Savumiamoorthy Thondaman
Encyclopedia
Savumiamoorthy Thondaman (August 30, 1913 - October 30, 1999) also spelled Saumyamurthy Thondaman. is a Sri Lanka
n politician who represented the Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka of which he was a member. At the time of his death, he was both the oldest and the seniormost member of the Sri Lankan Cabinet where he had served continuously for 21 years from 1978, under four Sri Lankan Presidents
and the leader of the political party Ceylon Workers' Congress
. He was succeeded by his grandson Arumugam Thondaman
.
, Tamil Nadu
(then called Madras State
) India
, the son of Kumaravel Karuppaiah and Sithammai; father Karuppaiah was from Thondaman clan that lived in parts of Ramanathapuram District
in India. He lived with his mother and three elder sisters in Munna pudur and he saw his father for the first time when he was seven. His father used to spend long spells of time in Sri Lanka (then called Ceylon) for work. Thondaman's father Karuppaiah was connected to the royal family of Pudukkottai. This branch of the family, however, underwent a decline in fortunes, and it was on the verge of impoverishment when Karuppaiah migrated to Ceylon, as Sri Lanka was called by the British, to become a "Kankani", or supervisor, of tea estate workers. Through hard work and shrewd business acumen he became the owner of a prosperous tea plantation, Wavendon estate, in Ramboda in the Nuwara Eliya district.
Thondaman attended the newly established local Tamil school in Munna Pudur till 1924, when he left for Ceylon to join his father. At that time Thondaman's father Karuppaia who was initially a estate labouer rose to become a estate owner in Nuwara Eliya District
where was the first Indian origin Tamil from the indenture labourer stock to own a tea estate in Ceylon. After joining his father Thondaman attended a small estate school for 3 years, later in 1927 he joined St. Andrews College of Gampola
. Thondaman was at St. Andrew's for five years, from 1927 to 1932.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n politician who represented the Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka of which he was a member. At the time of his death, he was both the oldest and the seniormost member of the Sri Lankan Cabinet where he had served continuously for 21 years from 1978, under four Sri Lankan Presidents
President of Sri Lanka
The President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the elected head of state and the head of government. The President is a dominant political figure in Sri Lanka. The office was created in 1978 but has grown so powerful there have been calls to restrict or even eliminate its power...
and the leader of the political party Ceylon Workers' Congress
Ceylon Workers' Congress
The Ceylon Workers' Congress is a political party in Sri Lanka that has traditionally represented Tamils working in the plantation sector of the economy .- History :...
. He was succeeded by his grandson Arumugam Thondaman
Arumugam Thondaman
Savumiamoorthy Arumugan Ramanathan Thondaman , MP is the current Cabinet Minister of Livestock and Rural Community Development and the grandson of Prominent Unionist Saumyamoorthi Thondaman in Sri Lanka...
.
Early life
Thondaman was born in Muna PudurMuna Pudur
Muna Pudur is a village in Tamil Nadu....
, Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
(then called Madras State
Madras State
Madras State was the name by which the Indian districts in Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Northern Kerala, Bellary and Dakshina Kannada were collectively known as from 1950 to 1953....
) India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, the son of Kumaravel Karuppaiah and Sithammai; father Karuppaiah was from Thondaman clan that lived in parts of Ramanathapuram District
Ramanathapuram District
Ramanathapuram District is an administrative district of Tamil Nadu state in southern India. The city of Ramanathapuram is the district headquarters. Ramanthapuram District has an area of 4123 km²...
in India. He lived with his mother and three elder sisters in Munna pudur and he saw his father for the first time when he was seven. His father used to spend long spells of time in Sri Lanka (then called Ceylon) for work. Thondaman's father Karuppaiah was connected to the royal family of Pudukkottai. This branch of the family, however, underwent a decline in fortunes, and it was on the verge of impoverishment when Karuppaiah migrated to Ceylon, as Sri Lanka was called by the British, to become a "Kankani", or supervisor, of tea estate workers. Through hard work and shrewd business acumen he became the owner of a prosperous tea plantation, Wavendon estate, in Ramboda in the Nuwara Eliya district.
Thondaman attended the newly established local Tamil school in Munna Pudur till 1924, when he left for Ceylon to join his father. At that time Thondaman's father Karuppaia who was initially a estate labouer rose to become a estate owner in Nuwara Eliya District
Nuwara Eliya District
Nuwara Eliya District is a district in Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 1,228 km². Nuwara Eliya town is a tourist attraction.-Demographics:...
where was the first Indian origin Tamil from the indenture labourer stock to own a tea estate in Ceylon. After joining his father Thondaman attended a small estate school for 3 years, later in 1927 he joined St. Andrews College of Gampola
Gampola
Gampola is a town located near Kandy in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. Gampola was made the capital city of the island by King Buwanekabahu IV, who ruled for four years in the mid fourteenth century. The last king of Gampola was King Buwanekabahu V. He ruled the island for 29 years. A separate...
. Thondaman was at St. Andrew's for five years, from 1927 to 1932.