Jimmy and Roshen Daruwalla Fund

Jimmy Daruwalla Fund (JDF)
In July 2016, to remember the late Dr Jimmy S Daruwalla’s significant contributions to the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS), the JDF was set up in his name to continue his legacy.

Roshen Daruwalla Trust Fund (RDTF)
In 2000, a group of friends raised funds to set up a trust in memory of Roshen Daruwalla (wife of the late Dr Jimmy Daruwalla). The fund was dedicated to DAS as Roshen had been a very strong supporter of the Association. The Daruwalla family and friends also made additional contributions to the fund since 2000.

Jimmy and Roshen Daruwalla Fund (JRDF)
In 2017, the DAS Executive Committee and family members of the late Jimmy and Roshen Daruwalla have decided to merge the two funds and rename it the Jimmy and Roshen Daruwalla Fund (JRDF) in memory of this couple who were so dedicated to the cause of dyslexia.

Supervised by a committee comprised of DAS Board members, the JRDF is used for the following objectives:

  • To fund DAS remediation fees and/or assessment fees for children with dyslexia who do not meet the criteria set by other Financial Assistance Schemes

  • To award scholarships to top students with dyslexia for local tertiary education (incl. students in polytechnics and technical education)  Eligible applicants must be Singapore citizens and must be existing or graduated DAS students. They should have exceptional achievement based on merit and recommended by DAS teachers. They must come from families with low incomes.

  • To fund post-graduate studies or programmes related to dyslexia for selected DAS staff.

  • This is to enhance the professional expertise and capability of DAS as the Association continues to improve its programmes and services for the benefit of clients with dyslexia.

  • To fund purchases of library resources for the Roshen Daruwalla Resource Centre so that it is a key source of educational and research information for dyslexia in Singapore.

  • Any other purposes that are in line with DAS objectives and as approved by the Committee

  • The JRDF also supports the Young Achiever Award and the Special Achievement Award at the DAS Student Graduation and Achievement Awards Ceremony.

  • The Jimmy and Roshen Daruwalla Young Achiever Award and the Special Achievement Award are in line with the fund’s objectives to support students with dyslexia in their local tertiary education and the remediation fees of students with dyslexia at DAS. 

Late Dr Jimmy Shiavux Daruwalla, former President of the Dyslexia Association of Singapore, has been awarded a posthumous Pingat Bakti Masyarakat (PBM) by Singapore President Mdm Halimah Yacob.

His award was accepted by Dr Zubin Daruwalla, son of Dr Jimmy Daruwalla and member of the DAS Executive Committee.

Dr Jimmy Daruwalla was the founding President of DAS and served as DAS President until 2016, when he passed away.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE A DESERVING PERSON FOR THE JIMMY DARUWALLA AWARD,
PLEASE CLICK HERE


The Dr Jimmy Daruwalla Award will recognise a person or organisation who has raised awareness of dyslexia in Singapore, or made a significant impact in service to people with dyslexia, or has made a vital contribution to Singapore’s understanding of dyslexia through research, or significantly advanced our capacity to successfully provide intervention for people with dyslexia.

  • Award will be presented at a major DAS event as decided by the DAS Board
  • The Award will not be awarded that year if there is no worthy recipient.
  • Nominees are not limited to Singaporeans and can be current or former Board, Committee or staff of DAS.
  • DAS management will recommend the recipient for the approval of the DAS Board.
  • Nominations can also be made by a member of the public.
  • The DAS Board’s decision will be final.

Past Winner - 2017

Emeritus Professor Angela Fawcett

Professor Fawcett has been instrumental in initiating the research efforts and culture at DAS.  She is the Editor-in-Chief of our Asia Pacific Journal of Developmental Differences first published in 2014.  There has been seven issues of APJDD since and include articles from local and overseas contributors as well as many research articles from DAS staff.  Angela is also the editor of the annual DAS Handbook which has reports on the evaluation of all DAS programmes as well as additional essays.  There has since been three Handbooks since 2014.  Angela also sits on the DAS Research Committee which has prompted, guided and encouraged DAS colleagues to submit DAS research to the above publications as well as to various local and overseas conferences including the upcoming UnITE SpLD Conference.  Programme evaluation and research of our efforts is critical to DAS as it adds reliability to the efficacy of our programmes and services.  I am grateful that today, DAS can be considered a “research organization” and the whole of DAS is actively involved in research efforts.  Angela’s contribution to the evolvement of this research culture at DAS cannot be over-emphasised and she is most worthy to be the first recipient of the inaugural Dr Jimmy Daruwalla Award.