Singapore was considered an impregnable fortress, but the Japanese overran the island in 1942. After the war, Singapore became a Crown Colony. The growth of nationalism led to self-government in 1959 and on 9 August 1965, Singapore became an independent republic. When Raffles sailed into Singapore in 1819, with him was an entourage of 2320 Indian settlers. In the mid-80s, the first Odia arrived in Singapore in 1987. By 2008, the Odia population grew to an estimated 1,000.
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