Author
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Topic: Noteworthy Tamils of the 20th Century
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SpeedyGonzalez
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posted March 22, 2001 05:48 AM
This thread is meant to serve as a source of information for non-Tamils and a source of inspiration for Tamils who get a chance to read it. I'll update the list as time permits.By the Tamil community, I mean all Tamils, irrespective of their places of origin and residence, but who share countless characteristics which bind them together. This list was created with my extremely limited knowledge, therefore there's no doubt that this list is very much incomplete! Sir Muthu Coomaraswamy One of the greatest Tamils of the last century. He was the first non-Christian or non-Jew to be admitted to the Inns of Court and called to the English Bar. During his stay in England, he moved around with the most powerful and influential men of England including Lord Houghton, Lord Palmerston, Benjamin Disraeli, etc. The French Emperor Napolean the Third was another close friend of his. Coomaraswamy was depicted as the hero in Disraeli's last unfinished novel, Kusinara. On his return to Ceylon, he entered the Legislative Council where he was extremely successful. His translations, from Pali, works such as Sutta Nipata and Data Vamsa and from Tamil, Harischandra and the hymns of Thayumanavar introduced the West to "new vistas of spiritual and philosophical thought." Thus, he blazed the trail that others like Swami Vivekananda would follow. A.M.M. Ferguson described him as "the foremost man of the twenty millions or more of the Dravidian race." He was the first Asian to be knighted during the reign of Queen Victoria. Sir Ananda Coomaraswamy Probably the finest exponent of Indian and Ceylonese art, religion and culture. Upon obtaining a D.Sc. from the University of London, he returned to Ceylon but it was the artistic heritage of Ceylon that interested him most than any other scientific endeavour. Through his 500+ publications, the West was able to gain more insight into the South Asian culture which was further helped along the way by Ananda Coomaraswamy when he become the Eastern Director of the Peabody Museum in Boston where he remained until his death. He also discovered "thorianite". As Rutnam writes, "(his) exhaustive studies on the metaphysical bases of Oriental and Western art and thought played an important role in the cultural revival of India and Ceylon." He was a good friend of the Indian poet, Rabindranath Tagore, and extensively reviewed Tagore's work. [Information gathered from Internet and other sources.] [This message has been edited by SpeedyGonzalez (edited March 22, 2001).] |
Kandy Girl
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posted March 22, 2001 06:09 AM
"Noteworthy" and "Tamil" is a contradiction in terms. |
SpeedyGonzalez
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posted March 22, 2001 06:38 AM
Only to those wallowing in ignorance.[This message has been edited by SpeedyGonzalez (edited March 22, 2001).] |
SpeedyGonzalez
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posted March 22, 2001 12:41 PM
Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan Probably one of the greatest of Tamils to be born in Ceylon. He entered the Legislative Council at a very young age and soon surpassed many of his seniors to become the Senior Unofficial Member till he was made Solicitor-General of Ceylon in 1892. He founded the Ceylon National Association of which he was the president and devoted much of his time to fight the government to win rights for all Ceylonese, irrespective of ethnicity. He retired from public service when he was in his 50s but due to the request of several Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim leaders, he decided to run for the Educated Ceylonese seat against Dr. M. Fernando, which he won by a landslide. Therefore, he has the distinction of being the first person to be voted to power by the Ceylonese people. He was intensely devout Hindu but he viewed all religions as one. He travelled around USA shedding light on the mysteries of Hinduism and the commonality of religions and was received enthusiastically be everyone. It was Ramanathan, along with his brother, who conceived the idea of a University for Ceylon and spent his energy to make that a reality and was acclaimed as the "Father of Legal Education in Ceylon". The first Prime Minister of Ceylon, D.S. Senanyake, called him "the greatest Ceylonese of all time." Rao Bahadur C.W. Thamotharam Pillai Thamotharam Pillai gained the distinction of being the first graduate of the Madras University when he passed the B.A. degree examination in 1858. After graduation he joined the Government service as an auditor and later qualified himself as a lawyer in 1871. He entered the judiciary of the princely state of Pudulcottai and retired as High Court Judge in 1890. "The credit of editing and publishing many of the works included the Cankam literature and the Five Great Epics (Civakacintamani, Cilappatikaram, Manimekalai, Valayapati, and Kuntalakeci) goes to U.W. Swaminatha Aiyar (1855-1942). In this endeavour it has been rightly observed that Arumuka Navalar laid the foundation, C. W. Thamotherampillai raised the walls and U.V.Swaminatha Aiyar built the superstructure." [Information gathered from Internet and other sources.] [This message has been edited by SpeedyGonzalez (edited March 22, 2001).] |
Kandy Girl
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posted March 22, 2001 12:58 PM
I apologise for my earlier flippant remark. |
SpeedyGonzalez
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posted March 22, 2001 06:34 PM
Apology accepted. |
SpeedyGonzalez
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posted March 22, 2001 07:00 PM
Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam Another remarkable Tamil. Winning the English University Scholarship, he graduated from Royal College and contiued his studies at Cambridge University where he was friends with Lord Tennyson (the poet's son), Edward Carpenter, Ananda Mohan Bose (who founded the Indian Association which later became the Indian National Congress), Syed Mahmud (who built the Muslim College at Aligarh), etc. He was the first Ceylonese to enter the Civil Service through the open door of competition. He was an acute observer of the needs of his countrymen than any other politician of his time. He helped found the Ceylon Social Service League, Ceylon Workers' Welfare League, Ceylon Workers' Federation, Ceylon National Congress, Ceylon Reform League and near the end of his life, the Ceylon Tamil League. More than his brother (Sir P. Ramanathan), he was instrumental in trying to create a University for Ceylon and for his single-minded devotion to this task, he was called the " Father of the University Ceylon Movement". Sir E.E.Clough Thuraisingham Sir E.E.Clough Thuraisingham was born in 1898 in Taiping, Malaya although his roots lie in Ceylon. He was a Cambridge University graduate in Law & Political Economy and he played soccer at Cambridge. He was a Barrister-at-Law and was the first Indian nominated politician in Malaya: Member (Minister) for Education before Malayan Independence, later Senator, Chairman of the Rubber Council. He was the President of the Federation of Ceylonese Associations in Malaya right from the post war years to his death in 1979. Meary James Thurairajah Tambimuttu Meary James Thurairajah Tambimuttu born in Ceylon in 1915. At the age of 21, he had already began his life's work in poetry and publishing by printing three volumes of his own poems off a small press typeset by himself. He moved to England in 1938 and quickly founded the journal, Poetry London. In the thirties, forties and fifties 'Poetry London' was the leading forum for artists and poets such as T. S. Eliot, Dylan Thomas, Lawrence Durrell, George Orwell, Allen Ginsberg, W.H. Auden, and others among its many contributors and supporters. Of the quality and importance of Tambimuttu's Poetry London, T.S. Eliott (a personal favourite) wrote, "It is only in Poetry London that I can consistently expect to find new poets who matter." He also played an instrumental role in introducing the works of writers and poets such as Kathleen Raine, Keith Dougalas, etc. In 1949, he moved to USA and created another poetry journal called Poetry London/Apple Magazine, the "Apple" left over from a plan for a magazine Tambimuttu had made with the Beatles some time previously. He also founded the Indian Arts Council which helped to introduce the art traditions of India to the west. [Information gathered from Internet and other sources.] [This message has been edited by SpeedyGonzalez (edited March 22, 2001).] |
TAMIL- MODAYA
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posted March 22, 2001 07:40 PM
U guys say that u weren't given an equal oppotunity, how about those facts above ? A tamil politician in a legislative council without the majority Sinhalese co operation !!Does it make any sence to u ? This un equal issue is just bull crap. Even my roomate is Tamil, but do we fight ? All these PATRIOTIC people who boast about the Tamil culture, where do they live ? Go back to SL and fight .YOU LITTLE COWARD SHIT . |
SpeedyGonzalez
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posted March 22, 2001 08:58 PM
Ah, I sense a little bit of hostility here.All these people contributed to all the spheres of Ceylonese society until one good day, your Sinhala leaders decided that the island was theirs alone and started to ride piggy back on the monks and created the demon called Sinhala Only. About these good men in the Legislative Council, well the Tamils got into the Legislative Council without any "endorsement" from the Sinhala community because the British were in the position to choose whomever they please from the various communities while paying attention to the needs of the respective community. The earliest instance where a Tamil held the highest position of power with some cooperation from the Sinhalese was when Sir. P. Ramanathan got elected to the Educated Ceylonese seat - a campaign in which he was supported by Arumuka Navalar and Sinhalese from the Goyigama caste because they didn't want a Karawa (M. Fernando belonged to the Karawa caste) to get the leadership. But ofcourse, even the Goyigama Sinhala politicians decided to betray P. Ramanathan later when they realized the "advantages" of communal politics but that, like they say, is another story. Comprende? [This message has been edited by SpeedyGonzalez (edited March 22, 2001).] |
TAMIL- MODAYA
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posted March 22, 2001 09:59 PM
"It was Ramanathan, along with his brother, who conceived the idea of a University for Ceylon and spent his energy to make that a reality and was acclaimed as the "Father of Legal Education in Ceylon". The first Prime Minister of Ceylon, D.S. Senanyake, called him "the greatest Ceylonese of all time."I'm not saying this but you are , And it was told by what you call an RACIST and a bastard {A sinhalese guy }.Where is your discrimination or unequal situations gone. I do admit the minority has to face a little bit of a difficulty. But it's not worth a WAR !
