal (Silver), she later served as CEO of an orthopaedic hospital in Shanghai before returning to Singapore to join Sheares Healthcare International Holdings as Director of Clinical Quality & Services.

Shalini Arulanandam

Who she is: A military doctor and ear, nose and throat surgeon, Shalini Arulanandam made history as the first woman to receive the Singapore Armed Forces Merit Scholarship to study medicine in 1997.

After more than two decades in the Singapore Armed Forces, she became the first woman to command the Military Medicine Institute, overseeing medical centres across the Singapore Army. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she helped lead critical operations including the deployment of protective equipment and nationwide swabbing efforts while seconded to the Singapore Civil Defence Force. In 2020, she was among eight women recognised as Her World’s Women of the Year for their contributions to Singapore’s pandemic response.

She now serves as Chief Medical Officer of the Home Team and a senior consultant ENT surgeon at Singapore General Hospital.

A night to celebrate their achievements

These five brilliant women will be formally recognised at SCWO’s Illuminate: Shine Together, Rise Together gala, which takes place on:

Date: Friday, 27 March 2026
Time: 6.15pm onwards
Venue: One Farrer Hotel
Guest of honour: Ms Jane Ittogi, SCWO patron

The evening will bring together supporters, partners and community leaders to celebrate the inductees and raise funds for SCWO’s work supporting women and families.

Turning celebration into impact

Beyond celebrating the inductees, the gala will also mark the 15th anniversary of Maintenance Support Central (MSC), an SCWO programme that assists women facing financial abuse and maintenance-related challenges, helping them rebuild stability and move forward with confidence.

Proceeds from the evening will support SCWO’s programmes that empower women and strengthen families.

Readers and interested participants who wish to contribute can:

• Purchase a table at the gala dinner
• Make a donation to SCWO’s initiatives
• Participate in the silent auction during the event

For more information on attending or supporting the gala, click on the link here.