Retired Justice Choor Singh will celebrate his 90th birthday with his family, a birthday cake, and a $140,000 cheque to the Singapore Management University (SMU). This personal donation will go towards the launch of SMU's Centre for Cross-Cultural Studies (CCCS).

The CCCS was set up to provide a platform for research, discussion and teaching across political, geographical and cultural boundaries. With globalisation, there has arisen an increasing need for a sensitive and informed understanding of the diversity of cultures and values. The CCCS aims to create a dynamic environment for scholars to interact and discover strategies to bridge different cultures and add value to international activities.

Activities organised by the CCCS so far include the recent successful symposium on Aldous Huxley works, and talks on Filipino literature in relation to Singapore literature and gypsy education in relation to mainstream European education in France. Future plans include annual lectures by international leaders on cross-cultural relations; the undertaking of cross-cultural academic studies; the publishing of research monographs and books to develop a body of documents pertaining to cross-cultural studies; and working with various groups at the national and international level to promote cross-cultural understanding.

As well, various scholars will be able to pursue research projects at the CCCS, spending at least two weeks at the CCCS giving seminars and interacting with students, faculty and staff of SMU.

Dr Justice (Rtd) Choor Singh is a self-made man, having risen from humble beginnings as the son of a security guard. After completing his O-levels at Raffles Institution, he began working as a solicitor's clerk in 1929. In 1949, he became Barrister-at-Law and was, in the same year, appointed Magistrate - the first Indian to hold such a position in Colonial Malaya.

His forte was criminal law and his illustrious career earned him high tributes by his contemporaries, including the renowned criminal lawyer, the late Dato David Marshall. After 17 years on the Supreme Court bench and 47 years in public service, Justice Choor Singh retired in 1980.

After retirement, he focused his energies on writing, research and community service. He is the author of several books, mainly on Sikhism, including "The Lives of the Sikh Gurus" which is a text book for Sikh students, and "Understanding Sikhism" which is acclaimed worldwide as a masterpiece summary of Sikh history and religion.