'Noble, patient, inspiring': Eugene Wijeysingha, ex-headmaster of Raffles Institution and education visionary, dies aged 90. Eugene Wijeysingha, former headmaster of Raffles Institution (RI), has died at the age of 90. He led RI from 1986 to 1994, playing a significant role in its independence and relocation to the Bishan campus in 1990. Described as a visionary leader, Wijeysingha was said to have fostered discipline, academic excellence and a vibrant school spirit at RI.
Wijeysingha, whose career in education spans 35 years, served as RI principal from 1986 to 1994. The institution said he played a pivotal role in leading the school to independence and coordinated the school's relocation to the Bishan campus in 1990. RI announced his passing in a Facebook post on Saturday (March 2), describing him as a visionary who fostered discipline, academic excellence and a vibrant school spirit. Wijeysingha was also known for his passion for preserving the school's history. He wrote a book titled The Eagle Breeds a Gryphon, which chronicled the school's rich history from 1823 to 2003