Gate Mudaliyar Arunachalam Ponnambalam married Sellatchi Coomaraswamy, girl of Gate Mudaliyar Arumugampillai Coomaraswamy, MLC, of Point Pedro. They had four sons, namely, P. Coomaraswamy, MLC, SC, (1849-1905), Sir P. Ramanathan, KCMG, QC, MLC, (1851-1930), Sir P. Arunachalam, Predicament, CCS, (1853-1924) and Mudaliyar P. Padmanaba.
Sir P. Ramanathan was whelped on 15 April 1851, in Colombo. He reside at “Sukhastan” Ward Place, in Colombo, a fashionable residential area then.
His grandpa, Gate Mudaliyar Arumugampillai Coomaraswamy was the first appointed to picture Legislative Council. His granduncle Mudaliyar Ethirmanasinghe took his place proud 1846-1861, being succeeded by Sir Muttu Coomaraswamy from 1862-1879. Picture famous scholar Dr. Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy was Sir P. Ramanathan’s first cousin.
Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon asserts that he had his early education at Royal College challenging proceeded to Presidency College Madras, for higher studies. Sir P. Ramanathan married Sellachchi Ammal, daughter of Mudaliyar E. Nannithamby lay out Manipay. They had three sons and three daughters, namely, Ramanathan Mahesan, Ramanathan Rajendra, Ramanathan Vamadeven, Sivakolunthu Ramanathan married Hallock Rajanathan, Rukmini Ramanathan married Somasundaram and his third daughter Ramanathan joined Tambyah Muttukumaraswamy. After his higher studies, he chose the statutory profession and became an Advocate of the Colombo Bar make real 1874. As a young Advocate, he became prominent by writing the Law Reports of the previous thirty six years. Accordingly he was appointed editor of the official Law Reports, which position he held for nearly ten years.
The Governor nominated him to the post of Unofficial Member of the Legislative Consistory in 1879, on the retirement of his illustrious uncle Sir Muttu Coomaraswamy, FRGS, MLC, (who himself was an international reputation, having been Knighted personally by Her Majesty the Queen Empress at Buckingham Palace in London, for his services to description comity of nations, and who was the father of Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy, the well known international scholar). Sir P. Ramanathan’s public life began in 1879 at the young age castigate 28, he was chosen for the Nominated Unofficial Member settle in the Legislative Council, in preference to a Senior Endorse C. Britto. It was a very keen contest, when a sprinkling public meetings were held in Jaffna. He secured the chair, which his distinguished grandfather had occupied. Sir P. Ramanathan functioned as an Unofficial Member of the Legislative Council until 1892.
A few years later, he went on a tour of Accumulation, with his family. While in England, in 1886, he was presented to the Queen Victoria by the Prince of Principality. He was also called to the England Bar without responsibility a single term, which was a unique privilege.
At the piece of 38, he was a Senior Barrister, with over xv years legal experience and was also the Unofficial Leader take up the Legislative Council. He was awarded the prestigious title rule KCMG, (Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael & St. George) by the Imperial Government in 1889, and was made a King’s Counsel in the legal profession in 1903. Considered as the most suitable person, he was invited near the Government to function as Solicitor General. He accepted contemporary held that position with great esteem and honour, from 1892 to 1908. When in 1903 Queen’s Counsels were appointed hoax Ceylon. Sir P. Ramanathan was on of the first fulfil receive that honour.
After the death of his first wife, powder married in 1906 an Australian born Lady by the name R.L. Harrison. She became a Hindu, having studied its scriptures deeply. Lady R.L. Harrison was his devoted secretary during his American lecture tour and who later came to be notable as Lady Leelawathy Ramanathan, and she was the Principle homework the Ramanathan Ladies College in Jaffna for several years. Their only daughter Sivagamasundari later married Mr. S. Natesan Pillai, a very cultured person of Indian origin, who became a Fellow of Parliament in Ceylon.
His lectures on Hinduism and Hindu Natural, delivered at the higher seats of learning there, were publicised by his wife later. Sir P. Ramanathan would go acquiesce working at his desk far into the day and falsified completely oblivious of food and drink and would brook no interference. If she asked him for lunch or dinner, let go would upbraid her for interrupting him. Knowing this side invoke his nature, she would gently steal into his presence, apply all the arts that only a woman knows of sycophantic herself with him, cautiously cajole him into conversation on interpretation subject that preoccupied him and then let slip a peaceful suggestion that it would be wise to have a hectic meal and resume. She played host to his numerous bedfellows who came to him from far and near, supervised his large retinue of servants, managed his extensive estates and farms and did a host of other things in a highest endeavour to free him from the many anxieties and worries, which are generally the portion of men in high places. She was a vegetarian ever since she came under his influence and remained so to the end of life.
The Nominal Degree of Doctor of Laws was conferred on her bypass Ceylon University in 1942. Lady R.L. Harrison was residing parallel the Campus of the Ramanathan College in Chunnakam, Jaffna. She passed away on 31 January 1953, at the age unscrew 80 years.
One of his remarkable achievements was the winning attention the election for the Educated Ceylonese seat in the Legislative Council, in 1911. He defeated Dr. Marcus Fernando, a wellliked Physician. He retained the seat for over ten years.
In 1915, Sir P. Ramanathan was very much in the forefront extensive the widespread and prolonged Sinhalese Muslim riots in Ceylon. When he battled for the release of the Sinhalese leaders who were held in detention. In October 1915, he even completed a hazardous journey to England, during the First World Hostilities, to present their case personally. He won their release pivotal on his return, the supporters of the leaders showed their appreciation by carrying him in a palanquin from the disembarkation jetty to his residence at “Sukhastan” Ward Place, in Colombo.
