Waithilingam Duraiswamy
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Sir Waithilingam Duraiswamy MLC MSC |
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| வைத்திலிங்கம் துரைசுவாமி | |
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| 3rd Speaker of the State Council of Ceylon | |
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In office 17 March 1936 – 4 July 1947 |
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| Preceded by | Forester Augustus Obeysekera |
| Member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon for Northern Province |
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In office 1921–1924 |
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| Member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon for Northern Province West |
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In office 1924–1930 |
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| Member of the State Council of Ceylon for Kayts |
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In office 1936–1947 |
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| Preceded by | Nevins Selvadurai |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
8 June 1874 Velanaitivu, Ceylon |
| Died | 12 April 1966 (aged 91) |
| Alma mater |
Jaffna College Jaffna Central College University of Calcutta Ceylon Law College |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Ethnicity | Ceylon Tamil |
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.
Duraiswamy was born on 8 June 1874 in Velanaitivu, an island in the north of Ceylon. He was the son of Ayampillai Waithilingam, an engineer from Malaya. He was educated at Jaffna College and Jaffna Central College. After school he joined University of Calcutta, from where he graduated with a double honours degree. He then qualified as an advocate from the Ceylon Law College.
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).
After qualifying Duraiswamy worked as an advocate, becoming a crown advocate and leader of the Jaffna Bar.
Duraiswamy contested the 1921 Legislative Council election as a candidate in Northern Province and was elected to the Legislative Council. He contested the 1924 Legislative Council election as a candidate in Northern Province West and was re-elected unopposed. 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. Duraiswamy was elected Speaker of the State Council on 17 March 1936. He held this position until the State Council was replaced in 1947. Duraiswamy was knighted by King George VI in London in May 1937.
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