Ponnambalam-Coomaraswamy Family
Encyclopedia
The Ponnambalam-Coomaraswamy family was an immensely powerful family in Sri Lanka which many say was responsible for the 20th century rise of the Tamil
Vellala
caste of the island. Many members of the family have received knighthoods from the British Sovereign in the past. To this day, the family continues to be respected across the island and its members continue to hold positions of power.
joining the seminary that Governor North started for producing interpreters. Coomaraswamy passed out and served as an interpreter from 1805. He was rewarded by the Governor with a Mudaliyar position at the age of 26 and became the Jaffna Tamil
with the highest government appointment. He played a critical role as the Tamil-English interpreter when the Kandyan king Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe was captured in 1815. He was rewarded with a gold chain and medal by Governor Brownrigg in 1819 for loyal service to the British crown. (Vythilingam 36-43)
There were allegations that he was not from the Vellala
caste. (Jayawardena 209). James Rutnam's research has shown that Coomaraswamy's Father was Arumugampillai, a South Indian, who had migrated to Gurudavil in Jaffna. (Tribune 1957)
Arunachalam Ponnambalam’s (1814–87) step Father Ariyaputhira was Coomaraswamy’s brother-in-law and in 1844 Ponnambalam married Coomaraswamy’s daughter Selachchi.
Ponnambalam was appointed cashier of the Colombo Kachcheri in 1845 and deputy Coroner for Colombo in 1847. Many leading Englishmen were his friends and it transpired in the 1849 Parliamentary Commission that he used to lend money to government officials. (Vythilingam 58)
His three sons P. Coomaraswamy (1849–1905), P. Ramanathan (1851–1930) and P. Arunachalam (1853–1926) were national figures and two of them, P. C. and P. A. married two daughters of Namasiyayam, an extremely successful Broker. This closely related and endogamous clan emerged as the pre-eminent Tamil family of the country and rose to national elite status. (Jayawardena 210-212)
Despite their anglicized background which propelled their rise, the family presented a staunch Hindu appearance and assumed the role of ‘Patrons of the Vellalas in Colombo. However many of its members; Muttu Coomaraswamy, P. Coomaraswamy, P. Ramanathan married western women. Ananda Coomaraswamy
was married four times to western women.
They helped many young Tamils to secure employment in English Banks and Mercantile establishments. On the death of Mudaliyar Coomaraswamy’s wife in 1897, the leading daily, ‘The Ceylon Independent’ wrote “to her and her husband, almost every important Hindu family in the city owes its rise”.
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
Vellala
Vellala
Vellala is a small village in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is near the town of Proddutur in the Kadapa District.The village got its name from the locally famous "Vellala sanjevaraswami ", a temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman....
caste of the island. Many members of the family have received knighthoods from the British Sovereign in the past. To this day, the family continues to be respected across the island and its members continue to hold positions of power.
History
The ascendance of the Ponnambalam-Coomaraswamy family commences with a Coomaraswamy (1783–1836) from Point PedroPoint Pedro
Point Pedro is the northernmost town of the island of Sri Lanka. The agriculturally active area around Point Pedro with fertile calcic red latosols is known for its cotton production. The eastern coast of Point Pedro is a 3-mile-broad beach with huge sand dunes up to 100 feet height, extending...
joining the seminary that Governor North started for producing interpreters. Coomaraswamy passed out and served as an interpreter from 1805. He was rewarded by the Governor with a Mudaliyar position at the age of 26 and became the Jaffna Tamil
Jaffna Tamil
Jaffna Tamil could mean*Jaffna Tamil person of Jaffna, in Sri Lanka origin.*Jaffna Tamil dialect used by a person of Jaffna Tamil origin...
with the highest government appointment. He played a critical role as the Tamil-English interpreter when the Kandyan king Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe was captured in 1815. He was rewarded with a gold chain and medal by Governor Brownrigg in 1819 for loyal service to the British crown. (Vythilingam 36-43)
There were allegations that he was not from the Vellala
Vellala
Vellala is a small village in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is near the town of Proddutur in the Kadapa District.The village got its name from the locally famous "Vellala sanjevaraswami ", a temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman....
caste. (Jayawardena 209). James Rutnam's research has shown that Coomaraswamy's Father was Arumugampillai, a South Indian, who had migrated to Gurudavil in Jaffna. (Tribune 1957)
Ponnambalam was appointed cashier of the Colombo Kachcheri in 1845 and deputy Coroner for Colombo in 1847. Many leading Englishmen were his friends and it transpired in the 1849 Parliamentary Commission that he used to lend money to government officials. (Vythilingam 58)
His three sons P. Coomaraswamy (1849–1905), P. Ramanathan (1851–1930) and P. Arunachalam (1853–1926) were national figures and two of them, P. C. and P. A. married two daughters of Namasiyayam, an extremely successful Broker. This closely related and endogamous clan emerged as the pre-eminent Tamil family of the country and rose to national elite status. (Jayawardena 210-212)
Despite their anglicized background which propelled their rise, the family presented a staunch Hindu appearance and assumed the role of ‘Patrons of the Vellalas in Colombo. However many of its members; Muttu Coomaraswamy, P. Coomaraswamy, P. Ramanathan married western women. Ananda Coomaraswamy
Ananda Coomaraswamy
Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy was a Ceylonese philosopher and metaphysician, as well as a pioneering historian and philosopher of Indian art, particularly art history and symbolism, and an early interpreter of Indian culture to the West...
was married four times to western women.
