C. Vanniasingam

Honourable C. Vanniasingam MP
Member of the Ceylonese Parliament for Kopay
In office 1947–1959
Succeeded by	M. Balasundaram, ITAK
Personal details
Born	13 October 1911(1911-10-13)
Died	17 September 1959(1959-09-17) (aged 47)
Political party	Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi
Alma mater	Mahajana College Jaffna Hindu College Ceylon University College
Profession	Lawyer
Ethnicity	Ceylon Tamil

Coomaraswamy Vanniasingam (Tamil: குமாரசாமி வன்னியசிங்கம்) was a Ceylon Tamil politician, Member of Parliament and one of the founders of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (Federal Party).

Early life

Vanniasingam was born on 13 October 1911. He was the son of V. Coomaraswamy, a proctor and Tamil scholar from Tellippalai. Vanniasingam's brother was C. Balasingam, the Deputy Secretary to the Treasury.

Vanniasingam was educated at Mahajana College, Tellippalai, and Jaffna Hindu College. He later entered Ceylon University College and was awarded a University of London degree in 1933. After graduation he joined the legal profession, becoming an advocate and practising law in Jaffna.

Vanniasingam married Komathy,a daughter of Dr Srinivasan. They had five daughters - Dr Hemavathi Balasubramaniam, Sathiyavathi Nellalingam, Renukathevi Sivarajan, Bahirathy Vanniasingam and Ranjini Shanthakumar.

Political career

P. G. Thambyappah, the All Ceylon Tamil Congress's candidate for Kopay at the 1947 parliamentary election died during the election campaign. Vanniasingam was chosen to replace Thambyappah. He won the election and entered Parliament.^[1]

In 1948 division arose amongst ACTC members over the party leadership's decision to join the United National Party led government. Vanniasingam was one of those who opposed joining the UNP government. The dissidents, led by S.J.V. Chelvanayakam MP, Senator E. M. V. Naganathan and Vanniasingam, eventually left the ACTC and formed the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (Federal Party), which was inaugurated on 18 December 1949. Vanniasingam was a strong supporter of the new party and its federalist platform.

Vanniasingam was re-elected at the 1952 parliamentary election, this time representing ITAK.^[2] Vanniasingam was one of only two ITAK MPs and with Chelvanayakam out of Parliament Vanniasingam became leader of the parliamentary party. He was re-elected at the 1956 parliamentary election when ITAK became the dominant Tamil party, overtaking the ACTC.^[3]

Death

Vanniasingam died on 17 September 1959. He was only 47.

References

• Arumugam, S. (1997). Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon. p. 242. 

1. ^ "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1947". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/Results_1947%20GENERAL%20ELECTION.PDF. 
2. ^ "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1952". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/Results_1952%20GENERAL%20ELECTION.PDF. 
3. ^ "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1956". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/Results_1956%20GENERAL%20ELECTION.PDF. 

Persondata
Name	Vanniasingam, C.
Alternative names	Vanniasingam, Coomaraswamy
Short description
Date of birth	13 October 1911
Place of birth
Date of death	12 September 1959
Place of death