Kumar Rajaratnam

The Curious Life of a Global Citizen

I was born in Singapore, but my family has roots all over the world. My parents were born in Malaysia, my grandparents were born in Sri Lanka, and my ancestors came from India. My kids are Australian, so that makes five generations each born in a different country!

I've always been a curious kid. When I was six years old, I would disassemble a watch and try to put it back together. (Don't try that at home!) Youtube has since taken the fun out of being a kid, but I still love to learn new things.

After high school, I joined the military (or rather - I was conscripted). I served as a Commando Officer in Singapore and overseas. It was a challenging experience, but it taught me a lot about myself and the world.

After the military, I decided to study Physiotherapy as well as Orthotics, and Prosthetics. I wanted to find a way to use my skills to help others, and I thought this was a great way to do it.

To pay for my tuition, I worked a bunch of different jobs, including nursing assistant, dishwasher, taxi driver, barman, laborer, and mechanic. I also trained as a sub 3-hour marathon runner. It was a lot of hard work, but it was also a lot of fun.

I'm married to my best friend, Karen, and we have two boys. We live in Sydney. We love spending time with our family and friends and exploring the outdoors.

I believe that the mind is a priceless toolbox. We should always be adding new and valuable tools to it.

I'm still learning and growing every day. I'm excited to see what the future holds.