T. Nadaraja facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Professor T. Nadaraja
Born	Thambiah Nadaraja (1917-12-27)27 December 1917
Died	20 January 2004(2004-01-20) (aged 86)
Alma mater	Royal College, Colombo Trinity College, Cambridge
Occupation	Academic, lawyer
Title	Chancellor of the University of Jaffna
Term	1984–2004
Predecessor	V. Manicavasagar

Professor Thambiah Nadaraja (born December 27, 1917 – died January 20, 2004) was an important person from Sri Lanka. He was a smart academic, a lawyer, and an author. He held important positions like the dean of the Law Faculty at the University of Ceylon. He was also the chancellor of the University of Jaffna.

Early Life and Education

Thambiah Nadaraja was born on December 27, 1917. His father, Murugesar Thambiah, was a wealthy landowner. His mother, Sivanandam, was the fourth daughter of a famous person named Sir P. Arunachalam.

He went to Royal College, Colombo for his schooling. There, he won many awards, including the Shakespeare prize. After school, he studied at the University College, Colombo for one year. Then, he moved to Trinity College, Cambridge in the United Kingdom to study law.

In 1940, he earned top honors in his law degree, called a Tripos. He also won several prizes at Trinity College. These included the Bond Prize for Roman Law and the Davies Prize for English Law. He also earned a special scholarship for law students after graduation.

While in the UK, Nadaraja joined Lincoln's Inn, which is a professional association for barristers. He received a special certificate of honor from the Council of Legal Education. He also won the Buchanan Prize there. Later, he earned his Master of Arts (M.A) and PhD degrees from the University of Cambridge.

In 1944, Nadaraja married Sornam Ammai. She was the daughter of Sir A. Mahadeva. They did not have any children.

Career as a Lawyer and Professor

After finishing his studies, Nadaraja returned to Ceylon (which is now Sri Lanka). He became an advocate, which is a type of lawyer. He worked in the law offices of S. J. V. Chelvanayakam.

In 1943, while still working as a lawyer, Nadaraja started teaching at the Ceylon Law College. In 1947, he joined the new Department of Law at the University of Ceylon. He became a professor of law in 1951.

From 1957 to 1960, he was the Dean of the Faculty of Arts. In 1960, the Department of Law became its own Faculty of Law. Nadaraja was chosen as its first dean. He stayed in this important role until he retired in 1982.

In the 1950s, Nadaraja was part of a special group called a Royal Commission. This group looked into the death penalty. Their suggestions helped to stop the death penalty from being used in Sri Lanka.

Later Life and Achievements

Nadaraja was the president of the Sri Lanka branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. He was also a member of the Law Commission and the Council of Legal Education.

He received special honorary degrees (LLD and DLitt) from the University of Colombo and the University of Jaffna. The Bar Council of Sri Lanka gave him a special Lifetime Membership for his great achievements. In 2012, the University of Colombo started the Professor T. Nadaraja Memorial Oration to remember him.

Nadaraja was also a chief trustee of the Sithy Vinayagar Temple in Colombo from 1945. He was also a trustee for the Sri Ponnambalavanesvara and Arunachaleswara temples in Colombo. These temples were built by his family.

Nadaraja served as the chancellor of the University of Jaffna from 1984 until he passed away. He died on January 20, 2004.

Published Works

Professor Nadaraja wrote several books during his life. Some of his important works include:

• Roman-Dutch Law of Fideicommissa
• Legal System of Ceylon in its Historical Setting
• The Cult of Siva with Special References to the Dances of Siva