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SpeedyGonzalez
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posted March 23, 2001 12:42 PM
I don't think I ever called Senanayake a racist, or much worse, a bastard! If you feel like "dissing up" your politicians, feel free to do so without distorting facts.Just because D.S. Senanyake said that, it doesn't mean he's a great and wonderful human being. It just shows the amount of respect Sir. P. Ramanathan had that time. Several tributes came from around Sri Lanka and the world from Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, Burghers, etc...Just thought D.S's is an oft-quoted one. In any case, Senanyake probably seems like an angel compared to those who came after him. So, you do confess the minority had to face "a little bit of a difficulty" eh? Well, thats a good start. [This message has been edited by SpeedyGonzalez (edited March 23, 2001).] |
SpeedyGonzalez
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posted March 23, 2001 01:20 PM
Jnanaguru Yogaswami Born in Maviddapuram, Ceylon in 1872, Yogaswami became one of the greatest Siddhas of the last century. For over a period of 60 years, he lovingly taught his followers, in his inimitable style, the wondrous world of Saiva Siddhanatham. Although majority of his followers were Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, Muslims and agnostics would all come to him for help and guidance. "They sought solace and spiritual guidance, and none went away empty-handed. He influenced their lives profoundly. Many realized how blessed they were only after years had passed. Yogaswami's infinite compassion never ceased to impress. He would regularly walk long miles to visit Chellachchi Ammaiyar, a saintly woman immersed in meditation and tapas. Yogaswami would feed her and attend to duties as she sat in samadhi. Upon her directive, her devotees, some the most learned elite of Sri Lanka, transferred their devotion to Satguru Yogaswami after her passing." Santhaswami (elder son of Lord Soulbury, former Governor-General of Ceylon and an ardent disciple) wrote of his master in the following words, "He untiringly tried to raise his followers to the understanding that Truth lies beyond all forms." Recently, Satuguru Sivaya Subramaniyaswami, another disciple of Yogaswami, was awarded United Nation's U Thant Peace Award. Sri Ramana Maharishi Ramana Maharshi, originally named Venkataraman, was born in a village near Madurai in Tamil Nadu. He read mystical and devotional literature, particularly the lives of South Indian Saiva saints and the life of Kabir. In July 1896, while still in school, he was one day gripped by the thought of death. Rather than consult anyone he decided to find out what death meant; self-inquiry led him to believe that he was untouched by it. Following the traditional method of philosophical inquiry, 'not this, not this,'(neti, neti) he tried to answer the question, 'Who am I?' "Not this body because it is decaying, not the mind because the brain will decay with the body; not the personality nor the emotions; for these also will vanish with death." His intense desire to know the answer brought him into a state of consciousness beyond the mind, a state of bliss (samadhi). He renounced his possessions and moved to Mount Arunachala to become a hermit and came to be known as the Sage of Arunachala. Paul Bruntons' "My Search in Secret India" popularised the Maharshi's philosophy in the West. [Information gathered from Internet and other sources.] [This message has been edited by SpeedyGonzalez (edited March 23, 2001).] |
Website
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posted March 24, 2001 01:49 AM
Speedy,Out of all thsoe people you mentioned, Mr Lakshman Kadiramagar would be the most noteworthy Tamil of the 20th century, but you haven't even mentioned him. This honest, hardworking gentleman of a politician (probably the only such kind in Lanka!) got the LTTE banned in 5 major countries including the UK and USA. His tireless efforts to to save the Bamiyan Buddha statues should also receive special mention. As the higest ranking Tamil in the government, he has shown his dedication and love for Sri Lanka, and I wouldn't mind one bit if he became president of Sri Lanka in the future. |
SpeedyGonzalez
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posted March 24, 2001 06:46 PM
I'm well aware of the real reasons behind you castigating me for not naming Kardigarmar as one of the noteworthy Tamils of the 20th Century. While ignoring his "achievements" regarding the LTTE, he has done nothing for the Tamil community that has contributed to the enrichment of the community. While it may be argued that he has managed to trascend ethnic boundaries by protesting against the demolition of the Bamiyan Buddhist statues, the same man did not and continues to not raise a whimper about the churches and temples razed to the ground and/or occupied by Sri Lankan state forces. This, in itself, reveals his true character. His status "as the higest ranking Tamil in the government" has been facilitated by the shrewdness of the Kumaratunga government which realized the usefulness in having a member of the minority community as the Foreign Minister. Kardigamar, himself, has repeatedly said that ethnicity tends to be overemphasized when he's talked about, but he has forgotten his own words and has flaunted and continues to flaunt his "Tamilness" as "proof" that everything is A-OK in Sri Lanka, which is far from the truth. It is this double-faced nature of his that separates him from true Tamil politicians who crossed religious and ethnic boundaries in Sri Lanka.About Kardigamar's role as politician, let me quote from Anura Bandaranaike who lashed out in Parliament: "Can Minister Kadirgamar get ten votes anywhere in this country? Can he walk along Wellawatta? No. Can he get five Tamil votes either in Colombo, or in the North? I challenge him to contest the next general elections and we can then judge his standing in this country. Can he travel beyond Anuradhapura? Has he been to see the plight of his fellow Tamils, in Jaffna or elsewhere? He says I look for cheap headlines. It is Minister Kadirgamar who seeks the cheapest possible headlines and publicity making a right royal mess of our foreign policy and a fool of himself." [This message has been edited by SpeedyGonzalez (edited March 24, 2001).] |
SpeedyGonzalez
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posted March 24, 2001 07:19 PM
Viswanathan Anand Viswanathan Anand, popularly known as "Vishy, the Tiger from Madras" learnt chess at the tender age of six. His lightning speed of play and intuition saw him become the youngest National Champion at the age of 16. In 1987 he became the First Asian to win the World Junior Championship. He also earned the coveted Grandmaster title. He carved a special place on the chessboard by winning the strongest tournament at that time, the "Reggio Emilia" in Italy in 1991 ahead of Kasparov and Karpov. He was a World Championship challenger in the PCA (New York 1995) & FIDE (1997 Lausanne) cycles. He has the distinction of winning the strongest knock out tournament in recent chess history in Groningen in December 1997. He also won the Linares Super Torneo in 1998, the strongest tournament at this point. His other great victories include the Melody Amber tournament (1994 & 1997), the Credit Suisse Masters (1997), Dos Hermanas (1997) and Wijk Aan Zee(1998). Anand was awarded many prestigious titles in India like the Arjuna Award, the Padmashri (the youngest recipient of the title), the first recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, the Soviet Land Nehru award, the BPL Achievers of the World, Sportstar, and the Sportsworld "Sportsman of the year 1995" Award. In 2000, he became the World Champion and hence reached the pinnacle of the game after he beat Alexei Shirov in New Delhi. Muttiah Muralidharan Aruguably one of the best, if not the best spin bowlers in the history of Cricket was born in 1972 in Kandy into a respectable and wealthy family where he had a pampered upbringing and attended St. Anthony's College. Despite having a non-eventful start to his first-class cricketing career, he rose meteorically in the world of Cricket from 1996 onwards. Since then he has gone on to break several records in Sri Lanka as well as internationally. He was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1999. In a recent test match with South Africa, Murali took 13 wickets and spurred on the Sri Lankan team to their historical win over the touring South Africans. He also took a record 7/30 against India in Sharjah last year. In 2000 he claimed 75 wickets from just ten Test matches and only Dennis Lillie has reached 300 Test wickets faster. He admits that 500 wickets is his next target and barring injury he appears certain to achieve it. Given his immense talents as a cricketer-par-excellence, it is suprising why he was never offered the captaincy let alone the vice-captaincy when others relatively newcomers have been made vice-captains - a questioned that is increasingly being asked by observers of the game. After all even Arjuna Ranatunga, who captained the Sri Lankan cricketing team to a World Cup victory in 1996, had this to say about Murali, "Muralitharan is not merely a top-class bowler. He is an unbelievable bowler who is found one in 100 years or so." It is beyond doubt that he is one of the greatest bowlers to ever play the game. [Information gathered from Internet and other sources.] |
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posted March 24, 2001 11:59 PM
More noteworthy SRI LANKAN Tamils include:Sir Waithilingam Duraiswamy Sir Waithilingam Duraiswamy founded the Hindu Board of Education and was the Secretary of the Hindu Board which was responsible for establishing a series of Hindu schools. M. Tiruchelvam QC and former Minister of Local Government belongs to a band of men with a vision and a mission. His political sagacity, robust patriotism, practical wisdom and great administrative skill made him are of Sri Lanka's great statesmen. In the political field he was a Cabinet Minister, a Member of the Senate and a leading figure among the Tamil speaking people of this country. James T. Ratnam who was born in Jaffna was a great scholar and patriot. When S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike made his first public speech at the YMCA Forum soon after his return from Oxford it was Mr. Ratnam who proposed a vote of thanks and hailed Mr. Bandaranaike as the hope of Sri Lanka. Mr. Ratnamwas one of the first Member of the Ceylon Labour Union and also a member of the Executive Committee of the Ceylon Tamil League. He was actively engaged in many of the discussions relating to constitutional reform of Sri Lanka. Besides, he was the president of the Nuwara Eliya Labour Union. He aimed at bringing harmony and peace to Sri Lanka. Srila Sri Arumuga Navala (1822-1879) was a social reformer, Saivite and Tamil scholar. It is an accepted and acknowledged fact that the techniques and preachings of Srila Sri Arumuga Navalar have influenced, inspired and transformed the Hindus of Sri Lanka. He takes his place among the galaxy of great religious leaders like Ven. Anagarika Dharmapala and Ven. Gunananda Thera. He exhorted the people to feel proud and become worthy of their faith, language and the deep culture embodied in them. Radhika Cumaraswamy - United Nations Special Raporteur. In my opinion, Mr Kadiragamar has joined the ranks of all the noteworthy Tamils mentioned so far.
