Ponnambalam Nagalingam
Encyclopedia
Ponnambalam Nagalingam was a Sri Lankan Tamil politician and Member of the Senate
.
, Jaffna District
. He was educated at Jaffna College, Vaddukoddai
, and Parameswara College, Thirunelveli
. He later entered Ceylon Law College. After qualifying as a lawyer Nagalingam practiced law in Tellippalai, Uduvil
and Chunnakam
.
. At the 1947 parliamentary election Nagalingam stood as the LSSP's candidate in Kankesanthurai
but was defeated by S. J. V. Chelvanayakam
.
Nagalingam was a member of the Senate of Ceylon
between 1951 and 1957. At the March 1960 parliamentary election Nagalingam stood as the LSSP's candidate in Uduvil
but was defeated by Visvanathan Dharmalingam
. He also contested the July 1960 and March 1965 parliamentary elections but each time was defeated by Dharmalingam. Nagalingam was chairman of Chunnakam Town Council in the 1960s.
Senate of Ceylon
The Senate of Ceylon was the upper chamber of the parliament of Ceylon established in 1947 by the Soulbury Commission. The Senate was appointed/indirectly elected rather than directly elected. The Senate was housed in the old Legislative Council building in Colombo Fort and met for the first time...
.
Early life
Nagalingam was born in TellippalaiTellippalai
Tellippalai or Thellippalai is a small town in the northern Jaffna District of Sri Lanka.It was a mission location when the American Ceylon Mission came to Sri Lanka in the 19th century. It was known as Tillipally in ACM documents...
, Jaffna District
Jaffna District
Jaffna district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Jaffna city. Parts of the district were transferred to...
. He was educated at Jaffna College, Vaddukoddai
Vaddukoddai
Vaddukoddai is small but important town in the minority Sri Lankan Tamil dominated Jaffna peninsula of Sri Lanka...
, and Parameswara College, Thirunelveli
Thirunelveli (Sri Lanka)
Thirunelveli is a town in Jaffna District, Sri Lanka. Some say in Tamil it translates to God's-paddy-field. It is located about 5 km from Jaffna. This is the location of an LTTE attack that killed 13 Sri Lanka Army soldiers in July 1983, triggering the Sri Lankan Civil War....
. He later entered Ceylon Law College. After qualifying as a lawyer Nagalingam practiced law in Tellippalai, Uduvil
Uduvil
Uduvil is an agricultural village of about 32.7 square kilometers situated along the KKS Road at about five miles to the North of Jaffna city, Sri Lanka. It is surrounded by the villages Chunnaakam, Kantharoodai, Sanguveeli, Maanippaay, Suthumalai and Inuvil...
and Chunnakam
Chunnakam
Chunnakam is a one of the big towns located six miles north of the city of Jaffna. It is one of the important commercial centers in Jaffna. The original name of Chunnakam is Mayilani....
.
Political career
Nagalingam became involved in politics as a student, joining the Tamil Youth Congress. In the 1940s he joined the leftist Lanka Sama Samaja PartyLanka Sama Samaja Party
The Lanka Sama Samaja Party is a Trotskyist political party in Sri Lanka....
. At the 1947 parliamentary election Nagalingam stood as the LSSP's candidate in Kankesanthurai
Kankesanthurai Electoral District
Kankesanthurai Electoral District was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between August 1947 and February 1989. The district was named after the town of Kankesanthurai in Jaffna District, Northern Province. The 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka introduced the proportional representation electoral...
but was defeated by S. J. V. Chelvanayakam
S. J. V. Chelvanayakam
Samuel James Veluppillai Chelvanayakam was a Sri Lankan Tamil lawyer, politician and Member of Parliament. He was the political leader and father figure of the Sri Lankan Tamil community for more than two decades...
.
Nagalingam was a member of the Senate of Ceylon
Senate of Ceylon
The Senate of Ceylon was the upper chamber of the parliament of Ceylon established in 1947 by the Soulbury Commission. The Senate was appointed/indirectly elected rather than directly elected. The Senate was housed in the old Legislative Council building in Colombo Fort and met for the first time...
between 1951 and 1957. At the March 1960 parliamentary election Nagalingam stood as the LSSP's candidate in Uduvil
Uduvil Electoral District
Uduvil Electoral District was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between March 1960 and February 1989. The district was renamed Manipay Electoral District in July 1977. The district was named after the towns of Uduvil and Manipay in Jaffna District, Northern Province...
but was defeated by Visvanathan Dharmalingam
Visvanathan Dharmalingam
Visvanathan Dharmalingam was a Sri Lankan Tamil politician and Member of Parliament.-Early life:Dharmalingam was born on 5 February 1918. He was educated at Skandavarodaya College, Chunnakam, and St. Patrick's College, Jaffna...
. He also contested the July 1960 and March 1965 parliamentary elections but each time was defeated by Dharmalingam. Nagalingam was chairman of Chunnakam Town Council in the 1960s.