Ratnasothy Saravanamuttu
Sir Ratnasothy Saravanamuttu MSC MMC |
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இரத்தினசோதி சரவணமுத்து | |
File:Ratnasothy Saravanamuttu.jpg | |
Member of the State Council of Ceylon for Colombo North |
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In office 1931–1931 |
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Succeeded by | Naysum Saravanamuttu |
1st Mayor of Colombo | |
In office May 1937 – December 1937 |
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Succeeded by | V. R. Schockman |
In office January 1941 – December 1942 |
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Preceded by | A. E. Goonesinghe |
Succeeded by | George R. de Silvs |
Member of Colombo Municipal Council | |
In office 1937–1946 |
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Personal details | |
Born | October 1886 |
Alma mater | University of Madras |
Profession | Physician |
Sir Ratnasothy Saravanamuttu (Tamil: இரத்தினசோதி சரவணமுத்து; born October 1886) was a Ceylon Tamil physician, politician and the first Mayor of Colombo.
Early life and family
Saravanamuttu was born in October 1886.[1] He was the son of Vetharniam Saravanamuttu, a physician from Colombo in Ceylon.[2] His mother's family were from Vaddukoddai in northern Ceylon.[3] His paternal grandfather Vetharniam is reputed to be the founder of Chunnakam, a small town in northern Ceylon.[4] Saravanamuttu had five eminent brothers: Nanasothy, Tharmasothy, Paikiasothy, Manicasothy and Saptaranajyoti.[2] He was educated at S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia where he won many prizes.[1][2][4] After school he received a Bachelor of Medicine, Master of Surgery degree (M.B.C.M.) from the University of Madras.[1][2] He then went to England where he obtained M.R.C.S. and Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians (L.R.C.P.) qualifications.[2]
Saravanamuttu married Naysum.[2] They had two daughters (Seetha and Chandra) and two sons (Vetharaniam and Ratnakumar).
Career
After returning to Ceylon Saravanamuttu established a dispensary in northern Colombo which soon grew to become a large medical centre.[2]
Saravanamuttu was a member of Colombo Municipal Council from May 1937 to December 1946.[5] He served as Mayor of Colombo from May 1937 to December 1937 and from January 1941 to December 1942.[6] He contested the 1931 State Council election as a candidate in Colombo North and was elected to the State Council.[2][7] However, he was unseated after being found guilty of corrupt practices by an election Judge.[2][8] His wife Naysum was elected in the ensuing by-election, becoming the second female member of the State Council in 1931.[2][9] He was a member of the Liberal League before founding the Independent Labour Party which was later absorbed by the Ceylon National Congress.[1][10] He played a major role in the relief following the Japanese bombing of Colombo in April 1942.[4] Saravanamuttu received a knighthood for public services in the 1943 New Year Honours.[11]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ LATEEF v. SARAVANAMUTTU.
- ↑ The Struggle for Equal Political Representation of Women in Sri Lanka
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Pages with broken file links
- Articles containing Tamil-language text
- 1886 births
- Alumni of S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia
- Ceylonese knights
- Mayors of Colombo
- Members of the State Council of Ceylon
- People of British Ceylon
- Sri Lankan Tamil physicians
- Sri Lankan Tamil politicians
- University of Madras alumni
- Year of death missing