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SpeedyGonzalez
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posted March 25, 2001 09:50 PM
Thank you for posting the names of the Tamils, all of whom, by the way, were on my list as well. I'll try and post more detailed biographies of them later.I still beg to differ with your opinions of Kadigarmar as worthy of being in this list but then again you're entitled to your opinions and me to mine. |
tino
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posted March 26, 2001 12:35 AM
Speedy,Can u please furnish me more details or the link to Sir Muthu Coomaraswamy maybe something on his private life. I agree with u that Kardirgamar is not worthy of any mention. |
SpeedyGonzalez
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posted March 26, 2001 01:06 AM
Tino, there is some information on Muttu Coomaraswamy by A.J. Wilson in the TamilNation website but not much on his private life.I found the following information on Coomaraswamy's private life in M. Vythilingam's "The Life of Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan": He married Miss Elizabeth Beeby, "a young English lady of reputed parentage and rare beauty." She was besides, a lady of great cultur and refinement who, early in life, came under the spell of the Positivist School of thought founded by Auguste Comte. Moncure Daniel Conway says, "Sir Muttu Coomaraswamy, while studying in London had given a course of lectures in my chapel on t the various Indian philosophies; he had attended our reception and at one of them, met a beautiful young English lady whom he married." She conceived a liking for this charming and scholarly Oriental, which soon ripened into love and culminated in happy and blissful wedlock. Conway cites this as a happy example of successful intermarriage. (Vythiligam, 1971) [This message has been edited by SpeedyGonzalez (edited March 26, 2001).] |
SpeedyGonzalez
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posted March 26, 2001 01:36 AM
Srila Sri Arumuga Navalar Arumuga Navalar was born in Nallur, in December 1822, and passed away at the age of 56 on December 5th, 1879. His father Kandhar and mother Sivekamy were deeply religious and devout and Navalar imbibed those qualities. Even as a teenager he mastered Tamil, Sanskrit and English, and made an indepth study of Tamil grammar, language, literature and religious works. It is on record that at a very young age he completed a drama script begun by his father, who passed away without completing it. Scholars who had gone through this work were full of praise for the originality he showed as a playwright. Arumuga Navalar was a profilic writer and a 'silver tongued' orator. He was a pioneer in the field of prose-writing. In the 19th century the Tamil prose style was in its infancy. Navalar appeared on the Tamil literacy firmament and brought out prose works which are cherished by Tamil scholars as outstanding achievements. "Parithima Kalagnar' later described Navalar as 'Vasana Nadai Kaivantha Vallalar' (the best exponent of Tamil prose). In his short life covering 57 years he published around 75 books. They covered his original writings and his commentaries on ancient classics. C.W. Thamotharampillai and later U.V. Swaminatha Iyer followed the footsteps of Navalar in this field of publishing ancient classics. Printing was in embryonic stage in the early 19th century. During this difficult period Navalar brought out quality printing to the praise of his readers. This shows clearly his desire for perfection in all his ventures. Tamil language and Saiva ideals were very clear to his heart. Throughout his career he championed the cause of Hinduism. Sir Muthucumarasamy said of Navalar: "He is the Hindu of Hindus. He is one of those orientalists who can measure sword with even such a giant as my honourable friend the Queen's Advocate Hon. Mr. R. Cayley in any argument. He has a following which cannot be despised". Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan said "We have lost the champion reformer of Hindus" at the demise of Navalar in 1879. Dr. U.V. Swaminatha Iyer Dr. U. V. Swaminatha Iyer, Tamil scholar and literatus showed a keen interest in Tamil literature, even when he was young. Often it was difficult to make out what was inscribed on the palm leaf. He was able to bring out the publications with his thorough knowledge of the literature. It was due to his efforts that the Jeevaka Chintamani, a Jainist classic, was published in 1887. From that time onwards he began to search for Sangam classics with a view to editing and publishing them. After Chintamani, Pattu-P-Pattu was published. During his life time, Iyer edited and published a hundred books Sangam works, Kavyas, Prabhandhas, Sthalapuranas, etc., with introductions, critical notes, glossaries and indices valued for their thoroughness and depth of research. When Srinivasachariar, Tamil Pandit at the Madras Presidency College retired, Iyer was transferred to Madras from Kumbakonam in 1903. He retired in 1919 at the age of 64. His research work increased several times after retirement. He travelled from place to place in search of palm leaf manuscripts so as to edit and publish them. From 1924 to 1927, Iyer was the Principal of the Meenakshi Tamil College in Annamalai University, Chidambaram. On health grounds, he resigned the post, came to Madras and continued his research. The title Mahamahopadhya was conferred on him by the Madras Government in recognition of his services, in the year 1906. The same year when the Prince and Princess of Wales visited Madras, a function was arranged where several scholars were given titles and awards. [Information gathered from Internet and other sources.] [This message has been edited by SpeedyGonzalez (edited March 26, 2001).] |
SpeedyGonzalez
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posted March 26, 2001 09:06 PM
Sanjay Kumar One of the highest profile CEOs in the United States, Sanjay Kumar, was born in Colombo in 1962 but left for the US at age 14. He replaced Charles Wang, to become the Chief Executive of Computer Associates, the world's third largest independent software company in the world which has has revenues over $6 Billion and 13,000 employees, placing it only behind software giants such as Microsoft and Oracle. Kumar, whose personal networth is around $600 million, is the first Sri Lankan-born manager to rise to the pinnacle of power in a Fortune 500 company. His achievement is all the more creditable given he has done this at the age of 38. Even before becoming CEO, Kumar had become one of the highest paid executives in the US. Over the past few years, Kumar has done an excellent job in raising his profile with both Wall Street analysts and the US financial press. He is a regular visitor on financial news channels such as CNBC and CNNfn. Along with Wang, Kumar bought the New York Islanders Ice Hockey team for around $190 million last year. T. Ananda Krishnan T. Ananda Krishnan, whose roots lie in Ceylon, was born in Malaya and educated at the Victoria Institution in Kuala Lumpur and has a degree from Harvard Business School. He is the special advisor to the Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohammad; and is on on the directing board of Petronas, the Government Petroleum Company. He conceived and built the new administrative city of the federation along with the Petronas Towers, the largest buildings in the world. He also financed the Band Aid to Ethiopia and was Sir Bob Geldof's rock-and-roll partner in the famous 1985 Live Aid concert tour to help famine-stricken Ethiopia. According to Newsweek, he's substantial shareholder (over 40%) of Texaco. He also helped launch, Mesat 1, Malaysia's maiden Telecommunications satellite. He is one of the most successful oil traders with cozy, lucrative connections to many in Asia's political and petroleum-industry elite. He also successfully speculates in oil and gas fields, among other businesses, in the United States. [Information gathered from Internet and other sources.] [This message has been edited by SpeedyGonzalez (edited March 26, 2001).] |
Casper
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posted March 27, 2001 10:39 AM
Speedy, Thanks for the list. I think you should add Dr. Neelan Thiruchelvam to your list. He was the first and only (I think) Sri lankan to hold a doctoral degree from the Harward School of Law. He was an intellectual and a statesmen and a proud son of Sri Lanka. p.s: May I ask (if you don't mind) your age bracket and when you left Sri Lanka ?
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- Henry
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posted March 27, 2001 10:43 AM
Casper: You're mistaken. These people are from Ceylon. Now ask yourself why they went overseas in the first place. |
SpeedyGonzalez
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posted March 27, 2001 07:29 PM
Thanks for mentioning Thiruchelvam's name. Will keep it in mind for future updates.And I'm not too sure if I want to divulge personal information since the whole point behind the Internet and usernames is annonymity. I hope you understand. :-) [This message has been edited by SpeedyGonzalez (edited March 27, 2001).] |
SpeedyGonzalez
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posted March 27, 2001 07:45 PM
Dr. Christie Jeyaratnam Eliezer Professor C.J. Eliezer is a well known Mathematician, a philosopher and a man of great vision. He read towards a Bachelor of Science, (First Class Honours) University of London in 1937 and then obtained another Bachelor of Science (First Class Honours in Mathematics) where he was the first in the order of Merit Award. He then proceeded to obtained another Bachelor of Science (Advance Mathematics) from the University of Cambridge. Wrangler (First Class) in mathematical Tripes. He was awarded the Christ College award, a special Scholarship, in addition to the University of Ceylon Scholarship in 1940. He alsp had a Distinction in Mathematical Tripes - Part 3 (1942) and won the Sir Issac Newton Studentship in Mathematics (1942) and the Smith Prize from Cambridge University (1943). He obtained his Ph.D. from University of Cambridge (1945) and a while later won the Charles. L. Mayer award from the National Academy of Science (1947). He was made a Fellow of Christ College - Cambridge in 1947. He also published the "Eliezer Theory". He read towards his Barrister at Law in London in 1949. He also read towards a Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) from the University of London in 1950. He worked with Professor A.M Dirac F.R.S., a Noble Prize winner, on Quantum Mechanic at the Cambridge University and acted for Professor Dirac in lecturing. He was invited to present papers at the United Nations Conferences on the "peaceful use of atomic energy" held in Geneva, Vienna and Bombay. He held a Fullbright Scholarship at the Princeton Institute for Advanced Studies and worked with Dr. R.A Oppenheimer, then Director of the Institute and also met with Dr. Einstein for academic discussions in 1955. In 1984, the Australasian Federation of Tamil Associations was formed with Dr. Eliezer as the Chairman. He was a spokesman to Canberra, Geneva, and the United Nations on the human rights issues and the rights of the Tamil People in Sri Lanka. Sir Chandrasekhar Venkata Raman Chandrasekhar Venkata Raman was born on November 7, 1888, in Tiruvanaikkaval, Tamil Nadu. He acquired his bachelor's degree from Presidency College, University of Madras, and published his first paper in the Philosophical Magazine at the age of 18. Despite passing his MA in 1907 with flying colours, he could not study further in England due to health problems. For the same reason he dropped the idea of taking the Indian Civil Service exam as at that time one had to travel to England to appear for it. However, he passed the Financial Civil Services exam. During his 10 years in the Indian Finance Department, he continued his research and published about 30 papers. He took voluntary retirement from government service in 1917 for the Palit Chair in Physics in Calcutta University offered to him by Sir Ashutosh Mukherji. Raman had a special interest in the optics of colloids and the physiology of human vision. He studied the structure and properties of diamonds and the structure and optical behaviour of iridescent substances like agate, opal and pearls. In 1930 he won the Nobel Prize in physics for the discovery of the Raman Effect. After staying in Calcutta for 15 years, owing to personal differences with Meghnad Saha he accepted the post of director at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. Raman was the founder of the Indian Academy of Science (1935) and the Raman Research Institute (1947). [Information gathered from Internet and other sources.] [This message has been edited by SpeedyGonzalez (edited May 10, 2001).] |
Casper
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posted March 27, 2001 10:49 PM
Speedy, No problem. I didn't mean to be nosey....just wanted to understand the context in which your thoughts and ideas are born/nurtured. Yes, the whole idea of usernames is annonymity. |
tino
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posted March 28, 2001 08:35 AM
I would like to add to the list of notable tamils. One of the notable ceylon tamil is T.Ananda Krishnan. He is reputed to be the richest man in Malaysia and his contributions towards the Development of Malaysia and South East Asia is countless. He built the KLCC building which is currently the tallest structure in the world and also launched not one but two sattelite in to orbit, being the first in South East Asia region. Here is a brief info on him.T.Ananda Krishnan. Is Malaysia's leading New Economy Strategist. His Maxis Communications BHD is Malaysia's fastest growing mobile phone operator, while his ASTRO is the region's only digital satellite televisyen station. The son of a civil servant, Ananda spent his younger days in Kuala Lumpur before reading Economics at Melbourne University and proceeding to a Master's at Harward University. He made his early fortunes through international oil trading. His oil business and superb connection's opened the way for him to set up businesses all over the world. His petroleum trading skills caught the attention of Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahatir Mohammad who ropped him in as director of PETRONAS (Malaysia's Oil Company) between 1984 and 1986. In 1990's he ventured into property development. His achievment include Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC), the shimmering twin towers hailed as one of world's tallest building. Ananda started planning for South East Asia first satelite in 1991, finaly launching it in 1996. Now he has two MEASAT satellite's in orbit an plans for a third. A workholic the 62 year old is said to be a demanding employer and is highly respected. He does not give public interviews but his wealth and achievements speak volumes of his ability and vision.
