Ms Santha Bhaskar left India for Singapore in 1955. Married to K.P. Bhaskar, 83, artistic director of Bhaskar's Arts Academy; they have three children, aged 45 to 50. Then, her home was a three-room private flat in Joo Chiat. Now, it is a four-room condominium in Simei. She became a Singaporean in 1960 and received the Cultural Medallion in 1990.

'I got married when I was just 15. My husband was in his 30s and a dance teacher. At that time, I didn't know Singapore was another country. I thought I was going to another far-off Indian city such as Jaipur.

I took one of the first Air India flights from Chennai. When I landed at Paya Lebar airport, I was shocked to see the students and their families who came to receive me. I didn't know my husband was so popular.

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