Popular Holdings chairman Ramayah Vangatharaman dies at 66

Staff of bookstore and stationary chain Popular Holdings paid their last respects today to company chairman Ramayah Vangatharaman who died on Sunday (May 29) at the age of 66.

Appointed as an independent director of Popular in 2002, Mr Ramayah went on to assume the position of non-executive chairman in 2012, said a statement from the company.

Acknowledging his contributions, it said his vision and commitment helped Popular Holdings drum up support for local literary talents with the annual Readers' Choice Award.

Under his leadership, the company expanded its business into e-commerce, said the company, which changed its logo and cover photo on its official Facebook page and Popular Singapore Chinese Book's Facebook profile to black and white on Monday night.

Mr Ramayah was also a fellow of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators and sat on the panel of various arbitral institutions here and in Asia. He was also a former member of the Law Reform Committee of the Singapore Academy of Law.

chenj@sph.com.sg