“In 1947 when the Cottage Industries District Office was opened at ‘Constance Villa’ on Covington Road in Batticaloa on the first of April, T. Veluppillai, who is still alive, came on transfer as Head Clerk from the Head Office of the Department having freshly passed his Class II Examination and newly married. On the same day I too joined the office as a fresher to the public service. The Staff Officer was D. R. Joseph, a Tamil Union sportsman.”________________________________
by K. A. Thavarasa
(February 19, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The world little knows that Prabhakaran, the Tiger Leader, is the son of a non-belligerent, peace loving and ‘No’ to politics father, T. Veluppillai, with whom I had the privilege of working with in Batticaloa from first April, 1947 for four years.
A peace loving father producing a fighter or warrior or warrior father bringing forth a peace seeking son is often seen in society.
During the Second World War, there was field Marshal Viscount Bernard Montgomery, commanding the 8th Army on the North Africa Mediterranean Front and making the Nazis suffer their first defeat at El-Alamein as well as to Hitler’s right hand man Erwin Rommel’s forces to the right of the area. This Montgomery was the son of a Bishop. Montgomery has also taken part in the First World War and received an injury on his chest.
During the Second World War period there was Douglas Cecil Horsely as a Bishop of the Anglican Church in Sri Lanka. This Bishop was said to be the son of an Army Officer. Bishop Horsely was a powerful public speaker and an unhesitating defender of the Allies against the Nazis.
In our own history as well, we have seen King Kavantissa of Ruhuna Rata, living in peace with King Elala of Raja Rata, bringing forth a fighting Dutugemunu to wage war against Elala and defeat him.
Coming to Batticaloa
In 1947 when the Cottage Industries District Office was opened at ‘Constance Villa’ on Covington Road in Batticaloa on the first of April, T. Veluppillai, who is still alive, came on transfer as Head Clerk from the Head Office of the Department having freshly passed his Class II Examination and newly married. On the same day I too joined the office as a fresher to the public service. The Staff Officer was D. R. Joseph, a Tamil Union sportsman.
Born in Batticaloa
Vellupillai had no children when he came on transfer. All his children, including Prabaharan, were born in Batticaloa as against the general belief that he was born in Jaffna. This is akin to an erroneous information that Swami Vipulananda of the Rama Krishna Misson and first Head of Tamil Faculty of the newly opened University of Ceylon and who produced the ‘Yal Nool’ - a mathematical research work at Annamalai University on music and musical instruments that were about ancient Tamil glory - was born at Karathivu of Jaffna when in fact the Swami was born at Karathivu of Batticaloa South.
The Swami who was a maths man and a Physics Honours Degree holder of the London University was also a South India Mathurai Tamil Sangha Pandit.
Residence
On coming to Batticaloa Velupillai lived at 86 now 262 on top of Cyril Lane in a cadjan roofed and wooden trellis setting room house on which lane the writer too lived years later.
Veluppillai was around 24 and drawing a salary of Rs. 80/- plus a cost of living allowance around Rs. 125/- per month when the writer was 19 years. Rs. 80/- was a living wage then and he lived within it paying house rent and doing a little saving as well.
Non-belligerent, peace loving....
I vouch that Velupillai was a non-belligerent, peace loving and ‘No’ to politics citizen who never talked any politics during the period I worked with him. He was a true Hindu, vegetarian and observed fasts on Thursdays.
He was a regular reader of the Indian Tamil weeklies ‘Kalki’ and ‘Ananda Vikadan’ - the latter said to be on par with the ‘Punch’ of England, the monthly ‘Kalaimahal’ and the Ceylon Daily News - typical reading in any Tamil Hindu family then. ‘Kalki’ and ‘Ananda Vikadan’ then were only 15 to 18 cts. as against Rs. 25/- now.
Veluppillai was an honest and dedicated worker and lived according to the teachings of the Baghavat Gita concerned about doing once duty, not worried about its results.
Controversial issue
When a controversial problem arose and a decision had to be made by his staff officer, Veluppillai would put up a minute giving the pros and cons of the matter and suggesting what should be done.
From Valvettithurai
Veluppillai once disclosed to me that he was from Valvettithurai and did not disclose it because that area was known for smuggling.
Later the family shifted to Thamaraikerny where a more Hindu settlement prevailed.
Prabaharan’s early schooling
Prabaharan had his early schooling at the nearby Arsady Methodist Mission School, now known as Mahajana Vidyalaya. Records are still there bearing testimony to his admission.
Transfer to Kachcheri
Veluppillai sought a transfer to the Batticaloa Kachcheri where he worked in the Irrigation Branch, the Kachcheri Administration and the land branch. After being promoted to Class 1 Veluppillai went to the Vavuniya Kachcheri where he got his promotion to the Supra Grade and was appointed the District Land Officer to Vavuniya District.
