Balanadarajah Iyer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Balanadarasan
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| Born |
Balanadarajah Iyer
6 June 1957 Urelu, Jaffna
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| Died | 16 August 2004 (aged 47) Colombo, Sri Lanka
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| Nationality | Sri Lankan |
| Occupation | Journalist, Author, Tamil activist |
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Notable work
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Thimbu Muthal Tokyo Varai |
Kandasamy Iyer Balanadarajah Iyer, known as Balanadarasan or Sinna Bala, was an important Sri Lankan Tamil activist, writer, and poet. He lived from June 6, 1957, to August 16, 2004. Balanadarasan was a senior member and media secretary for the Eelam People's Democratic Party.
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About Balanadarasan's Early Life
Balanadarasan was born on June 6, 1957, in Urelu, Jaffna. His father, N. Kandasamy Iyer, was a teacher, and his mother was Ambigai Amma. He was the second of seven children in his family.
His family was part of the Tamil Brahmin community in Jaffna. A famous musician and dance lecturer, Yalpanam N. Veeramani Iyer, was his paternal uncle. In 1990, Balanadarasan married Jegatheswary Balanadarasan, also known as Ranjana. She was the daughter of a well-known Hindu priest. They had three daughters together.
Balanadarasan started his journey as an activist very early. When he was just 15 years old, in 1972, he began working against unfair treatment of Tamils. He joined the Tamil Students Organization to fight for equal rights.
Balanadarasan's Political Work
Balanadarasan became a leader in the Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students (EROS). This group worked for the rights of Sri Lankan Tamils. They wanted Tamils to have more freedom and fair treatment from the government. He worked closely with Ratnasabapathy, who founded EROS.
Later, EROS joined another group called the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Balanadarasan decided to leave EROS and this new group. He then joined the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP). Here, he worked with the founder, Douglas Devananda. Their goal was to support the rights of Tamils, especially those from Jaffna and the Eastern parts of Sri Lanka.
Balanadarasan also tried to get elected to parliament. He ran in the elections in Jaffna in 2000, 2001, and 2004, representing the EPDP. He also took part in important peace talks, known as the Timbu talks, alongside other leaders like Vellupilai Balakumaran and Shankar Raji.
Balanadarasan's Writing and Books
Balanadarasan was a talented writer and journalist. He was the publisher of "Tharkeegam," which was the official newspaper for the Eelam People's Democratic Party. He also helped edit "Ellanatham," another newspaper for Tamils.
He wrote several books using the pen name "Ilaiyavan." Some of his books include "Veedu," "Kaniuruthi," "Porkalam," and "Malaiyaitharatha Vanam." His most famous political book was "Thimbu Muthal Tokyo Varai." Through his writing, he shared his ideas and supported the Tamil community.
Balanadarasan's Death
Sadly, Balanadarasan's life was cut short. On August 16, 2004, he was killed in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is believed that gunmen, thought to be from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, were responsible. He and another person were shot by two men on motorcycles. Balanadarasan was shot in his face and chest. His death was a significant loss for journalists in Sri Lanka that year.