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- Henry
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posted March 28, 2001 10:29 AM
What we have then is a list of Ceylonese Tamils. |
Casper
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posted March 28, 2001 11:20 AM
Does Mr. V. Prabhakaran belong to this list ? Just curious. I think he should not be put in the same catagory of these other fine Tamil people. But that's just my personal opinion  |
SpeedyGonzalez
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posted March 28, 2001 06:59 PM
Well you're entitled to your opinion Casper. And about whether Prabhakaran is going to be on the list or not, well you just have to wait and see! I hate to spoil the suspense. :-)[This message has been edited by SpeedyGonzalez (edited March 28, 2001).] |
SpeedyGonzalez
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posted March 28, 2001 07:25 PM
Mudaliyar C. Rasanayagam Mudaliyar C.Rasanayagam was born on 22nd October 1870. He was educated at St.Thomas College, Colombo and entered the Clerical Service in 1889. He functioned mostly as an Interpreter in the Law Courts. In 1920, he was promoted and the titular rank of "Mudaliyar" conferred on him. Later in 1923, he was promoted to the Ceylon Civil Service. He then commenced to function at the Jaffna Kachcheri till his retirement in 1929. Afterwards he devoted himself fully to research work on the history of ancient Jaffna. It is said that at one time he employed as many as eleven scholars from India at his house to carry out studies of old manuscripts. All the ancient "ola manuscripts" collected by him were carefully deciphered and scrutinised. He proceeded to London and perused the ancient manuscripts of "Kailaya Malai" and "Yalpana Vaipava Malai" in the Museum archives. These are two ancient works on the History of Jaffna. He published the text of the earlier work, with his notes . In 1926 he published his much valued work entitled "Ancient Jaffna", which has been the only available book in English, on the specific subject, for years. Even to day it is a basic standard source work and a masterpiece. A second edition of this valuable book has now been published and copies are available in the book shops. This was followed with a work on Kadirkamam in 1930 and History of Jaffna in Tamil in 1933. A History of Jaffna during the British period was published in 1934. A collection of Tamil Documents in the Archives was selected and translated in 1937. He encouraged Tamil studies in many ways. He urged Kula Sabanathan to edit and publish the "Yalpana Vaipava Malai", adding explanatory notes. The venerable Mudaliyar passed away on 17th January 1940[Information gathered from Internet and other sources.] [This message has been edited by SpeedyGonzalez (edited March 28, 2001).] |
SpeedyGonzalez
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posted March 28, 2001 07:35 PM
Dr. T.P. Meenakshisundaram T.P. Meenakshisundaram waws born on Jan 08, 1901 in Thenpattinam, Chengelpet District to businessman S. Ponnusami Gramani. He graduated from Pachaiyappa's college (B.A (1920), B.L (1922), M.A in History (1923) and Diploma in Economics. He practiced Law/Advocate at Madras High Court from 1923 and was elected to the Madras Corporation Council in 1924. He was highly proficient in many languages (Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, French, German,..) and studied Linguistics (MOL thesis, Univ. of Madras 1938). He was Professor of Tamil at Annamalai University (1954-58) and Prof. of Tamil, Presidency College, Madras (54-61). He was made Director of the Center for Advanced Study in Dravidian Linguistics, Annamalai University. He was also the first Vice-Chancellor, Madurai Kamaraj University (1966-1971). He won the Sakitya Academy Award in 1975. He was awarded D.Litt by Madurai University (1967), Colombo University (1973) and Annamalai University (1976). Furthermore, he was awarded "Padmabhusan" by the government of India in 1976. He is author of several scholarly works in Tamil and English, numerous essays and articles mostly on Literature criticism and comparative literature, linguistics, etc. He passed away on August 27, 1980. [Information gathered from Internet and other sources.] [This message has been edited by SpeedyGonzalez (edited March 28, 2001).] |
Ranjan_Reborn
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posted March 28, 2001 09:11 PM
Hereby I am electing Hon. Mr. Prabaharan to this LIST as the NUMBER ONE PROMINANT TAMIL OF THE CENTURY:Valvettithurai was a famous port during the Jaffna Kingdom which existed from the early 13th century to 17th century ( AD121-1619). It was in this port city Prabhakaran was born on November 26,1954. He was the youngest of a family of one brother and two sisters. His father was a government official who worked under the Sri Lankan government. The 1958 racial riots resulted in the slaughter of thousands of defenceless Thamil people living in the south by marauding Sinhalese thugs. One of the victim was a Hindu Priest at Panadura in the south who was thrown alive into a melting tar barrel and burnt to death. Years later when this ghastly story was narrated to Prabhakaran by an elderly widow it left an indelible feeling of pity coupled with anger in the young boy's mind. Still in his teens, Prabhakaran perceived that it was cowardice on the part of the Tamils to run away when attacked by Sinhalese mobs. He thought the Tamils, at least the youths, should stand and fight back unmindful of the consequences. Because, he argued within himself, that the alternative would be abject slavery.[b] Not surprisingly his school days heroes were Subash Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh both India's [b]freedom fighters. Prabhakaran had no illusion that the path that lay ahead was not paved with roses and that there was a definite price to pay. But he was ready for the sacrifice. Towards this goal, at the tender age of 14, he joined with seven other like-minded youths, who invariably were very much senior to him, to form a group . Interestingly the group's first attempt to buy a revolver for Rs. 150 had to be abandoned for lack of funds despite young Prabhakaran selling the ring he was presented at his sister's wedding for Rs.70! His involvement in extra- clandestine political activities resulted in his early drop out from school while studying in the 10th standard. Prabhakaran's parents were unaware of his clandestine activities till the Police knocked at their door one day at the unholy hour of 3 a.m. Sensing trouble Prabhakaran sneaked out through the back entrance. He was only 19 years old at that time and he never returned home thereafter. He soon became a full time activist living under ground and moving from place to place to escape arrest by the Police. The repression unleashed by the Sinhala government against the Thamil people reached new heights at the beginning of 1970s. All peaceful protests by the Thamil people resulted in more repression and not less. The youths at that time saw the necessity to form a revolutionary political movement to fight back the racist government. The result was the formation of Thamil Students Organization ( Thamizh Manavar Peravai) in 1970. Prabhakaran headed the most revolutionary wing of the TSO. Since he was one of the youngest member of the organization everybody called him "Thambi" meaning younger brother. This nickname in course of time became "Annan" meaning elder brother. To avoid arrest by the Sri Lankan Police, Prabhakaran escaped to Thamil Nadu. But he soon returned to Jaffna and founded the New Thamil Tigers ( Puthiya Thamizh Pulikal) in 1972. When he was only 17 years of age he became both the leader and the military commander of NTT. The first military operation carried out by the NTT was the assassination of Alfred Durayappa who was the Mayor of Jaffna and the Organiser of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party on July 27, 1975. This was the first warning shot to all those Thamil Quislings who collaborated with the enemy viz the racist Sinhala government. In May 1976 the NTT was renamed "Thamizh Eela Viduthalai Pulikal" ( Liberation Tigers of Thamil Eelam). He remained both the political as well as the military head of the LTTE. The objective was to turn the LTTE into a mass-based organization. Under the direction and guidance of Prabhakaran, LTTE opted to choose the path of guerrilla warfare against the Sinhala armed forces. On May 25, 1978 LTTE claimed responsibility for carrying out 11 military operations mostly against Thamil collaborators. The government responded with a law proscribing the LTTE in 1978. Unable to stem the tide of revolutionary violence unleashed by the LTTE, the Jayewardene's government enacted the notorious Anti-Terrorism Act on the 20th of July, 1979. Reminiscent of Hitler's order to Rommel to annihilate all forms of Semitism; J.R. Jayawardene gave orders to his nephew Brigadier Weeratunga to go to the North and destroy all forms of terrorism within 6 months, that is before December 31, 1979. But far from being destroyed, the LTTE grew in strength carrying out spectacular assaults on the police and the army. The first ever attack on the army took place on October 15, 1981 at KKS Road, Jaffna in which two soldiers died. This was followed up with a series of attacks culminating in the ambush of an army patrol on July 23, 1983 at Thirunalvely in which 13 soldiers got killed. Prabhakaran was one of the 14 LTTE cadres who took part in this ambush led by Lieutenant Sellakili who attained martyrdom. All hell broke loose in the South when the 13 dead bodies were flown to Colombo for burial. Thousands of Thamils were slaughtered by the Sinhalese hoodlums lead by Buddhist monks in yellow robes and millions worth of property were destroyed. Under the able leadership of Prabhakaran, the LTTE which started with a sole pistol has now grown into a conventional Thamil National Army of 20,000. The military genius of Prabhakaran has been proved time and time again in Eelam War 1, 11 and now 111. Not only Prabhakaran's admirers, but even his foes have paid tribute to his character and personality, his dedication and his natural military abilities, both strategic and tactical. Jyotindra Dixit, former Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and later India's Foreign Secretary wrote thus: "First, the character and personality of its leader V Pirabakaran who is disciplined, austere and passionately committed to the cause of Sri Lankan Tamils' liberation. Whatever he may be criticised for, it cannot be denied that the man has an inner fire and dedication and he is endowed with natural military abilities, both strategic and tactical. He has also proved that he is a keen observer of the nature of competitive and critical politics. He has proved his abilities in judging political events and his adroitness in responding to them. " (Assignment in Colombo).
