S. J. V. Chelvanayakam
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Honourable S. J. V. Chelvanayakam MP KC |
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| சா. ஜே. வே. செல்வநாயகம் | |
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| Member of the Ceylonese Parliament for Kankesanthurai |
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In office 1947–1952 |
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| Succeeded by | S. Natesan |
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In office 1956–1977 |
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| Preceded by | S. Natesan |
| Succeeded by | A. Amirthalingam |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
31 March 1898 Ipoh, Malaya |
| Died | 26 April 1977 (aged 79) |
| Political party | Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi |
| Other political affiliations |
Tamil United Liberation Front |
| Spouse(s) | Emily Grace Barr-Kumarakulasinghe |
| Alma mater | Ceylon Law College |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Religion | Christian |
| Ethnicity | Ceylon Tamil |
Samuel James Veluppillai Chelvanayakam (Tamil: சாமுவேல் ஜேம்ஸ் வேலுப்பிள்ளை செல்வநாயகம், translit. Cāmuvēl Jēms Vēluppiḷḷai Celvanāyakam; 31 March 1898 – 26 April 1977) was a Ceylon Tamil lawyer, politician and Member of Parliament. He was the founder and leader of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) and Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) and a political leader of the Ceylon Tamil community for more than two decades.
Born into an expatriate Ceylon Tamil family in Malaya, Chelvanayakam moved to Ceylon while still young. He worked as a teacher before studying law at Ceylon Law College and qualifying as lawyer. A successful career in civil law saw him becoming a King's Counsel and being offered a position on the Supreme Court, which he rejected. As a young lawyer Chelvanayakam was not involved in politics but when the British established the Soulbury Commission to look into constitutional reform in Ceylon he and other Tamil people formed the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) to represent Tamil interests. He was elected to Parliament in 1947 to represent Kankesanthurai, a constituency he would represent until his death, except for a period between 1952 and 1956. Chelvanayakam left the ACTC over the party's decision to join the government and in 1949 founded his own party, ITAK, also known as the Federal Party.
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