C. Rajadurai | |
|---|---|
செ. இராசதுரை | |
| Member of the Ceylonese Parliament for Batticaloa | |
| In office 1956–1989 | |
| Preceded by | R. B. Kadramer |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| 1st Mayor of Batticaloa | |
| In office 1967–1968 | |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | J. L. Tissaveerasinghe |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1927-07-27)27 July 1927 |
| Died | December 2025(2025-12-00) (aged 98) |
| Party | United National Party (after 1979) Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (before 1979) |
Chelliah Rajadurai (Tamil: செல்லையா இராசதுரை; 27 July 1927 – December 2025) was a Sri Lankan Tamil politician, government minister, and Member of Parliament. He served as the 1st Mayor of Batticaloa from 1967 to 1968.[1]
Early life
Rajadurai was born on 27 July 1927.[2] He was a journalist and a member of the editorial staff of the Sutantiran weekly newspaper.[3]
Political career
Rajadurai was elected to elected to parliament at the 1956 parliamentary election as the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi candidate for Batticaloa.[4] He was re-elected in March 1960, July 1960, 1965 and 1970.[5][6][7][8] He ran again as the Tamil United Liberation Front candidate for Batticaloa in the 1977 parliamentary election and was re-elected.[9]
In March 1979, Rajadurai defected to the United National Party, the then-ruling party, and was rewarded by being appointed Minister of Regional Development and Hindu Cultural Affairs.[10][11][12] He was later appointed as the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Malaysia.[13]
Rajadurai became the first Mayor of Batticaloa in 1967. He was unseated the next year.[14]
Personal life and death
Rajadurai was still politically active in April 2012.[15] In June 2021, he was retired and lived between Malaysia, India and Sri Lanka.[16]
Rajadurai died in Chennai, India on 7 December 2025, at the age of 98.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b "முன்னாள் அமைச்சர் செல்லையா இராஜதுரை காலமானார்". Tamilwin (in Tamil). 7 December 2025. Archived from the original on 8 December 2025. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
- ^ "Rajadurai, Chelliah". Parliament of Sri Lanka.
- ^ Sri Kantha, Sachi. "One Hundred Tamils of the 20th Century: V.Navaratnam". Tamil Nation.
- ^ "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1956" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015.
- ^ "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1960-03-19" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 July 2015.
- ^ "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1960-07-20" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015.
- ^ "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1965" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 July 2015.
- ^ "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1970" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 December 2009.
- ^ "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1977" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 July 2011.
- ^ Rajasingham, K. T. "Chapter 27: Horsewhip Amirthalingham". Sri Lanka: The Untold Story. Archived from the original on 22 June 2002.
- ^ Wickramasinghe, Wimal (15 January 2008). "Saga of crossovers, expulsions, resignations, terminations, death and by-elections in Sri Lanka". The Island (Sri Lanka).
- ^ Jayawarden, Kishali Pinto (7 April 2002). "That conscience Bill coming again". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka).
- ^ "TELO opposes Rajadurai attending Chelva anniversary in Jaffna". TamilNet. 23 April 2012.
- ^ "History of Municipal Council". Batticaloa Municipal Council. Archived from the original on 27 July 2013.
- ^ "Indian embassy, Chandrahasan, Rajadurai, conspicuous at Chelva memorial in Jaffna". Tamil Net. 27 April 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- ^ "TULF Leader Anandasangaree dared to defy the LTTE". FT.lk. 16 June 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