Prabhakaran was once asked at an interview as to who was his friend, philosopher and guide? The reply he gave was very characteristic of him. Nature is my friend, Life my philosopher and history is my guide. Again he was asked how he felt to be the most wanted man in Sri Lanka today? Prabhakaran replied in his own inimical style as follows: " An Irish leader once remarked that when the British indict a person as a terrorist it implied that he was a true Irish patriot. Similarly when the Sri Lanka government refers to me as the most wanted man it means that I am a true Tamil patriot. Hence I feel proud to be indicted as a wanted man. " Asked about his assessment of J.R.Jayawardena he replied stating "if he was a true Buddhist I would not be carrying a gun!" |
- Henry
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posted March 29, 2001 10:36 AM
These CEYLONESE! |
SpeedyGonzalez
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posted March 30, 2001 04:57 PM
Chevalier Dr. Sivaji Ganesan An artiste who has become a legend in his lifetime, 'Chevalier' Sivaji Ganesan has captivated the hearts of millions of cine-goers. With more than two hundred and eighty feature films to his credit - many of them top-notchers, Sivaji made his debut in films in 1950 with "Parasakthi". With a flair for playing historical roles, Ganesan has portrayed all types of leading characters with distinction, one of his most outstanding performances being in "Veerapandiya Kattabomman", which won him the Best Actor Award at the Afro-Asia Film Festival, 1959. The hero-worshipping cine-goers of Tamil Nadu have conferred the title of 'Nadigar Tilakam' on this jewel among film stars. His contribution to the Tamil cinema has been of such outstanding nature that he has created a permanent niche for himself in the history of Tamil cinema. India has honoured him with "Padmasree" and "Padmabushan" and recently he was also conferred with "Dadasaheb Palke" Award. He was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate Degree by the Annamalai University, Chidambaram, in December 1986. In 1993, the Adithanar Muthamizh Peravai, pointing out his period to be the Golden Age of Tamil Cinema, honored him with the Adithanar Gold Medal Award, for bringing honor and prestige to the Tamils in general. On August 27, 1993, the Santhome Special Award was given by Santhome Communications Center, the cultural wing of the Tamil Nadu Bishop's Council, to honor him for the great service he has rendered to the Tamil Culture in his own inimitable way, by way of kindling the hearts and minds of the masses with a true sense of history, patriotism, devotion to God and high moral integrity, to enhance and strengthen the foundation of Tamil Culture. Sivaji was honored by being invited as the Chief Guest to inaugurate the 26th International Film Festival of India, which was held at Bombay, in January 1995, the Centenary Year of Cinema. He has been awarded the title of Chevalier, the Order of Arts and Literature by the Ministry of Culture, Government of France. This is one of the main decorations of the French Republic which is conferred to honour the most original and talented personalities, for their remarkable contributions in the field of Arts and Literature in France and all over the world. During his visit to the USA in June 1995, he visited Columbus city, the capital of the Ohio State. Participating in the dinner hosted to honor Dr. Sivaji Ganesan, the Mayor of the city, Mr.Greg Lashutka, honored him by announcing him as an "Honorary Citizen" of Columbus City. On the same occasion the Mayor of Mount Vernon, another city in the USA, read out and gave him a Special Welcome Citation. The "Columbus Tamil Sangam" was formulated on that day, and Dr. Sivaji Ganesan was made the Honourary President of that association.[This message has been edited by SpeedyGonzalez (edited May 10, 2001).] |
Casper
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posted March 30, 2001 06:03 PM
Dr. Rajani Thiranagama: She is an inspiration to many Sinhala and Tamil women. She is my role model. I thought this article will inspire other's to continue her work and dreams. Casper. Ensuring the right to life & expanding the democratic environment: Remembering Rajani Thiranagama: Assassinated 10 years ago on the 21st of September 1989, in Jaffna, Sri Lanka.
Why Rajani? This question will arise in everybody's minds. So many others have died too. When we remember Rajani, lecturer, the Head of Department of Anatomy, University of Jaffna, we are also remembering others who were killed in similar ways and for similar reasons. Remembering too all those children, women and men who were innocent victims of the militarisation and brutalisation of our societies. Rajani identified herself in the deepest sense with her people: a people that she loved and served. The following excerpt from her writing illustrates this: "A state of resignation envelopes the community. The long shadow of the gun has not only been the source of power and glory, but also of fear and terror as well. The paralysing depression is not due to the violence and authority imposed from outside, but rather to the destructive violence emanating from within the womb of our society." Rajani bravely stood up against the insane adherence to the gun. It speaks of how much she cared for the welfare of the people. She feared that they may be submerged without resistance into "the slime of terror and violence". She wanted to awaken the consciousness of her people to understand and act. She fervently believed that people should organise themselves, in order to shake off the fear that paralyses them and to create the much needed democratic space. In her deeds, speech and writings she continually strove to do this. This proved too much of a challenge to those who wanted only the passive and placid inertia of the people. So what is special about Rajani is that she consciously braved all the dangers which follow from open and outspoken resistance in a society where its custodian regard such dissent as subversive and treacherous. She paid the price for nurturing courage: I want to prove that ordinary women like me also have enormous courage and power to fight alone and hold our inner selves together. Rajani's story is more relevant than ever, in the present context of Sri Lanka. There is a need for children, women and men to come together to reconstruct life. To reject assassination, murder and militaristic campaigns (killing and displacing thousands) as political tools to subjugate and terrorise. Yes, she always stood for the rights of the oppressed people, and wherever she was whether in the university as a student, or in London during her post graduate work or back in Sri Lanka, she emotionally involved and identified with the oppressed. She lived in a generation when many youths felt a need to protest against a corrupt political establishment and supported many forms of militant revolutionary activity. Being a sensitive member of her generation she too was caught up in this wider movement but then saw from within even more insidious forms of corruption and cruelty. When she began to comprehend the dominant ideological milieu of the Tamil struggle, which was both narrow and totalitarian, she grasped the dangers ahead. She felt an added sense of urgency in informing and protecting people against such dangers. It was this that impelled her to return to Jaffna in the face of danger. It owed to her sense of responsibility and not mistaken idealism. Today on the one hand, people have grown comfortable with corruption, elitism and political violence. But among the people who are powerless, there is much potential for political causes which mobilise their anger and hatred in a self destructive manner, that would leave the people in a far worse situation. This is what both the LTTE and JVP have done. So there is a constant need for the kind of responsible activism by which we should preserve whatever is edifying in the present so as to create a new order entering around the people. This is what Rajani had stood for. She realised from her experience that the struggle for right of self-determination cannot have any meaning when it negates and suppresses every aspect of humanity and demean the community. How can we tap the higher instincts of the people with a greater vision which respects freedom of thought, the freedom to live without fear, freedom to live in dignity, and the freedom to make one's voice heard? When people lose their self and become subservient to a leader or a movement in an environment where right to protest is debarred then the whole notion of right of self determination becomes meaningless for them. Yes, she understood the reason why many young ones are blindly taking a self-destructive path. However, she could not justify such cynical use of children of the poor as many others do and at the same time take different options for their own selves and their kith and kin. Such hypocrisy is the order of the day in all quarters in this country today. Those who are espousing war and the continuation of the armed conflict feed the poor and marginalised into the machinery of war while talking eloquently about patriotism and nationhood. There are also those among the Sinhalese and among Tamils who go on explaining and justifying every heinous act of the LTTE with the simple notion of reactive violence. They indirectly condemn the Tamil people as a whole as an innately a dehumanised community and that there is nothing healthy left in it that could be appealed to. But Rajani has shown how absurd this notion is in her activities in the University by rejuvenating the university after a total paralysis for some years. During the IPKF presence she with others were able to open the university and try to make it a vibrant institution again with the participation of all sectors of the university. They were actively involved in maintaining it as an independent institution as far as possible against all terror from within and without in the community. Creating a democratic space as she called it began to take root and students and staff were beginning to regain their self esteem. Of course for the sections who had compromised and connived with the powers that be felt threatened by her activities. But it did not stop her from documenting the suffering of the people, especially the women and getting involved in a variety of activities which were geared towards strengthening them. Does it not show that the Tamil people are capable of looking for alternatives and that when they are given options they will choose a saner course rather than destroy themselves. But that right of the people was snuffed away again by killing Rajani. She was murdered by the same forces who had arrogated to themselves the right to determine the future of the whole community. Hence the people again got trapped in a political environment which is self destructive and totalitarian. Any one who wants to work for peace needs to tap that potential which is simmering underneath in both communities and which strives towards more a humane and healthier form of existence. That means valuing life and condemning the ideologies which make people narrow, insecure and paranoid. By legitimising forces of destruction we cannot achieve peace. If we value Rajani's work which grasped the role of people as self articulating, creative and looking for healthier alternatives, then it is time we do justice to her sacrifice by bringing back the role of ordinary people of all communities to the front stage by defending their right to speak freely and fearlessly. Source: Mothers and Daughters of Lanka & Other Organisations
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Casper
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posted March 30, 2001 06:03 PM
Dr. Rajani Thiranagama: She is an inspiration to many Sinhala and Tamil women. She is my role model. I thought this article will inspire others to continue her work and dreams. Casper. Ensuring the right to life & expanding the democratic environment: Remembering Rajani Thiranagama: Assassinated 10 years ago on the 21st of September 1989, in Jaffna, Sri Lanka.
Why Rajani? This question will arise in everybody's minds. So many others have died too. When we remember Rajani, lecturer, the Head of Department of Anatomy, University of Jaffna, we are also remembering others who were killed in similar ways and for similar reasons. Remembering too all those children, women and men who were innocent victims of the militarisation and brutalisation of our societies. Rajani identified herself in the deepest sense with her people: a people that she loved and served. The following excerpt from her writing illustrates this: "A state of resignation envelopes the community. The long shadow of the gun has not only been the source of power and glory, but also of fear and terror as well. The paralysing depression is not due to the violence and authority imposed from outside, but rather to the destructive violence emanating from within the womb of our society." Rajani bravely stood up against the insane adherence to the gun. It speaks of how much she cared for the welfare of the people. She feared that they may be submerged without resistance into "the slime of terror and violence". She wanted to awaken the consciousness of her people to understand and act. She fervently believed that people should organise themselves, in order to shake off the fear that paralyses them and to create the much needed democratic space. In her deeds, speech and writings she continually strove to do this. This proved too much of a challenge to those who wanted only the passive and placid inertia of the people. So what is special about Rajani is that she consciously braved all the dangers which follow from open and outspoken resistance in a society where its custodian regard such dissent as subversive and treacherous. She paid the price for nurturing courage: I want to prove that ordinary women like me also have enormous courage and power to fight alone and hold our inner selves together. Rajani's story is more relevant than ever, in the present context of Sri Lanka. There is a need for children, women and men to come together to reconstruct life. To reject assassination, murder and militaristic campaigns (killing and displacing thousands) as political tools to subjugate and terrorise. Yes, she always stood for the rights of the oppressed people, and wherever she was whether in the university as a student, or in London during her post graduate work or back in Sri Lanka, she emotionally involved and identified with the oppressed. She lived in a generation when many youths felt a need to protest against a corrupt political establishment and supported many forms of militant revolutionary activity. Being a sensitive member of her generation she too was caught up in this wider movement but then saw from within even more insidious forms of corruption and cruelty. When she began to comprehend the dominant ideological milieu of the Tamil struggle, which was both narrow and totalitarian, she grasped the dangers ahead. She felt an added sense of urgency in informing and protecting people against such dangers. It was this that impelled her to return to Jaffna in the face of danger. It owed to her sense of responsibility and not mistaken idealism. Today on the one hand, people have grown comfortable with corruption, elitism and political violence. But among the people who are powerless, there is much potential for political causes which mobilise their anger and hatred in a self destructive manner, that would leave the people in a far worse situation. This is what both the LTTE and JVP have done. So there is a constant need for the kind of responsible activism by which we should preserve whatever is edifying in the present so as to create a new order entering around the people. This is what Rajani had stood for. She realised from her experience that the struggle for right of self-determination cannot have any meaning when it negates and suppresses every aspect of humanity and demean the community. How can we tap the higher instincts of the people with a greater vision which respects freedom of thought, the freedom to live without fear, freedom to live in dignity, and the freedom to make one's voice heard? When people lose their self and become subservient to a leader or a movement in an environment where right to protest is debarred then the whole notion of right of self determination becomes meaningless for them. Yes, she understood the reason why many young ones are blindly taking a self-destructive path. However, she could not justify such cynical use of children of the poor as many others do and at the same time take different options for their own selves and their kith and kin. Such hypocrisy is the order of the day in all quarters in this country today. Those who are espousing war and the continuation of the armed conflict feed the poor and marginalised into the machinery of war while talking eloquently about patriotism and nationhood. There are also those among the Sinhalese and among Tamils who go on explaining and justifying every heinous act of the LTTE with the simple notion of reactive violence. They indirectly condemn the Tamil people as a whole as an innately a dehumanised community and that there is nothing healthy left in it that could be appealed to. But Rajani has shown how absurd this notion is in her activities in the University by rejuvenating the university after a total paralysis for some years. During the IPKF presence she with others were able to open the university and try to make it a vibrant institution again with the participation of all sectors of the university. They were actively involved in maintaining it as an independent institution as far as possible against all terror from within and without in the community. Creating a democratic space as she called it began to take root and students and staff were beginning to regain their self esteem. Of course for the sections who had compromised and connived with the powers that be felt threatened by her activities. But it did not stop her from documenting the suffering of the people, especially the women and getting involved in a variety of activities which were geared towards strengthening them. Does it not show that the Tamil people are capable of looking for alternatives and that when they are given options they will choose a saner course rather than destroy themselves. But that right of the people was snuffed away again by killing Rajani. She was murdered by the same forces who had arrogated to themselves the right to determine the future of the whole community. Hence the people again got trapped in a political environment which is self destructive and totalitarian. Any one who wants to work for peace needs to tap that potential which is simmering underneath in both communities and which strives towards more a humane and healthier form of existence. That means valuing life and condemning the ideologies which make people narrow, insecure and paranoid. By legitimising forces of destruction we cannot achieve peace. If we value Rajani's work which grasped the role of people as self articulating, creative and looking for healthier alternatives, then it is time we do justice to her sacrifice by bringing back the role of ordinary people of all communities to the front stage by defending their right to speak freely and fearlessly. Source: Mothers and Daughters of Lanka & Other Organisations
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Casper
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posted March 30, 2001 06:04 PM
Dr. Rajani Thiranagama: She is an inspiration to many Sinhala and Tamil women. She is my role model. I thought this article will inspire others to continue her work and dreams. Casper. Ensuring the right to life & expanding the democratic environment: Remembering Rajani Thiranagama: Assassinated 10 years ago on the 21st of September 1989, in Jaffna, Sri Lanka.