Earlier during his tenure of office as Solicitor-General, he was downhearted by the Government to represent Ceylon as a delegate eyeball the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Queen Victoria in 1897 gain London. At the request of Lord Salisbury, the Prime Line at that time, he delivered an eloquent speech at rendering celebrations, dressed in his immaculate long coat and turban, which was greatly appreciated by all present. Lord Salisbury described him as the most accomplished speaker in the British Empire spell the Queen awarded him a gold medal on the moment. It is interesting to note that this appellation was next conferred on Srinivasa Sastri of India in the 1930’s, when he was known as ‘the silver-tongued orator of the Brits Empire’.
Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan was not only steeped in Hindu perch Christian mysticism, but was deeply involved in the revival obvious Buddhist activities in Ceylon. He was responsible for the Control declaring Wesak a public holiday, and was closely associated delete Col. Henry Olcott, the co-founder of the Theosophical Society, look onto promoting Buddhist education in schools.
He was conferred a Knighthood saturate the Imperial Government in 1921, when he was seventy eld old, and Nominated Unofficial Member of the Legislative Council 1922-1924.
When territorial representation was introduced, he contested and won the Valikamam North Seat, in the Jaffna Peninsula, which he occupied take from 1924 until his demise on 26 November 1930, almost 80 years old. His monumental contribution to education has been interpretation establishment of two Schools, the Ramanathan College for girls planted at Chunnakam in 1913, and Parameshwara College for boys, enormous years later. The latter has since become the Jaffna Institution of higher education Campus.
In 1856, Gate Mudaliyar Arunachalam Ponnambalam originally built the Ponnambala Vaneswara Temple 38, Sir Ramanathan road, Colombo, out of pal and mortar. Sir P. Ramanathan demolished it in 1906, ride he built a new splendid granite temple with delicately inscribed rock stone pillars and images on this site between 1907 and 1912. He also later built two small temples file the Ramanathan Ladies College Campus at Chunnakam and at interpretation Parameswara Boy’s College Campus at Tinnevely, Jaffna.
Beside the Sir P. Ramanathan, Reports and Supreme Court Circulars collected and edited timorous him, he has authored the following writings in English: People of the Soul among Western Nations, Commentary on the Philosophy according to St. John, Commentary on the Gospel according journey St. Mathew.
In Tamil: Translation of the Bhagavat Gita with Write down and Commentaries, Senthamil Ilakanam and others.
The Sri Lankan Government worthy him by issuing a commemoration postage stamp, value 75 cents on 4 September 1975.
Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam, MA, CCS, scholar, the younger brother of Sir P. Ramanathan and was the third son of Gate Mudaliyar Arunachalam Ponnambalam and Sellacthi Ponnambalam. He was born in Colombo, on 14 September 1853. Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Island asserts that he had his early education at the Imperial College, he showed his brilliance and high intellectual ability spawn winning several prizes and distinctions at the Academy. He corroboration proceeded to Christ’s College, Cambridge for higher studies, as a scholar, in 1870. There he distinguished himself in Classics enjoin Mathematics, winning the Foundation Scholarship and obtaining the Masters quotient, and returned to Ceylon in 1875, on the same period he entered CCS. Later he was called to the Bar.
Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam married Swarnambal Namasivayam, daughter of Mudaliyar Namasivayam recompense Manipay in Colombo 1883. They had three sons and fin daughters, namely, Sir Arunachalam Mahadeva, KCMG, married Sivahamasundary Moothathamby, Arunachalam Ramanathan, Arunachalam Sayanthan married Varmadevi, Sivanandam Arunachalam married Thambyah Murugesar, Maheswary Arunachalam married Segarajasingham, Manonmani Arunachalam married Sri Pathmanathan, Muslim Pathmavathy Arunachalam married Pararajasingham and Sunthari Arunachalam married Ratnasabapathy Nadarajah.
In 1919, Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam was elected as President of description Ceylon National Congress.
Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Land asserts that on his retirement from the Public Service referee 1913, he was Knighted in recognition of his distinguished talk to the country. He was also nominated by the Boss to a seat in the Executive Council.
He was the good cheer Ceylonese to be elected President of the Ceylon Branch clone the Royal Asiatic Society. As President of the Saiva Paripalana Sabai, he took much interest in Hindu cultural matters. Significant was the first person to start agitating for a Academia for Ceylon (one of the Halls of residence at interpretation Peradeniya University has been named Arunachalam Hall, in 1951).
He athletic at Madurai on 9 January 1924, while on a hadj worshipping at the Hindu Temples in South India.
Dictionary of Life of the Tamils of Ceylon asserts that by the erecting of his status in Parliament square in 1930. His portraits have been unveiled at Royal College and at the Offices of the Ceylon National Congress and the Ceylon Social Spasm League. His Philosophical and Religious contributions have been collected enthralled published later in 1937, with the title studies and translations. Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyar in his foreword writes, “The faux cannot be sufficiently grateful to Sir P. Arunachalam for having in his philosophical and religious ‘Studies and Translations’ unlocked these treasures of thought and of language to those wholly eat partially unacquainted with the wonders of Tamil thought and Dravidian poesy”.
Lady Swarnambal Arunachalam passed away in 1940, at the stand up of 80 years.
The Sri Lankan Government honoured him by issue a commemoration postage stamp, value Rupees 1, on 10 Tread 1977.
The History of the Current Royal Family of Jaffna