Subaiya Natesan (Tamil: சுப்பையா நடேசன்; also known as Subbaiya Nadesapillai; 21 May 1895 – 15 January 1965) was a Ceylonese politician, Member of State Council, Member of Parliament and senator.
S. Natesan | |
---|---|
சு. நடேசன் | |
Minister of Posts and Information | |
In office 1952–1956 | |
Preceded by | V. Nalliah |
Succeeded by | C. A. S. Marikkar |
Member of the State Council of Ceylon for Kankesanthurai | |
In office 1934–1947 | |
Member of the Ceylonese Parliament for Kankesanthurai | |
In office 1952–1956 | |
Preceded by | S. J. V. Chelvanayakam |
Succeeded by | S. J. V. Chelvanayakam |
Member of the Senate of Ceylon | |
Personal details | |
Born | 21 May 1895 |
Died | 15 January 1965 69) | (aged
Profession | Lawyer |
Ethnicity | Indian Tamil |
Early life and family
Natesan was born on 21 May 1895.[1] He was the son of Subaiyapillai from Thanjavur, India.[2]
Natesan married Sivagamasundari, daughter of P. Ramanathan, a leading Ceylon Tamil statesman.[2][3]
Career
Natesan moved to Ceylon after being invited by P. Ramanathan and in 1924 was appointed principal of Parameshwara College, Jaffna.[2] He was also Ramanathan's private secretary.[2]
Natesan stood as a candidate in Kankesanthurai at the 1934 state council by-elections. He won the election and entered State Council.[2][4] He was re-elected at the 1936 state council election.[5] He was one of the founding members of the United National Party (UNP) in 1946.[6][7]
Natesan stood as the UNP's candidate in Kankesanthurai at the 1947 parliamentary elections but was defeated by the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) candidate S. J. V. Chelvanayakam.[8][9] However, he won the 1952 parliamentary elections and entered Parliament.[9][10][11] He was appointed Minister of Posts and Information in the First Dudley Senanayake cabinet following the resignation of V. Nalliah.[2][12][13][14] He retained his cabinet position, which was renamed Minister of Posts and Broadcasting, when the Kotelawala cabinet was formed in 1953.[15] Natesan resigned from the government on 19 January 1956 and, like many Tamil UNP politicians, left the UNP over its support of the Sinhala Only policy.[15][16][17] He stood for re-election in the constituency at the 1956 parliamentary election as an independent candidate but was defeated by the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (Federal Party) candidate S. J. V. Chelvanayakam.[2][18]
Natesan later joined the ACTC, became its president and was appointed to the Senate of Ceylon.[2] He was a member of the University College Council and Ceylon University Court.[2] He was appointed to the National Education Commission in 1961.[19] He was a Tamil scholar and historian - his works included The Northern Kingdom and Glimpses of the Early History of Jaffna.[2] He was awarded an honorary D.Litt. degree by the University of Ceylon for his contribution to Tamil literature.[2] He died on 15 January 1965.[1]
See also
References
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