M. Balasundaram | |
---|---|
மு. பாலசுந்தரம் | |
Member of the
Ceylonese Parliament for Kopay | |
In office 1960–1965 | |
Preceded by | C. Vanniasingam |
Succeeded by | S. Kathiravelupillai |
Personal details | |
Born | 7 April 1903 |
Died | 15 December 1965 | (aged 62)
Alma mater |
Ceylon University College Trinity Hall, Cambridge |
Profession | Lawyer |
Ethnicity | Ceylon Tamil |
Murugesu Balasundaram ( Tamil: முருகேசு பாலசுந்தரம்; 7 April 1903 – 15 December 1965) was a Ceylon Tamil lawyer, politician and Member of Parliament.
Balasundaram was born on 7 April 1903. [1] He was the son of Reverend K. S. Murugesu, a Methodist clergyman. [1] He was educated at Kilner College, Jaffna and Royal College, Colombo. [1] After school Balasundaram joined the Ceylon University College, graduating in 1923 with a B.Sc. degree. [1] [2] He received a scholarship to study at Trinity Hall, Cambridge from where he graduated with a B.A. degree. [1]
Balasundaram married Sinnammah, daughter of Sinnathamby. [1] They had four sons (Gnanasanmugan, Yogasundaram, Balakrishnan and Sivanandasundaram) and two daughters (Somasundaravalli and Yogeswari). [1]
After returning to Ceylon Balasundaram worked as journalist for a brief period before joining the legal profession as an advocate. [1]
Balasundaram was one of the founding members of the Jaffna Youth Congress in 1924. [3] He stood as the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi's (Federal Party) candidate in Kopay at the March 1960 parliamentary election. He won the election and entered Parliament. [4] He was re-elected at the July 1960 parliamentary election. [5] He stood as an independent candidate in Kopay at 1965 parliamentary election but was defeated by the ITAK candidate S. Kathiravelupillai. [6]
Balasundaram died on 15 December 1965. [1]