Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam
Encyclopedia
Gajendrakumar Gangaser Ponnambalam, is a Sri Lankan Tamil politician
, former Member of Parliament
and lawyer
. He is the current leader of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress
, a member of the Tamil National People's Front
(TNPF).Govt. precipitating a humanitarian crisis' - Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam
Gajendrakumar hails from a prominent Sri Lankan Tamil family - he is the son
of Kumar Ponnambalam
and grandson
of G. G. Ponnambalam
Gajendrakumar represented the Jaffna
multi-member electoral district
for the Tamil National Alliance
(TNA) in the Sri Lankan Parliament between December 2001
and February 2010.
In 2010 Gajendrakumar left the TNA, taking the ACTC with him. He subsequently formed the Tamil National People's Front
(TNPF) with other dissident members of the TNA. He stood as one of the TNPF candidates in Jaffna District in the 2010 parliamentary election
. The TNPF failed to win any seats in Parliament.
Gajendrakumar received his education at Royal College, Colombo and the Colombo International School
. He read Law at the University of London
graduating with a Bachelor of Laws
degree in 1995 and qualified as a Barrister-at-Law from Lincoln's Inn
and was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1997. Upon return to Sri Lanka, he qualified as an Attorney-at-Law and was called to the Bar of Sri Lanka in 1999.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, former Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
and lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
. He is the current leader of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress
All Ceylon Tamil Congress
All Ceylon Tamil Congress , is the oldest Tamil political party in Sri Lanka.-History:The ACTC was founded in 1944 by G.G. Ponnambalam. Ponnambalam asked for a 50-50 representation in parliament...
, a member of the Tamil National People's Front
Tamil National People's Front
The Tamil National People's Front is a Sri Lankan political alliance which represents the Sri Lankan Tamil ethnic minority in the country. It was launched on 28 February 2010 as breakaway faction of the Tamil National Alliance...
(TNPF).Govt. precipitating a humanitarian crisis' - Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam
Gajendrakumar hails from a prominent Sri Lankan Tamil family - he is the son
Son
A son is a male offspring; a boy or man in relation to his parents. The female analogue is a daughter.-Social issues regarding sons:In pre-industrial societies and some current countries with agriculture-based economies, a higher value was, and still is, assigned to sons rather than daughters,...
of Kumar Ponnambalam
Kumar Ponnambalam
Kumar Ponnambalam was a prominent defence lawyer and a controversial minority Tamil nationalist politician from Sri Lanka...
and grandson
Grandson
Grandson has multiple meanings:*Grandson *Grandson, Switzerland, a municipality in Switzerland*Grandson , a district in Switzerland...
of G. G. Ponnambalam
G. G. Ponnambalam
Ganapathipillai Gangaser Ponnambalam , known as G.G. Ponnambalam, was a Sri Lankan Tamil politician in British Ceylon, and then after independence, in Ceylon. He founded the first Sri Lankan Tamil political party, the All Ceylon Tamil Congress. Ponnambalam stood for the principle of minority...
Gajendrakumar represented the Jaffna
Jaffna Electoral District
Jaffna Electoral District is one of the 22 multi-member electoral districts of Sri Lanka created by the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka. The district covers the administrative districts of Jaffna and Kilinochchi in the Northern province...
multi-member electoral district
Electoral districts in Sri Lanka
The 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka provides for the election of members of Parliament from 22 multi-member electoral districts through the proportional representation electoral system....
for the Tamil National Alliance
Tamil National Alliance
The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups...
(TNA) in the Sri Lankan Parliament between December 2001
Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 2001
Parliamentary elections were held in Sri Lanka on December 6, 2001, just a little over a year after the last elections in October 2000.-Background:The People's Alliance government faced a blow when most of the SLMC MPs left the coalition...
and February 2010.
In 2010 Gajendrakumar left the TNA, taking the ACTC with him. He subsequently formed the Tamil National People's Front
Tamil National People's Front
The Tamil National People's Front is a Sri Lankan political alliance which represents the Sri Lankan Tamil ethnic minority in the country. It was launched on 28 February 2010 as breakaway faction of the Tamil National Alliance...
(TNPF) with other dissident members of the TNA. He stood as one of the TNPF candidates in Jaffna District in the 2010 parliamentary election
Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 2010
The 2010 Sri Lankan parliamentary election was held on April 8 and April 20, 2010, to elect 225 members to Sri Lanka's 14th Parliament. 14,088,500 Sri Lankans were eligible to vote in the election at 11,102 polling stations...
. The TNPF failed to win any seats in Parliament.
Gajendrakumar received his education at Royal College, Colombo and the Colombo International School
Colombo International School
Colombo International School is a co-educational independent day-school in Colombo, Sri Lanka. There are 1400 enrolled students from 30 countries, ranging from 3 to 19 years in the Infant, Junior and Secondary sections.-History:...
. He read Law at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
graduating with a Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
degree in 1995 and qualified as a Barrister-at-Law from Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
and was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1997. Upon return to Sri Lanka, he qualified as an Attorney-at-Law and was called to the Bar of Sri Lanka in 1999.
See also
- Political Families of The World