Peri Sundaram (July 23, 1890 - February 4, 1957), born Periannan Sundaram, was a Ceylonese lawyer, trade unionist and politician. He was the first Minister of Labour Industries and Commerce in the

State Council of Ceylon The State Council of Ceylon was the unicameral legislature for Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), established in 1931 by the Donoughmore Constitution. The State Council gave universal adult franchise to the people of the colony for the first time. It r ...

and Deputy President of the Senate of Ceylon. Educated at Trinity College, Kandy and at S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia, he entered the Ceylon Law College. Thereafter he went on to the University of Cambridge graduating with an MA and LLB. At Cambridge, he was the President of the Cambridge Indian Majlis and committee member of the Cambridge Union Society. In 1916 he became a barrister and thereafter on his return he became an

advocate An advocate is a professional in the field of law. Different countries' legal systems use the term with somewhat differing meanings. The broad equivalent in many English law–based jurisdictions could be a barrister or a solicitor. However, ...

of the Supreme Court of Ceylon. He was a lecturer and acting principal of the Ceylon Law College and served as examiner in law to the

Ceylon Civil Service The Ceylon Civil Service, popularly known by its acronym CCS, was the premier civil service of the Government of Ceylon under British colonial rule and in the immediate post-independence period. Established in 1833, it functioned as part of the ...

. He became a founding member of the Ceylon National Congress in 1919, and was elected to the first State Council from the Hatton electorate uncontested in 1931. In the State Council, he served as first Minister of Labor Industries and Commerce from 1931 to 1936. In 1939 he formed the first trade union in the country, Workers Welfare League and served as its founder secretary. He was also the first secretary of the Ceylon Workers’ Federation. In 1939 he co-founded the Ceylon Indian Congress which became the Ceylon Workers Congress of which he became president. In 1940, he became president of the Ceylon Indian Congress Labour Union, the largest trade union in the country. In 1947 he was appointed to the Senate of Ceylon and made its Deputy President.

References

1890 births 1957 deaths Academic staff of Sri Lanka Law College Alumni of Ceylon Law College Alumni of S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia Alumni of Trinity College, Kandy Alumni of the University of Cambridge Ceylonese advocates Indian Tamil lawyers of Sri Lanka Indian Tamil politicians of Sri Lanka Indian Tamil trade unionists of Sri Lanka Industries ministers of Sri Lanka Labour ministers of Sri Lanka Members of the 1st Parliament of Ceylon Members of the Senate of Ceylon Members of the 1st State Council of Ceylon {{CentralLK-politician-stub