Why Rajani? This question will arise in everybody's minds. So many others have died too. When we remember Rajani, lecturer, the Head of Department of Anatomy, University of Jaffna, we are also remembering others who were killed in similar ways and for similar reasons. Remembering too all those children, women and men who were innocent victims of the militarisation and brutalisation of our societies. Rajani identified herself in the deepest sense with her people: a people that she loved and served. The following excerpt from her writing illustrates this: "A state of resignation envelopes the community. The long shadow of the gun has not only been the source of power and glory, but also of fear and terror as well. The paralysing depression is not due to the violence and authority imposed from outside, but rather to the destructive violence emanating from within the womb of our society." Rajani bravely stood up against the insane adherence to the gun. It speaks of how much she cared for the welfare of the people. She feared that they may be submerged without resistance into "the slime of terror and violence". She wanted to awaken the consciousness of her people to understand and act. She fervently believed that people should organise themselves, in order to shake off the fear that paralyses them and to create the much needed democratic space. In her deeds, speech and writings she continually strove to do this. This proved too much of a challenge to those who wanted only the passive and placid inertia of the people. So what is special about Rajani is that she consciously braved all the dangers which follow from open and outspoken resistance in a society where its custodian regard such dissent as subversive and treacherous. She paid the price for nurturing courage: I want to prove that ordinary women like me also have enormous courage and power to fight alone and hold our inner selves together. Rajani's story is more relevant than ever, in the present context of Sri Lanka. There is a need for children, women and men to come together to reconstruct life. To reject assassination, murder and militaristic campaigns (killing and displacing thousands) as political tools to subjugate and terrorise. Yes, she always stood for the rights of the oppressed people, and wherever she was whether in the university as a student, or in London during her post graduate work or back in Sri Lanka, she emotionally involved and identified with the oppressed. She lived in a generation when many youths felt a need to protest against a corrupt political establishment and supported many forms of militant revolutionary activity. Being a sensitive member of her generation she too was caught up in this wider movement but then saw from within even more insidious forms of corruption and cruelty. When she began to comprehend the dominant ideological milieu of the Tamil struggle, which was both narrow and totalitarian, she grasped the dangers ahead. She felt an added sense of urgency in informing and protecting people against such dangers. It was this that impelled her to return to Jaffna in the face of danger. It owed to her sense of responsibility and not mistaken idealism. Today on the one hand, people have grown comfortable with corruption, elitism and political violence. But among the people who are powerless, there is much potential for political causes which mobilise their anger and hatred in a self destructive manner, that would leave the people in a far worse situation. This is what both the LTTE and JVP have done. So there is a constant need for the kind of responsible activism by which we should preserve whatever is edifying in the present so as to create a new order entering around the people. This is what Rajani had stood for. She realised from her experience that the struggle for right of self-determination cannot have any meaning when it negates and suppresses every aspect of humanity and demean the community. How can we tap the higher instincts of the people with a greater vision which respects freedom of thought, the freedom to live without fear, freedom to live in dignity, and the freedom to make one's voice heard? When people lose their self and become subservient to a leader or a movement in an environment where right to protest is debarred then the whole notion of right of self determination becomes meaningless for them. Yes, she understood the reason why many young ones are blindly taking a self-destructive path. However, she could not justify such cynical use of children of the poor as many others do and at the same time take different options for their own selves and their kith and kin. Such hypocrisy is the order of the day in all quarters in this country today. Those who are espousing war and the continuation of the armed conflict feed the poor and marginalised into the machinery of war while talking eloquently about patriotism and nationhood. There are also those among the Sinhalese and among Tamils who go on explaining and justifying every heinous act of the LTTE with the simple notion of reactive violence. They indirectly condemn the Tamil people as a whole as an innately a dehumanised community and that there is nothing healthy left in it that could be appealed to. But Rajani has shown how absurd this notion is in her activities in the University by rejuvenating the university after a total paralysis for some years. During the IPKF presence she with others were able to open the university and try to make it a vibrant institution again with the participation of all sectors of the university. They were actively involved in maintaining it as an independent institution as far as possible against all terror from within and without in the community. Creating a democratic space as she called it began to take root and students and staff were beginning to regain their self esteem. Of course for the sections who had compromised and connived with the powers that be felt threatened by her activities. But it did not stop her from documenting the suffering of the people, especially the women and getting involved in a variety of activities which were geared towards strengthening them. Does it not show that the Tamil people are capable of looking for alternatives and that when they are given options they will choose a saner course rather than destroy themselves. But that right of the people was snuffed away again by killing Rajani. She was murdered by the same forces who had arrogated to themselves the right to determine the future of the whole community. Hence the people again got trapped in a political environment which is self destructive and totalitarian. Any one who wants to work for peace needs to tap that potential which is simmering underneath in both communities and which strives towards more a humane and healthier form of existence. That means valuing life and condemning the ideologies which make people narrow, insecure and paranoid. By legitimising forces of destruction we cannot achieve peace. If we value Rajani's work which grasped the role of people as self articulating, creative and looking for healthier alternatives, then it is time we do justice to her sacrifice by bringing back the role of ordinary people of all communities to the front stage by defending their right to speak freely and fearlessly. Source: Mothers and Daughters of Lanka & Other Organisations
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Ranjan_Reborn
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posted March 30, 2001 06:53 PM
Hereby I am electing Hon. Mr. Prabaharan to this LIST as the NUMBER ONE PROMINANT TAMIL OF THE CENTURY:Valvettithurai was a famous port during the Jaffna Kingdom which existed from the early 13th century to 17th century ( AD121-1619). It was in this port city Prabhakaran was born on November 26,1954. He was the youngest of a family of one brother and two sisters. His father was a government official who worked under the Sri Lankan government. The 1958 racial riots resulted in the slaughter of thousands of defenceless Thamil people living in the south by marauding Sinhalese thugs. One of the victim was a Hindu Priest at Panadura in the south who was thrown alive into a melting tar barrel and burnt to death. Years later when this ghastly story was narrated to Prabhakaran by an elderly widow it left an indelible feeling of pity coupled with anger in the young boy's mind. Still in his teens, Prabhakaran perceived that it was cowardice on the part of the Tamils to run away when attacked by Sinhalese mobs. He thought the Tamils, at least the youths, should stand and fight back unmindful of the consequences. Because, he argued within himself, that the alternative would be abject slavery. Not surprisingly his school days heroes were Subash Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh both India's freedom fighters. Prabhakaran had no illusion that the path that lay ahead was not paved with roses and that there was a definite price to pay. But he was ready for the sacrifice. Towards this goal, at the tender age of 14, he joined with seven other like-minded youths, who invariably were very much senior to him, to form a group . Interestingly the group's first attempt to buy a revolver for Rs. 150 had to be abandoned for lack of funds despite young Prabhakaran selling the ring he was presented at his sister's wedding for Rs.70! His involvement in extra- clandestine political activities resulted in his early drop out from school while studying in the 10th standard. Prabhakaran's parents were unaware of his clandestine activities till the Police knocked at their door one day at the unholy hour of 3 a.m. Sensing trouble Prabhakaran sneaked out through the back entrance. He was only 19 years old at that time and he never returned home thereafter. He soon became a full time activist living under ground and moving from place to place to escape arrest by the Police. The repression unleashed by the Sinhala government against the Thamil people reached new heights at the beginning of 1970s. All peaceful protests by the Thamil people resulted in more repression and not less. The youths at that time saw the necessity to form a revolutionary political movement to fight back the racist government. The result was the formation of Thamil Students Organization ( Thamizh Manavar Peravai) in 1970. Prabhakaran headed the most revolutionary wing of the TSO. Since he was one of the youngest member of the organization everybody called him "Thambi" meaning younger brother. This nickname in course of time became "Annan" meaning elder brother. To avoid arrest by the Sri Lankan Police, Prabhakaran escaped to Thamil Nadu. But he soon returned to Jaffna and founded the New Thamil Tigers ( Puthiya Thamizh Pulikal) in 1972. When he was only 17 years of age he became both the leader and the military commander of NTT. The first military operation carried out by the NTT was the assassination of Alfred Durayappa who was the Mayor of Jaffna and the Organiser of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party on July 27, 1975. This was the first warning shot to all those Thamil Quislings who collaborated with the enemy viz the racist Sinhala government. In May 1976 the NTT was renamed "Thamizh Eela Viduthalai Pulikal" ( Liberation Tigers of Thamil Eelam). He remained both the political as well as the military head of the LTTE. The objective was to turn the LTTE into a mass-based organization. Under the direction and guidance of Prabhakaran, LTTE opted to choose the path of guerrilla warfare against the Sinhala armed forces. On May 25, 1978 LTTE claimed responsibility for carrying out 11 military operations mostly against Thamil collaborators. The government responded with a law proscribing the LTTE in 1978. Unable to stem the tide of revolutionary violence unleashed by the LTTE, the Jayewardene's government enacted the notorious Anti-Terrorism Act on the 20th of July, 1979. Reminiscent of Hitler's order to Rommel to annihilate all forms of Semitism; J.R. Jayawardene gave orders to his nephew Brigadier Weeratunga to go to the North and destroy all forms of terrorism within 6 months, that is before December 31, 1979. But far from being destroyed, the LTTE grew in strength carrying out spectacular assaults on the police and the army. The first ever attack on the army took place on October 15, 1981 at KKS Road, Jaffna in which two soldiers died. This was followed up with a series of attacks culminating in the ambush of an army patrol on July 23, 1983 at Thirunalvely in which 13 soldiers got killed. Prabhakaran was one of the 14 LTTE cadres who took part in this ambush led by Lieutenant Sellakili who attained martyrdom. All hell broke loose in the South when the 13 dead bodies were flown to Colombo for burial. Thousands of Thamils were slaughtered by the Sinhalese hoodlums lead by Buddhist monks in yellow robes and millions worth of property were destroyed. Under the able leadership of Prabhakaran, the LTTE which started with a sole pistol has now grown into a conventional Thamil National Army of 20,000. The military genius of Prabhakaran has been proved time and time again in Eelam War 1, 11 and now 111. Not only Prabhakaran's admirers, but even his foes have paid tribute to his character and personality, his dedication and his natural military abilities, both strategic and tactical. Jyotindra Dixit, former Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and later India's Foreign Secretary wrote thus: "First, the character and personality of its leader V Pirabakaran who is disciplined, austere and passionately committed to the cause of Sri Lankan Tamils' liberation. Whatever he may be criticised for, it cannot be denied that the man has an inner fire and dedication and he is endowed with natural military abilities, both strategic and tactical. He has also proved that he is a keen observer of the nature of competitive and critical politics. He has proved his abilities in judging political events and his adroitness in responding to them. " (Assignment in Colombo).
