George Yeo has done Singapore proud again.

Last May, Singapore's former foreign minister was the only Asian appointed by Pope Francis as one of the 15 members in the Vatican Council of the Economy. The aim of the council was to update the economic structure and processes of the Holy See.

This May, the spokesman from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs announced that Yeo will take over Nobel prize-winning economist Amartya Sen as the new chancellor of the Nalanda University on July 17.

A New Chancellor in Nalanda. George Yeo, former FM of Singapore is to be the new Chancellor of Nalanda University. pic.twitter.com/XCQ2kFLfYm

— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) May 30, 2015

Yeo told Mothership.sg that he is "greatly honoured" to be appointed as chancellor, "especially to take over the responsibility from Prof Amartya Sen".

"He (Sen) encouraged me to accept the appointment. I won't be able to fill his shoes but am relieved that he'll continue to be on the Governing Board. I'll work with the Government of India, the member states of the East Asia Summit which support Nalanda as an international university, the academic staff, the students and other stakeholders to continue Amartya's work and make Nalanda University worthy of its ancient name and a light to the world."

In his foreword to Yeo's recently published book George Yeo on Bonsai, Banyan and the Tao, Sen said:

"I have had the great pleasure of working with George Yeo during the long drawn-out but ultimately fruitful Nalanda project...Yeo has made an exceptional contribution in giving shape to the vision behind the new Nalanda Univerity, combining anchient understanding and wisdom with modern knowledge and science. I feel very fortunate in having developed a strong friendship with a person whose remarkable qualities I greatly admire..."

According to Indian Express, Sen had withdrawn his candidature as Chancellor for a second term in February, saying the Narendra Modi government does not want him to continue, a contention which was rejected by the Government. 

Below are the photos of Yeo and the Nalanda Governing Board in happier times: 

2013