Robert Rajanayagam Selvadurai (19 November 1894 – 1973) was a leading
Ceylon Tamil lawyer and civil servant.
Early life
Selvadurai was born on 19 November 1894.
He was son of Godwin William and Gnanamma Selvadurai form
Chundikuli
Chundikuli ( ta, சுண்டிக்குளி, translit=Cuṇṭikkuḷi; si, චුන්දිකුලි ''Cundikuli'') is a suburb of the city of Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka. Chundikuli means "the pond of the cunti plant" in Tamil a ...
in northern
Ceylon
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
. He was educated at
St. John's College, Jaffna ''
, motto_translation = Light Shines in the Darkness
, location =
, streetaddress = Main Street, Chundikuli
, region =
, city = Jaffna, Jaffna District
, state =
, p ...
and
S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia
, motto_translation = Be Thou Forever
, song = Thomian Song
, athletics = Yes
, sports = Yes
, nickname = Thora
, denomination = Anglican
, patron ...
.
[
Selvadurai married Lilly Suhitharetnam Saravanamuutu.][ They had three sons (G. E. Selvadurai K. C. Selvadurai, Dr IL Selvadurai and two daughters (Gnanamma, Parimalam).][
]
Career
After school Selvadurai taught briefly at S. Thomas' College before becoming an advocate and practising law in Colombo
Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo m ...
.[ After three years he joined the ]judiciary
The judiciary (also known as the judicial system, judicature, judicial branch, judiciative branch, and court or judiciary system) is the system of courts that adjudicates legal disputes/disagreements and interprets, defends, and applies the law ...
, serving as a police magistrate
The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judici ...
in Kalutara
Kalutara ( si, කළුතර, ta, களுத்துறை) or Kalutota is a major city in Kalutara District, Western Province, Sri Lanka. It is also the administrative capital of Kalutara District. It is located approximately south o ...
and district judge in Tangalle
Tangalle ( Sinhala තංගල්ල , ta, தங்கல்லை) (also known as Tangalla) is a large town in Hambantota District, Southern Province, Sri Lanka, governed by an Urban Council. It is one of the largest towns in southern provinc ...
, Badulla
Badulla ( si, බදුල්ල, ta, பதுளை) is the capital and the largest city of Uva Province situated in the lower central hills of Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of Uva Province and the Badulla District.
Geography
Badulla is ...
, Kegalle
Kegalle ( si, කෑගල්ල; ta, கேகாலை) is a large town in Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka. It is located on the Colombo– Kandy road, approximately from Colombo and from Kandy. It is the main town in the Kegalle Distr ...
, Kandy
Kandy ( si, මහනුවර ''Mahanuwara'', ; ta, கண்டி Kandy, ) is a major city in Sri Lanka located in the Central Province. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills ...
and Jaffna
Jaffna (, ) is the capital city of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna District located on a peninsula of the same name. With a population of 88,138 in 2012, Jaffna is Sri Lanka's 12th mo ...
. Selvadurai was appointed Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Justice A Ministry of Justice is a common type of government department that serves as a justice ministry.
Lists of current ministries of justice
Named "Ministry"
* Ministry of Justice (Abkhazia)
* Ministry of Justice (Afghanistan)
* Ministry of Just ...
in 1951.[ He retired in 1955.][
In 1946 Selvadurai was elected president of the Old Boys' Association of St. John's College, Jaffna.
Selvadurai and his family were victims of 1958 anti-Tamil riots.] On 27 May 1958 as Sinhalese
Sinhala may refer to:
* Something of or related to the Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka
* Sinhalese people
* Sinhala language, one of the three official languages used in Sri Lanka
* Sinhala script, a writing system for the Sinhala language
** Sinha ...
mobs attacked Tamil targets, Selvadurai and his family, like hundreds of Tamils, were forced to flee from their home on Templar's Road, Mount Lavinia
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia ( si, දෙහිවල-ගල්කිස්ස, translit=Dehivala-Galkissa; ta, தெஹிவளை-கல்கிசை, translit=Tehivaḷai-Kalkicai), population 245,974 (2012) is the largest suburb of the City of ...
and seek refuge in a police station. The family home was burnt down by the mob that night.[ The following morning Selvadurai and one of his sons went back to their home to retrieve the few personal belongings which survived the fire but they were spotted by a group of eight people who proceeded to destroy the personal belongings as well.][
Selvadurai died in 1973.][
]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Selvadurai, R. R.
1894 births
1973 deaths
Alumni of St. John's College, Jaffna
Alumni of S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia
Ceylonese advocates
People from Northern Province, Sri Lanka
People of British Ceylon
Permanent secretaries of Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan Tamil civil servants
Sri Lankan Tamil judges
Sri Lankan Tamil lawyers
Sri Lankan Tamil teachers