The Tan Kah Kee Science Awards grew out of the former Tan Kah Kee Awards, which were established in 1988 in honor of Mr. Tan Kah Kee (1874–1961), a well-known overseas Chinese leader who made remarkable contributions to the development of science and education in China. The Tan Kah Kee Awards were first established by Mr. Tan’s relatives. Later, CAS was entrusted for its organization and evaluation.