# Yusof Ishak

_1st President of Singapore (1910–1970)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/yusof-ishak
Last updated: 2026-11-06

> Yusof bin Ishak Al-Haj was a Singaporean journalist and civil servant who served as the head of state of Singapore from 1959 to 1970: as the second Yang di-Pertuan Negara of Singapore between 1959 and 1965 and the first president of Singapore between 1965 and 1970.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 12 August 1910 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q259331#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Perak ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q259331#P19))
- **Died:** 23 November 1970 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q259331#P570))
- **Place of death:** Singapore ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q259331#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Singapore ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q259331#P27))
- **Occupation:** politician; journalist ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q259331#P106))
- **Political party:** People's Action Party ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q259331#P102))
- **Education:** Victoria School; King Edward VII School; Raffles Institution ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q259331#P69))
- **Spouse:** Noor Aishah Mohammad Salim ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q259331#P26))
- **Official website:** istana.gov.sg/the-president/former-presidents/encik-yusof-ishak ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q259331#P856))
- **Positions held:** President of Singapore (9 August 1965 – 23 November 1970); Yang di-Pertuan Negara of Singapore (3 December 1959 – 9 August 1965) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q259331#P39))

## Questions

**When was Yusof Ishak born?**  
Yusof Ishak was born on 12 August 1910 in Perak.

**What positions has Yusof Ishak held?**  
Positions held by Yusof Ishak include: President of Singapore (1965–1970); Yang di-Pertuan Negara of Singapore (1959–1965).

**Where did Yusof Ishak study?**  
Yusof Ishak was educated at Victoria School, King Edward VII School, Raffles Institution.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Yusof Ishak](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yusof_Ishak) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q259331](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q259331) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Yusof Ishak, 1960.png by Created by Ministry of Culture; broadcast by Radio Singapura (now known as Mediacorp) (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Yusof_Ishak,_1960.png)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Yusof Ishak, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Yusof Ishak, 1960.png — Created by Ministry of Culture; broadcast by Radio Singapura (now known as Mediacorp), Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Yusof Ishak". DigiNepal. Last updated 6 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/yusof-ishak. Retrieved 7 November 2026.