Prabhakaran was once asked at an interview as to who was his friend, philosopher and guide? The reply he gave was very characteristic of him. Nature is my friend, Life my philosopher and history is my guide. Again he was asked how he felt to be the most wanted man in Sri Lanka today? Prabhakaran replied in his own inimical style as follows: " An Irish leader once remarked that when the British indict a person as a terrorist it implied that he was a true Irish patriot. Similarly when the Sri Lanka government refers to me as the most wanted man it means that I am a true Tamil patriot. Hence I feel proud to be indicted as a wanted man. " Asked about his assessment of J.R.Jayawardena he replied stating "if he was a true Buddhist I would not be carrying a gun!" |
Ranjan_Reborn
|
posted March 30, 2001 06:53 PM
Hereby I am electing Hon. Mr. Prabaharan to this LIST as the NUMBER ONE PROMINANT TAMIL OF THE CENTURY:Valvettithurai was a famous port during the Jaffna Kingdom which existed from the early 13th century to 17th century ( AD121-1619). It was in this port city Prabhakaran was born on November 26,1954. He was the youngest of a family of one brother and two sisters. His father was a government official who worked under the Sri Lankan government. The 1958 racial riots resulted in the slaughter of thousands of defenceless Thamil people living in the south by marauding Sinhalese thugs. One of the victim was a Hindu Priest at Panadura in the south who was thrown alive into a melting tar barrel and burnt to death. Years later when this ghastly story was narrated to Prabhakaran by an elderly widow it left an indelible feeling of pity coupled with anger in the young boy's mind. Still in his teens, Prabhakaran perceived that it was cowardice on the part of the Tamils to run away when attacked by Sinhalese mobs. He thought the Tamils, at least the youths, should stand and fight back unmindful of the consequences. Because, he argued within himself, that the alternative would be abject slavery. Not surprisingly his school days heroes were Subash Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh both India's freedom fighters. Prabhakaran had no illusion that the path that lay ahead was not paved with roses and that there was a definite price to pay. But he was ready for the sacrifice. Towards this goal, at the tender age of 14, he joined with seven other like-minded youths, who invariably were very much senior to him, to form a group . Interestingly the group's first attempt to buy a revolver for Rs. 150 had to be abandoned for lack of funds despite young Prabhakaran selling the ring he was presented at his sister's wedding for Rs.70! His involvement in extra- clandestine political activities resulted in his early drop out from school while studying in the 10th standard. Prabhakaran's parents were unaware of his clandestine activities till the Police knocked at their door one day at the unholy hour of 3 a.m. Sensing trouble Prabhakaran sneaked out through the back entrance. He was only 19 years old at that time and he never returned home thereafter. He soon became a full time activist living under ground and moving from place to place to escape arrest by the Police. The repression unleashed by the Sinhala government against the Thamil people reached new heights at the beginning of 1970s. All peaceful protests by the Thamil people resulted in more repression and not less. The youths at that time saw the necessity to form a revolutionary political movement to fight back the racist government. The result was the formation of Thamil Students Organization ( Thamizh Manavar Peravai) in 1970. Prabhakaran headed the most revolutionary wing of the TSO. Since he was one of the youngest member of the organization everybody called him "Thambi" meaning younger brother. This nickname in course of time became "Annan" meaning elder brother. To avoid arrest by the Sri Lankan Police, Prabhakaran escaped to Thamil Nadu. But he soon returned to Jaffna and founded the New Thamil Tigers ( Puthiya Thamizh Pulikal) in 1972. When he was only 17 years of age he became both the leader and the military commander of NTT. The first military operation carried out by the NTT was the assassination of Alfred Durayappa who was the Mayor of Jaffna and the Organiser of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party on July 27, 1975. This was the first warning shot to all those Thamil Quislings who collaborated with the enemy viz the racist Sinhala government. In May 1976 the NTT was renamed "Thamizh Eela Viduthalai Pulikal" ( Liberation Tigers of Thamil Eelam). He remained both the political as well as the military head of the LTTE. The objective was to turn the LTTE into a mass-based organization. Under the direction and guidance of Prabhakaran, LTTE opted to choose the path of guerrilla warfare against the Sinhala armed forces. On May 25, 1978 LTTE claimed responsibility for carrying out 11 military operations mostly against Thamil collaborators. The government responded with a law proscribing the LTTE in 1978. Unable to stem the tide of revolutionary violence unleashed by the LTTE, the Jayewardene's government enacted the notorious Anti-Terrorism Act on the 20th of July, 1979. Reminiscent of Hitler's order to Rommel to annihilate all forms of Semitism; J.R. Jayawardene gave orders to his nephew Brigadier Weeratunga to go to the North and destroy all forms of terrorism within 6 months, that is before December 31, 1979. But far from being destroyed, the LTTE grew in strength carrying out spectacular assaults on the police and the army. The first ever attack on the army took place on October 15, 1981 at KKS Road, Jaffna in which two soldiers died. This was followed up with a series of attacks culminating in the ambush of an army patrol on July 23, 1983 at Thirunalvely in which 13 soldiers got killed. Prabhakaran was one of the 14 LTTE cadres who took part in this ambush led by Lieutenant Sellakili who attained martyrdom. All hell broke loose in the South when the 13 dead bodies were flown to Colombo for burial. Thousands of Thamils were slaughtered by the Sinhalese hoodlums lead by Buddhist monks in yellow robes and millions worth of property were destroyed. Under the able leadership of Prabhakaran, the LTTE which started with a sole pistol has now grown into a conventional Thamil National Army of 20,000. The military genius of Prabhakaran has been proved time and time again in Eelam War 1, 11 and now 111. Not only Prabhakaran's admirers, but even his foes have paid tribute to his character and personality, his dedication and his natural military abilities, both strategic and tactical. Jyotindra Dixit, former Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and later India's Foreign Secretary wrote thus: "First, the character and personality of its leader V Pirabakaran who is disciplined, austere and passionately committed to the cause of Sri Lankan Tamils' liberation. Whatever he may be criticised for, it cannot be denied that the man has an inner fire and dedication and he is endowed with natural military abilities, both strategic and tactical. He has also proved that he is a keen observer of the nature of competitive and critical politics. He has proved his abilities in judging political events and his adroitness in responding to them. " (Assignment in Colombo).
