Kanwaljit Soin

Education

She studied in Tanjong Katong Girls" School for her secondary education and Victoria School for her pre-university education, and received her Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery Honours in 1966 when she graduated top of her class.

Career

She obtained her Master of Medicine (Surgery) in 1970 from the University of Singapore, and she is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (1970) and the Academy of Medicine, Singapore (1975). Doctor Soin was also the recipient of a Colombo Plan Scholarship to train in hand surgery in Australia in 1972. Soin’s greatest contribution to Singapore was her work resulting in the introduction of Personal Protection Orders for victims of domestic abuse.

In 2000 she was presented the “Women Who Make a Difference Award” by the International Women's Forum, Washington District of Columbia In 2008, she was presented with the 2008 Singapore Good Samaritan award by the Rotery Club of Singapore, in recognition of her work as founding president of Women"s Initiative for Ageing Successfully (Workplace Integration Nurturing Good Students), a non-profit centre to provide support for women in their 40s and above.

Workplace Integration Nurturing Good Students has over the past two years helped almost 12,000 women with various programmes.

Achievements

• In 1992, she became the second person to win the "Woman of the Year" award in Singapore. In 2006, Doctor Soin was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (Unifem) Singapore for consistently excelling in her job and for her selfless contribution to society, especially towards the less advantaged.

Membership

Doctor Soin was AWARE President from 1991 to 1993, and became the first female Nominated Member of Parliament of Singapore from 1992 to 1996.