S. J. V. Chelvanayakam facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hon. S. J. V. Chelvanayakam MP QC
சா. ஜே. வே. செல்வநாயகம்
Member of the Ceylonese Parliament for Kankesanthurai
In office 1947–1952
Succeeded by	S. Natesan
In office 1956–1977
Preceded by	S. Natesan
Succeeded by	A. Amirthalingam
Personal details
Born	(1898-03-31)31 March 1898 Ipoh, Malaya
Died	26 April 1977(1977-04-26) (aged 79)
Political party	Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi
Other political affiliations	Tamil United Liberation Front
Spouse	Emily Grace Barr-Kumarakulasinghe
Alma mater	Ceylon Law College
Profession	Lawyer

Samuel James Veluppillai Chelvanayakam (Tamil: சாமுவேல் ஜேம்ஸ் வேலுப்பிள்ளை செல்வநாயகம்; 31 March 1898 – 26 April 1977) was a famous lawyer and politician from Sri Lanka. He was born in Malaysia. People called him "Thanthai Chelva," which means "Father Chelva," because he was like a father figure to the Tamil people in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).

He started two important political parties: the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), also known as the Federal Party, and the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF). He led the Tamil community for over 20 years.

Who Was S. J. V. Chelvanayakam?

Chelvanayakam was born in Malaysia, but he moved to Ceylon when he was young. He first worked as a teacher. Later, he studied law and became a successful lawyer. He was even offered a job on the Supreme Court, but he chose to focus on politics instead.

He got involved in politics when the British government looked into changing Ceylon's laws. He and other Tamil leaders formed the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) to speak up for Tamil people. In 1947, he was elected to Parliament. He represented the Kankesanthurai area for most of his life.

Chelvanayakam believed in a system called federalism. This means sharing power between the main government and smaller regional governments. He wanted Tamils to have more say in their own areas.

Early Life and Family Background

Samuel James Veluppillai Chelvanayakam was born on March 31, 1898, in Ipoh, Malaysia. His father, Visvanathan Velupillai, was a businessman. His mother was Harriet Annamma Kanapathipillai.

When Chelvanayakam was four, his mother took him and his siblings to Ceylon for school. They lived in Tellippalai, his mother's hometown. His uncle, S. K. Ponniah, who was a Church of England minister, helped guide him.

He went to Union College and St. John's College in Jaffna. Later, he studied science at S. Thomas' College in Mutwal and got a degree from the University of London. He married Emily Grace Barr-Kumarakulasinghe in 1927. They had four sons and one daughter.

Chelvanayakam was a Christian, but he also respected Hindu culture. He said he was Christian by religion and Hindu by culture.

Becoming a Lawyer and Politician

After college, Chelvanayakam taught for a short time. Then, he studied law at Ceylon Law College and became a lawyer in 1923. He became very good at civil law. He was even made a "King's Counsel," which is a special title for experienced lawyers.

He joined the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) in 1944. This group worked to protect the interests of Tamil people. He was a key organizer and helped lead discussions with the British about new laws. In 1947, he won a seat in Parliament.

After Ceylon became independent in 1948, the government passed a law that made many Indian Tamils stateless. This meant they didn't have citizenship. Chelvanayakam and others disagreed with this. He left the ACTC and started his own party, the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), also known as the Federal Party, in 1949.

The Federal Party and Tamil Rights

ITAK had four main goals:

• To create a federal system in Ceylon. This would mean a Tamil state in the Northern and Eastern provinces and a Sinhalese state in the rest.
• To stop the government from settling Sinhalese people in Tamil areas.
• To unite all Tamil-speaking people, including Ceylon Tamils, Indian Tamils, and Muslims.
• To make both Sinhala and Tamil official languages.

Chelvanayakam lost his seat in the 1952 election but won it back in 1956. As the government introduced laws that seemed unfair to minorities, ITAK's ideas became more popular.

In 1956, a law called the "Sinhala Only Act" made Sinhala the only official language. Chelvanayakam and other Tamil leaders protested peacefully. They used a method called satyagraha, which is a form of non-violent resistance. During one protest, they were attacked by a mob, but the police did not help.

Agreements and Disappointments

S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, Prime Minister of Ceylon from 1956 to 1959

Chelvanayakam signed two agreements with the Prime Ministers of Ceylon to give more power to Tamil areas and solve language issues.

• The Bandaranaike–Chelvanayakam Pact (1957): This agreement aimed to create regional councils with powers over things like agriculture, education, and health. However, Sinhalese nationalists opposed it. The Prime Minister, S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, tore up the pact publicly due to pressure.
• The Dudley-Chelvanayakam Pact (1965): This agreement, signed with Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake, also aimed to give more power to Tamil regions and make Tamil an administrative language in the Northern and Eastern provinces. But this pact also faced strong opposition and was not fully carried out.

These failures made Chelvanayakam and the Tamil political movement start thinking about a separate state for Tamils, rather than just federalism.

Peaceful Protests and Challenges

Dudley Senanayake, who served as Prime Minister of Ceylon on three occasions

In 1961, Chelvanayakam led a campaign of civil disobedience in Jaffna. He asked Tamil government workers to stop using Sinhala. This protest was very successful. However, the government declared a state of emergency. Chelvanayakam and other leaders were arrested.

Chelvanayakam suffered from Parkinson's disease, which affected his health. He had surgery in the UK and returned to Ceylon to continue his work.

In 1972, Tamil political groups formed the Tamil United Front (TUF), with Chelvanayakam as its leader. They felt that the new constitution being created by the government was unfair to Tamils. Chelvanayakam resigned from Parliament to show his protest and sought re-election on the issue of the new constitution.

The Call for Tamil Eelam

In 1975, Chelvanayakam was re-elected with a large majority. The TUF was renamed the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF). In May 1976, under Chelvanayakam's leadership, the TULF passed the Vaddukoddai Resolution. This resolution called for a "free, sovereign, secular, socialist state of Tamil Eelam" – a separate state for Tamils.

In one of his last speeches, Chelvanayakam said that his efforts to get Tamil rights through federalism had failed. He believed that one day, the Sinhalese people would agree to a separate state for Tamils.

Chelvanayakam faced personal difficulties in his last years, including financial problems and health issues due to Parkinson's disease. He died on April 26, 1977, at the age of 79.

His Legacy

Chelvanayakam is remembered as "Thanthai Chelva" (Father Chelva) by the Tamils. He was known for his honesty and was respected by everyone. People compared him to Mahatma Gandhi because he believed in using non-violent methods to achieve his political goals.

However, his peaceful methods did not fully succeed in getting rights for Tamils. After his death, the era of non-violent protest in Sri Lanka was replaced by violent conflict.

Electoral History