Sir Waithilingam Duraiswamy (Tamil: வைத்திலிங்கம் துரைசுவாமி; 8 June 1874 – 12 April 1966) was a Ceylon Tamil lawyer, politician and speaker of the State Council of Ceylon.
Waithilingam Duraiswamy | |
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வைத்திலிங்கம் துரைசுவாமி | |
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3rd Speaker of the State Council of Ceylon | |
In office 17 March 1936 – 4 July 1947 | |
Preceded by | Forester Augustus Obeysekera |
Member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon for Northern Province | |
In office 1921–1924 | |
Member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon for Northern Province West | |
In office 1924–1930 | |
Member of the State Council of Ceylon for Kayts | |
In office 1936–1947 | |
Preceded by | Nevins Selvadurai |
Personal details | |
Born | Velanaitivu, Ceylon | 8 June 1874
Died | 12 April 1966 | (aged 91)
Alma mater | Jaffna College Jaffna Central College University of Calcutta Ceylon Law College |
Profession | Lawyer |
Ethnicity | Ceylon Tamil |
Early life and family
Duraiswamy was born on 8 June 1874 in Velanaitivu, an island in the north of Ceylon.[1][2] He was the son of Ayampillai Waithilingam, an engineer from Malaya.[2] He was educated at Jaffna College and Jaffna Central College.[1] After school he joined University of Calcutta, from where he graduated with a double honours degree.[1] He then qualified as an advocate from the Ceylon Law College.[1]
Duraiswamy was married to Rasammah from Maathakal, Jaffna. Duraiswamy had four sons (Yogendra, Rajendra, Mahendra and Devendra) and four daughters (Maheswari, Nadeswari, Parameswari and Bhuvaneswari).
Career
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Ministers_of_the_Second_State_Council_of_Ceylon_with_the_Speaker_in_1936.jpg/300px-Ministers_of_the_Second_State_Council_of_Ceylon_with_the_Speaker_in_1936.jpg)
After qualifying Duraiswamy worked as an advocate, becoming a crown advocate and leader of the Jaffna Bar.[1][3]
Duraiswamy contested the 1921 Legislative Council election as a candidate in Northern Province and was elected to the Legislative Council.[1][4] He contested the 1924 Legislative Council election as a candidate in Northern Province West and was re-elected unopposed.[1][3][5] He was a leading member of the Jaffna Youth Congress which advocated the boycott of the 1931 State Council elections. The boycott ended in 1934 but Duraiswamy did not contest the ensuing by-elections. He did however contest the 1936 State Council election as a candidate in Kayts and was elected to the State Council unopposed.[1][3][6] Duraiswamy was elected Speaker of the State Council on 17 March 1936.[1][3][7] He held this position until the State Council was replaced in 1947.[3][8] Duraiswamy was knighted by King George VI in London in the 1937 Coronation Honours.[9]
Duraiswamy contested in Kayts at the 1947 election but failed to get elected to the new Parliament after coming fourth.[3][10] A wave of Tamil nationalism represented by the Tamil Congress had swept away the old guard of the legislature at the 1947 elections.[11]
Duraiswamy was one of the founders of the Hindu Board of Education and served as its president in 1923.[2][3] He helped establish more than 150 Hindu schools.[12] He was a founder and president of the Tamil Union.[3] He was also president of the Vivekananda Society and a leading member of the Saiva Paripalana Sabhai.[3][13]
Death
Duraiswamy died on 12 April 1966.[1] A commorative postage stamp in honour of Duraiswamy was issued on 14 June 1982.[1][3]