They helped many young Tamils to secure employment in English Banks and Mercantile establishments. On the death of Mudaliyar Coomaraswamy’s wife in 1897, the leading daily, ‘The Ceylon Independent’ wrote “to her and her husband, almost every important Hindu family in the city owes its rise”.
Notable Members of the family
- Arumugampillai CoomaraswamyArumugampillai CoomaraswamyGate Mudaliyar Arumugampillai Coomaraswamy was a Sri Lankan Tamil politician during the British Raj, and served on the Legislative Council from 1833 to 1846. He was an Indian from Tamil Nadu who migrated to Jaffna in the early 19th century. He was the father of Sir Muthu Coomaraswamy and...
(1783-1836), Gate Mudaliyar, Member of Legislative Council- Sir Muthu CoomaraswamyMuthu CoomaraswamySir Muthu Coomaraswamy, FRGS was a prominent colonial era legislator from Sri Lanka. He was the first native Asian and Sri Lankan to be knighted by Queen Victoria....
CCS FRGS (1833-1879), Member of Legislative Council + Elizabeth Clay Beeby- Ananda CoomaraswamyAnanda CoomaraswamyAnanda Kentish Coomaraswamy was a Ceylonese philosopher and metaphysician, as well as a pioneering historian and philosopher of Indian art, particularly art history and symbolism, and an early interpreter of Indian culture to the West...
(1877-1947)
- Ananda Coomaraswamy
- Sellachchi Coomaraswamy + Arunachalam Ponnambalam (1814-1887), Mudaliyar of the Governor's Gate
- Ponnambalam Coomaraswamy (1849-1905), Member of Legislative Council
- Sir Ponnambalam RamanathanPonnambalam RamanathanSir Ponnambalam Ramanathan, KCMG, KC was a Solicitor-General and Tamil political leader in Sri Lanka.-Early life:...
KCMG QC (1851-1930), Solicitor General of British CeylonSolicitor General of Sri LankaThe Solicitor General of Sri Lanka is a post subordinate to the Attorney General of Sri Lanka. The Solicitor General of Sri Lanka assists the Attorney General, and is assisted by four Additional Solicitors General.-List of Solicitor Generals:...
, Member of Legislative Council + Leelawathy RamanathanLeelawathy RamanathanLeelawathy Ramanathan was the Australia-born wife of Ponnambalam Ramanathan.-Hinduism:She studied Hindu scriptures, and converted to Hinduism upon marrying Ponnambalam Ramanathan in 1906. She wrote many Hindu books, including a version of the Ramayana in English. She also published many of...
(1870-1953)- Sivagamasundari + Subaiya NadesanSubaiya NadesanSubaiya Nadesapillai also known as S. Nadesan was the son-in-law of Ponnambalam Ramanathan and a Tamil senator from Jaffna, Sri Lanka. He was a United National Party candidate and defeated Samuel Chelvanayakam in the 1952 Jaffna elections, after losing to him in the 1947 elections from...
, Member of Parliament, Member of State Council, Senator
- Sivagamasundari + Subaiya Nadesan
- Sir Ponnambalam ArunachalamPonnambalam ArunachalamSir Ponnambalam Arunachchalam, CCS was a Tamil political leader in Ceylon and a member of the Executive Council and the Legislative Council.-Early life:...
KCMG CCS (1853-1924), Member of Executive CouncilExecutive Council of CeylonThe Executive Council of Ceylon was the Executive Council created in Ceylon by the British colonial administration on the recommendations of the Colebrooke-Cameron Commission along with the Legislative Council of Ceylon on March 13, 1833....
, Member of Legislative Council + Swarnambal Namasivayam- Arunachalam Padmanabha
- Sir Arunachalam MahadevaArunachalam MahadevaSir Arunachalam Mahadeva, KCMG was a Sri Lankan, prominent colonial era legislator and diplomat. He was Minister of Home Affaires of the State Council and Ceylon's High Commissioner to India....
KCMG (1888-1969), Government Minister, Member of Legislative Council, Member of State Council, High Commissioner to India- Balakumar (Baku) Mahadeva
- Arunachalam Ramanathan
- Pathmavathy Arunachalam + Sir Sangarapillai Pararajasingham, Senator
- Pararajasingham Nadesan
- Lalithambikai (-2005) + M. Swaminathan
- D. M. SwaminathanD. M. SwaminathanDeva Manoharan Swaminathan, MP is a Sri Lankan Lawyer and Politician. Current Member of Parliament, he was the former Governor of the Western Province and Chairman of the National Savings Bank....
(1945-), Member of Parliament, Governor of Western Province
- D. M. Swaminathan
- Sir Muthu Coomaraswamy