Prabhakaran was once asked at an interview as to who was his friend, philosopher and guide? The reply he gave was very characteristic of him. Nature is my friend, Life my philosopher and history is my guide. Again he was asked how he felt to be the most wanted man in Sri Lanka today? Prabhakaran replied in his own inimical style as follows: " An Irish leader once remarked that when the British indict a person as a terrorist it implied that he was a true Irish patriot. Similarly when the Sri Lanka government refers to me as the most wanted man it means that I am a true Tamil patriot. Hence I feel proud to be indicted as a wanted man. " Asked about his assessment of J.R.Jayawardena he replied stating "if he was a true Buddhist I would not be carrying a gun!" |
Ranjan_Reborn
|
posted March 30, 2001 06:54 PM
Hereby I am electing Hon. Mr. Prabaharan to this LIST as the NUMBER ONE PROMINANT TAMIL OF THE CENTURY:Valvettithurai was a famous port during the Jaffna Kingdom which existed from the early 13th century to 17th century ( AD121-1619). It was in this port city Prabhakaran was born on November 26,1954. He was the youngest of a family of one brother and two sisters. His father was a government official who worked under the Sri Lankan government. The 1958 racial riots resulted in the slaughter of thousands of defenceless Thamil people living in the south by marauding Sinhalese thugs. One of the victim was a Hindu Priest at Panadura in the south who was thrown alive into a melting tar barrel and burnt to death. Years later when this ghastly story was narrated to Prabhakaran by an elderly widow it left an indelible feeling of pity coupled with anger in the young boy's mind. Still in his teens, Prabhakaran perceived that it was cowardice on the part of the Tamils to run away when attacked by Sinhalese mobs. He thought the Tamils, at least the youths, should stand and fight back unmindful of the consequences. Because, he argued within himself, that the alternative would be abject slavery. Not surprisingly his school days heroes were Subash Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh both India's freedom fighters. Prabhakaran had no illusion that the path that lay ahead was not paved with roses and that there was a definite price to pay. But he was ready for the sacrifice. Towards this goal, at the tender age of 14, he joined with seven other like-minded youths, who invariably were very much senior to him, to form a group . Interestingly the group's first attempt to buy a revolver for Rs. 150 had to be abandoned for lack of funds despite young Prabhakaran selling the ring he was presented at his sister's wedding for Rs.70! His involvement in extra- clandestine political activities resulted in his early drop out from school while studying in the 10th standard. Prabhakaran's parents were unaware of his clandestine activities till the Police knocked at their door one day at the unholy hour of 3 a.m. Sensing trouble Prabhakaran sneaked out through the back entrance. He was only 19 years old at that time and he never returned home thereafter. He soon became a full time activist living under ground and moving from place to place to escape arrest by the Police. The repression unleashed by the Sinhala government against the Thamil people reached new heights at the beginning of 1970s. All peaceful protests by the Thamil people resulted in more repression and not less. The youths at that time saw the necessity to form a revolutionary political movement to fight back the racist government. The result was the formation of Thamil Students Organization ( Thamizh Manavar Peravai) in 1970. Prabhakaran headed the most revolutionary wing of the TSO. Since he was one of the youngest member of the organization everybody called him "Thambi" meaning younger brother. This nickname in course of time became "Annan" meaning elder brother. To avoid arrest by the Sri Lankan Police, Prabhakaran escaped to Thamil Nadu. But he soon returned to Jaffna and founded the New Thamil Tigers ( Puthiya Thamizh Pulikal) in 1972. When he was only 17 years of age he became both the leader and the military commander of NTT. The first military operation carried out by the NTT was the assassination of Alfred Durayappa who was the Mayor of Jaffna and the Organiser of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party on July 27, 1975. This was the first warning shot to all those Thamil Quislings who collaborated with the enemy viz the racist Sinhala government. In May 1976 the NTT was renamed "Thamizh Eela Viduthalai Pulikal" ( Liberation Tigers of Thamil Eelam). He remained both the political as well as the military head of the LTTE. The objective was to turn the LTTE into a mass-based organization. Under the direction and guidance of Prabhakaran, LTTE opted to choose the path of guerrilla warfare against the Sinhala armed forces. On May 25, 1978 LTTE claimed responsibility for carrying out 11 military operations mostly against Thamil collaborators. The government responded with a law proscribing the LTTE in 1978. Unable to stem the tide of revolutionary violence unleashed by the LTTE, the Jayewardene's government enacted the notorious Anti-Terrorism Act on the 20th of July, 1979. Reminiscent of Hitler's order to Rommel to annihilate all forms of Semitism; J.R. Jayawardene gave orders to his nephew Brigadier Weeratunga to go to the North and destroy all forms of terrorism within 6 months, that is before December 31, 1979. But far from being destroyed, the LTTE grew in strength carrying out spectacular assaults on the police and the army. The first ever attack on the army took place on October 15, 1981 at KKS Road, Jaffna in which two soldiers died. This was followed up with a series of attacks culminating in the ambush of an army patrol on July 23, 1983 at Thirunalvely in which 13 soldiers got killed. Prabhakaran was one of the 14 LTTE cadres who took part in this ambush led by Lieutenant Sellakili who attained martyrdom. All hell broke loose in the South when the 13 dead bodies were flown to Colombo for burial. Thousands of Thamils were slaughtered by the Sinhalese hoodlums lead by Buddhist monks in yellow robes and millions worth of property were destroyed. Under the able leadership of Prabhakaran, the LTTE which started with a sole pistol has now grown into a conventional Thamil National Army of 20,000. The military genius of Prabhakaran has been proved time and time again in Eelam War 1, 11 and now 111. Not only Prabhakaran's admirers, but even his foes have paid tribute to his character and personality, his dedication and his natural military abilities, both strategic and tactical. Jyotindra Dixit, former Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and later India's Foreign Secretary wrote thus: "First, the character and personality of its leader V Pirabakaran who is disciplined, austere and passionately committed to the cause of Sri Lankan Tamils' liberation. Whatever he may be criticised for, it cannot be denied that the man has an inner fire and dedication and he is endowed with natural military abilities, both strategic and tactical. He has also proved that he is a keen observer of the nature of competitive and critical politics. He has proved his abilities in judging political events and his adroitness in responding to them. " (Assignment in Colombo).
Prabhakaran was once asked at an interview as to who was his friend, philosopher and guide? The reply he gave was very characteristic of him. Nature is my friend, Life my philosopher and history is my guide. Again he was asked how he felt to be the most wanted man in Sri Lanka today? Prabhakaran replied in his own inimical style as follows: " An Irish leader once remarked that when the British indict a person as a terrorist it implied that he was a true Irish patriot. Similarly when the Sri Lanka government refers to me as the most wanted man it means that I am a true Tamil patriot. Hence I feel proud to be indicted as a wanted man. " Asked about his assessment of J.R.Jayawardena he replied stating "if he was a true Buddhist I would not be carrying a gun!" |
NDakota
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posted April 01, 2001 12:43 AM
The main reason Pirbha should be number one is under his control, he has killed many of his own kind than SL Forces.It is nice to know some are getting paid to glamarize his work. |
- Henry
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posted April 02, 2001 02:06 PM
Are going to play the BP game again? I said before, there is no definitive proof that the LTTE played any role in her death. Some of us would be the better if we just ignored the trash which the SL press likes to throw everywhere. Anyway, in the final analysis, I can only say that Rajani Thiranagama would be alive today if the SLA had stayed out of the Northern Peninsula in the first place. More cause and effect. Ironic? The conscience of a certain race, perhaps? |
Casper
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posted April 02, 2001 02:59 PM
-Henry, Why getting so defensive ?? I was posting a tribute to a great woman whom I had grown to admire. I admire her values. I admire her courage to stand up for her people and her courage to stand up for what is moral and what is right. She stood up for her people without using a gun. That is truly admirable. No place in the post is any mention as to "who killed her" ! Why are you so defensive ??? |
Peacekeeper
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posted April 02, 2001 08:15 PM
Grow up. |
Ranjan_Reborn
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posted April 02, 2001 10:08 PM
Casper,The Following people also will be alive today IF THE OCCUPYING SRI LANKAN ARMY STAYED OUT OF TAMIL EELAM. The Krishanthi case: It is not the end of the story -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The brutal gang rape and gruesome murder of Krishanti Kumaraswamy and her mother, brother and a neighbour on September 6, 1996 by the Sri Lankan army soldiers and policemen shocked the conscience of the civilized world. Although crimes like rape and murder committed against unarmed defenseless Tamil civilians have become common place in the North and East, the naked barbarism displayed by the rapists and killers in this instance surpassed all previous crime records. th her tormentor saying, "Let me rest for five minutes." Finally she was strangled to death and buried. Mass Graves at Chemmani In Krishanti's rape and murder trial, the first accused Lance Cpl. Dewage Somaratne Rajapakse when asked by the court whether he has anything to say before sentencing said, " We did not kill anyone. We only buried bodies that were sent to us by our superior officers." He went on to drop the bombshell which even the Court could not have anticipated "We can show you where 300 to 400 bodies have been buried at Chemmani." Other co--accused persons corroborated the first accused statement from the dock. Lance Cpl. Rajapakse's statement simply confirms the report issued by Amnesty International after a fact-finding mission to Jaffna. Amnesty International in its report dated November 27, 1997 stated categorically that " nearly all of them are likely to have died under torture or to have been deliberately killed by (Sri Lankan security forces)". http://www.tamilcanadian.com/eelam/massgraves/chemmani/ KONESWARI'S * Konewari, a mother of three children, from Colony 11, was killed after sexual assault by 10 policemen and by blasting a grenade planted in her vagina on 17.05 1997 Her killings yesterday Did not pain me How can I feel pain When feelings are frozen My dear Tamilian women What have you done For peace in this Isle? So, come forth And take off your clothes Stay yourself naked You too my mother
Open up your vagina For the fighters of peace, The successes to the Buddha Where else can they Spill their perversions
Warriors! Come Satisfy your carnal desires Right behind me is My school-going sister Is it all over don't stop With that Tomorrow's generation Might sprout through Our raping Therefore, Blast their vaginas with Grenades Gather every bit And bury them very deep So that our race may not Sinhalese sisters Your vaginas Need no services Now BY KALA from Vavuniya (Published in SARINIHAT - June 05 -1997) Translated by K.S Sivakumaran
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SpeedyGonzalez
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posted May 10, 2001 03:24 PM
Sir Waithilingam Duraiswamy Sir Waithilingam who was knighted in 1947 was born in Velanai, an island off the west of Jaffna peninsula on June 8, 1874. He was the son of Ayampillai Waithilingam an Engineer who spent sometime in Malaya. He founded the Hindu Board of Education and was the Secretary of the Hindu Board which was responsible for establishing a series of Hindu Schools. He was on the Governing body of Jaffna Hindu College and the President of the Jaffna Saiva Paripalana Saba. He was the only Hindu elected to the Legislative Council in 1921. In 1922, he successfully moved a motion for total prohibition resulting in all taverns and foreign liquor shops being abolished in the Jaffna District. In fact, the election of Sir Waithilingam as Speaks of the legislature was remarkable and it demonstrated his popularity and the tremendous esteem in which he was held by all sections of the country. Besides, he was a gentleman of genial disposition, full of kind thoughts, words and deeds combined with a sharp intellect, impartiality and fairness. Dr. Subrahmanyan Chandrashekar Born in Lahore, then a part of British Colonial India, in 1910, theoretical astrophysicist Chandrasekhar was elected to the Academy only two years after he became a US citizen in 1953. Chandrasekhar was noted for his work in the field of stellar evolution, and in the early 1930s he was the first to theorize that a collapsing massive star would become an object so dense that not even light could escape it. Although this finding was greeted with some skepticism at the time it was announced, it went on to form the foundation of the theory of black holes, and eventually earned him a shared Nobel Prize in physics for 1983. He also awarded the Royal Medal of the Royal Society in 1962. The Royal Society also awarded him their Copley Medal in 1984. From 1952 until 1971 Chandrasekhar was editor of the "Astrophysical Journal". In addition to his work on star degeneration, Chandrasekhar contributed important theorems on the stability of cosmic masses in the presence of gravitation, rotation, and magnetic fields; this work proved to be crucial for the understanding of the spiral structure of galaxies. From the time he came to the US in 1936 until his death in 1995, Chandrasekhar was affiliated with the University of Chicago and its Yerkes Observatory. [This message has been edited by SpeedyGonzalez (edited May 10, 2001).] | |