# Lee Kuan Yew

_1st Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore (1923–2015)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/lee-kuan-yew
Last updated: 2026-10-31

> Lee Kuan Yew, also known as LKY, was a Singaporean politician and barrister who served as the first prime minister of Singapore from 1959 to 1990. A member of the People's Action Party (PAP), his authoritarian governance oversaw the transformation of post-independence Singapore into a highly developed country and one of the four Asian Tigers. He is regarded as the founding father of modern Singapore.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 16 September 1923 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q131248#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Singapore ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q131248#P19))
- **Died:** 23 March 2015 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q131248#P570))
- **Place of death:** Singapore ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q131248#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Singapore ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q131248#P27))
- **Occupation:** philosopher; autobiographer; lawyer; statesperson; politician ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q131248#P106))
- **Political party:** People's Action Party ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q131248#P102))
- **Education:** Fitzwilliam College; London School of Economics and Political Science; University of Cambridge; Raffles Institution; National University of Singapore; University of London ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q131248#P69))
- **Spouse:** Kwa Geok Choo ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q131248#P26))
- **Positions held:** Minister Mentor (12 August 2004 – 20 May 2011); Senior Minister (28 November 1990 – 11 August 2004); Member of the Parliament of Singapore (2 November 1963 – 9 August 1965); Prime Minister of Singapore (5 June 1959 – 28 November 1990); Member of the Parliament of Singapore (22 April 1955 – 23 March 2015); prime minister ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q131248#P39))
- **Awards:** Order of Honour; Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George; Order of the Badge of Honour; Order of Friendship; Ig Nobel Prize; Order of the Rising Sun, 1st class; Companion of Honour; medal "for 20 years of Kazakhstan's independence"; Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers; honorary doctor of the University of Hong Kong; honorary doctor of the Fudan University; honorary doctor of the Chinese University of Hong Kong; China Reform Friendship Medal; honorary doctor of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations; Order of the Paulownia Flowers ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q131248#P166))

## Questions

**When was Lee Kuan Yew born?**  
Lee Kuan Yew was born on 16 September 1923 in Singapore.

**What positions has Lee Kuan Yew held?**  
Positions held by Lee Kuan Yew include: Minister Mentor (2004–2011); Senior Minister (1990–2004); Member of the Parliament of Singapore (1963–1965); Prime Minister of Singapore (1959–1990); Member of the Parliament of Singapore (1955–2015).

**Where did Lee Kuan Yew study?**  
Lee Kuan Yew was educated at Fitzwilliam College, London School of Economics and Political Science, University of Cambridge, Raffles Institution.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Lee Kuan Yew](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Kuan_Yew) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikipedia (Nepali): ली कुआन यु](https://ne.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%80_%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%A8_%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%81) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q131248](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q131248) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore Making a Toast at a State Dinner Held in His Honor, 1975.jpg by White House Photographic Office. 1974-1977 (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prime_Minister_Lee_Kuan_Yew_of_Singapore_Making_a_Toast_at_a_State_Dinner_Held_in_His_Honor,_1975.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Lee Kuan Yew, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore Making a Toast at a State Dinner Held in His Honor, 1975.jpg — White House Photographic Office. 1974-1977, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Lee Kuan Yew". DigiNepal. Last updated 31 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/lee-kuan-yew. Retrieved 6 November 2026.