Re-naming Cyril Lane
When peace is restored, it would be a good proposition if Cyril Lane is re-named as Prabaharan Avenue.
by K. A. Thavarasa
(February 19, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The world little knows that Prabhakaran, the Tiger Leader, is the son of a non-belligerent, peace loving and ‘No’ to politics father, T. Veluppillai, with whom I had the privilege of working with in Batticaloa from first April, 1947 for four years.
A peace loving father producing a fighter or warrior or warrior father bringing forth a peace seeking son is often seen in society.
During the Second World War, there was field Marshal Viscount Bernard Montgomery, commanding the 8th Army on the North Africa Mediterranean Front and making the Nazis suffer their first defeat at El-Alamein as well as to Hitler’s right hand man Erwin Rommel’s forces to the right of the area. This Montgomery was the son of a Bishop. Montgomery has also taken part in the First World War and received an injury on his chest.
During the Second World War period there was Douglas Cecil Horsely as a Bishop of the Anglican Church in Sri Lanka. This Bishop was said to be the son of an Army Officer. Bishop Horsely was a powerful public speaker and an unhesitating defender of the Allies against the Nazis.
In our own history as well, we have seen King Kavantissa of Ruhuna Rata, living in peace with King Elala of Raja Rata, bringing forth a fighting Dutugemunu to wage war against Elala and defeat him.
Coming to Batticaloa
In 1947 when the Cottage Industries District Office was opened at ‘Constance Villa’ on Covington Road in Batticaloa on the first of April, T. Veluppillai, who is still alive, came on transfer as Head Clerk from the Head Office of the Department having freshly passed his Class II Examination and newly married. On the same day I too joined the office as a fresher to the public service. The Staff Officer was D. R. Joseph, a Tamil Union sportsman.
Born in Batticaloa
Vellupillai had no children when he came on transfer. All his children, including Prabaharan, were born in Batticaloa as against the general belief that he was born in Jaffna. This is akin to an erroneous information that Swami Vipulananda of the Rama Krishna Misson and first Head of Tamil Faculty of the newly opened University of Ceylon and who produced the ‘Yal Nool’ - a mathematical research work at Annamalai University on music and musical instruments that were about ancient Tamil glory - was born at Karathivu of Jaffna when in fact the Swami was born at Karathivu of Batticaloa South.
The Swami who was a maths man and a Physics Honours Degree holder of the London University was also a South India Mathurai Tamil Sangha Pandit.
Residence
On coming to Batticaloa Velupillai lived at 86 now 262 on top of Cyril Lane in a cadjan roofed and wooden trellis setting room house on which lane the writer too lived years later.
Veluppillai was around 24 and drawing a salary of Rs. 80/- plus a cost of living allowance around Rs. 125/- per month when the writer was 19 years. Rs. 80/- was a living wage then and he lived within it paying house rent and doing a little saving as well.
Non-belligerent, peace loving....
I vouch that Velupillai was a non-belligerent, peace loving and ‘No’ to politics citizen who never talked any politics during the period I worked with him. He was a true Hindu, vegetarian and observed fasts on Thursdays.
He was a regular reader of the Indian Tamil weeklies ‘Kalki’ and ‘Ananda Vikadan’ - the latter said to be on par with the ‘Punch’ of England, the monthly ‘Kalaimahal’ and the Ceylon Daily News - typical reading in any Tamil Hindu family then. ‘Kalki’ and ‘Ananda Vikadan’ then were only 15 to 18 cts. as against Rs. 25/- now.
Veluppillai was an honest and dedicated worker and lived according to the teachings of the Baghavat Gita concerned about doing once duty, not worried about its results.
Controversial issue
When a controversial problem arose and a decision had to be made by his staff officer, Veluppillai would put up a minute giving the pros and cons of the matter and suggesting what should be done.
From Valvettithurai
Veluppillai once disclosed to me that he was from Valvettithurai and did not disclose it because that area was known for smuggling.
Later the family shifted to Thamaraikerny where a more Hindu settlement prevailed.
Prabaharan’s early schooling
Prabaharan had his early schooling at the nearby Arsady Methodist Mission School, now known as Mahajana Vidyalaya. Records are still there bearing testimony to his admission.
Transfer to Kachcheri
Veluppillai sought a transfer to the Batticaloa Kachcheri where he worked in the Irrigation Branch, the Kachcheri Administration and the land branch. After being promoted to Class 1 Veluppillai went to the Vavuniya Kachcheri where he got his promotion to the Supra Grade and was appointed the District Land Officer to Vavuniya District.
Re-naming Cyril Lane
When peace is restored, it would be a good proposition if Cyril Lane is re-named as Prabaharan Avenue.
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