They helped build new China

THEY HELPED BUILD NEW CHINA: Early Contributions by Foreign Friends to Building of New China

The fifth in a series about foreigners who came to China from the 1920’s to 1960’s and aided in the founding and building of New China

Hear about the lives and work of

P.V. Sarma (沙尔玛) Singaporean

An English language expert, during the 1940s he was the founder of the Singapore Teachers Union and one of the founders of Singapore’s first political party, the Malayan Democratic Union. His leading the teachers in fighting against the British colonial education system in 1940s-1950s, resulted in 2 1/2 year jail term and finally to his deportation to India as a political detainee. Coming to China in 1959, he and his wife Sarada contributed to China’s efforts to build a socialist society, working extensively in the English language field. He left China in 1991 and passed away in Singapore in 1994.

Sarada Sarma（沙拉达） Indian

One of the founders for of the Tamil language department at China Radio International, she was the first Tamil language teacher in Beijing Broadcasting Institute after new China was founded. She moved to China with her husband in 1959 to participate in the Chinese Socialist Construction. She worked extensively in the field of education field and trained a many Chinese students in Tamil language. Her students are the current Tamil language experts in China. Sarada left China in 1991 and settled in Singapore.

As told by their son

Dr. Abhilash Sarma （沙尔玛）-- Singaporean

Born in China and educated in China and the United Kingdom.Dr. Sarma has been working in China since 1999, mainly focus at bridging foreign investment into China and leadership development in fast growing Chinese economy. He currently works for an American education and training company called DynEd China. His considerable experience in China, provided by his upbringing and education, add great value to his work in present-day China.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011 7:00-9:00 pm Wen Hua, East 1203

Sponsored by Minzu University

SCHOOL OF FOREIGN STUDIES and OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS