Suradi bin Parjo dilahirkan pada 16 Jun 1926 di Singapura. Juga dikenali sebagai P. Suradi dan Suriaty. Beliau mula menulis pada tahun 1948 semasa masih menuntut tahun akhir di Maktab Perguruan Sultan Idris di Tanjung Malim, Perak. Suradi banyak menyumbang kepada masyarakat melalui kegiatan-kegiatan bahasa, sastera dan budaya Melayu.
Suradi menerima pendidikan awal beliau di beberapa sekolah Melayu sebelum Perang Dunia Kedua. Sewaktu pemerintahan Jepun, beliau mengikuti kursus di Sekolah Perguruan Jepun (Shihan Gakko) dan di Sekolah Teknikal Jepun (Kogyo Gakko). Beliau kemudiannya dipilih untuk melanjutkan pelajaran di Maktab Perguruan Sultan Idris di Tanjong Malim, Perak oleh Pejabat Pelajaran Singapura. Di sini, beliau menjalin persahabatan dengan Muhammad Ariff dan Masuri S.N., dan menerusi Angkatan Sasterawan ’50 (Asas ’50), mereka bersama-sama rakan-rakan lain menjadi semacam suara intelek Melayu dalam gelombang kesedaran menuntut kemerdekaan dan pembelaan masyarakat.
Dari 1959 hingga 1973, Suradi berkhidmat di Maktab Perguruan Singapura sebagai seorang pensyarah. Beliau juga pernah menjadi pensyarah sambilan di Institut Pendidikan Singapura.
Suradi dikenali sebagai seorang yang sentiasa melaksanakan tugas yang diamanahkan kepada beliau. Dalam Asas ’50, beliau pernah menjadi Ketua 1, bendahari, editor, jawatankuasa pengelola dan setiausaha bengkel penulisan cerpen serta setiausaha sayembara sastera.
Beliau juga bergiat cergas dalam Kesatuan Guru-Guru Melayu Singapura (KGMS) dari 1952 hingga 1969 dengan memegang pelbagai jawatan penting, antaranya setiausaha agung, editor, setiausaha kesenian dan anggota jawatankuasa kerja.
Suradi juga pernah menjadi Penghulu Balai dalam Perkampungan Sastera yang mencetuskan gagasan Hadiah Sastera, yang memberi pengiktirafan kepada karya penulis Singapura.
Sebagai seorang penulis, Suradi menghasilkan puisi, cerpen, esei, novel, buku sekolah dan buku peribahasa. Beliau tidak menerima sebarang bayaran bagi buku pertamanya “Keris Sempena Riau” walaupun cerita itu kemudiannya difilemkan. Beliau juga pernah berkongsi membiayi kos penerbitan buku beliau sendiri. Namun begitu, beliau tidak pernah putus asa untuk memajukan sastera Melayu Singapura.
Suradi meninggal dunia pada 9 Ogos 1996.
Suradi Parjo was born on 16 June 1926 in Singapore. He was also known as P. Suradi and Suriaty. He started writing in 1948 when he was still a student in Sultan Idris Training College, Tanjung Malim, Perak.
Suradi received his early education in a few Malay schools before the Second World War. He was selected to further his studies in Sultan Idris Training College by the Singapore Education Department. There, he became friends with Muhammad Ariff Ahmad and Masuri S.N., and through Angkatan Sasterawan ’50 (Asas ’50), together with other friends, they became the intellectual voice for the Malays, seeking social justice.
From 1959 to 1973, Suradi served as a lecturer in the Singapore Training College. He was also a part-time lecturer at the Singapore Education Institute.
Suradi was known as a conscientious individual who always performed his responsibilities to the best of his abilities. In Asas ’50, he took up many roles and was among others, its Chief, Editor and Secretary at various times. He was also an active member of the Singapore Malay Teachers’ Union and held many important roles in the organisation.
As a writer, Suradi produced poetry, short stories, novels and school textbooks. He did not receive any payment for his book “Keris Sempena Riau” even though the book was later adapted into a film. He also shared the cost of publishing another one of his books. Throughout his lifetime, he never gave up in his efforts to develop Singapore Malay literature and contributed immensely to the nation through his works and literary activities.
Suradi passed away on 9 August 1996.