V. N. Navaratnam
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Honourable V. N. Navaratnam MP |
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| வ. ந. நவரத்தினம் | |
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| Member of the Ceylonese Parliament for Chavakachcheri |
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In office 1956–1983 |
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| Preceded by | V. Kumaraswamy |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
5 June 1929 Chavakachcheri, Ceylon |
| Died | 29 January 1991 (aged 61) Toronto, Canada |
| Political party | Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi |
| Other political affiliations |
Tamil United Liberation Front |
| Spouse(s) | Ragupathi Navaratnam |
| Alma mater | Ceylon Law College |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Ethnicity | Sri Lankan Tamil |
Vallipuram Nallathamby Navaratnam (Tamil: வல்லிபுரம் நல்லதம்பி நவரத்தினம்; 5 June 1929 – 29 January 1991) was a Sri Lankan Tamil lawyer, politician and Member of Parliament.
Navaratnam was born on 5 June 1929 in Chavakachcheri in northern Ceylon. He was educated at Drieberg College, Chavakachcheri and Jaffna Central College. After school he joined Ceylon Law College, graduating as an advocate.
Navaratnam had three sons (Sri Namachchivaya, Vallipurananda and Sri Shanmugananda) and a daughter (Maitreyi).
Navaratnam was called to the bar in 1954 and practised law in Jaffna, specialising in criminal law. He taught at schools for a brief period.
Navaratnam stood as the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi's (Federal Party) candidate in Chavakachcheri at the 1956 parliamentary election. He won the election and entered Parliament. He was re-elected at the March 1960, July 1960, 1965 and 1970 parliamentary elections.
On 5 June 1956 a group of Tamil activists and parliamentarians, including Navaratnam, staged a satyagraha against the Sinhala Only Act on Galle Face Green opposite the Parliament. The satyagrahis were attacked by a Sinhalese mob as the police looked on, and Navaratnam and E. M. V. Naganathan were thrown in the lake. Following the 1958 riots ITAK and the Jathika Vimukthi Peramuna (National Liberation Front) were banned. ITAK's leaders, including Navaratnam, were arrested on 4 June 1958 as they left Parliament and imprisoned .
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