The remains of the late Minister of Community Development and Social Inequity Eradication, Periyasamy Chandrasekaran will lie at his residence, Hemachandra Mawatha, Talawakelle today and tomorrow for the public to pay their last respects.
Yesterday his remains lay at the parliament complex for President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Ministers, MPs and parliament staff to pay their last respects.
From 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm on Monday members of his family will be participating in Hindu religious rites and a state funeral will be held at 4.00pm at the Talawakelle U.C Grounds.
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| Late Minister Chandrasekaran at a meeting with the Indian High Commissioner last week |
Born in Talawakelle on April 16, 1957, Minister Chandrasekaran was educated at Highlands College in Hatton. He was invited by CWC leader the late S. Thondaman to join his party, the ‘Ceylon Workers Congress’. He was elected vice president of the party in 1977.
He contributed extensively to the victory of the late Mr. S. Thondaman at the 1977 general election representing the Nuwara Eliya District .
Upcountry Tamils were not represented in parliament for a period of 30 years as a result of the disenfranchisement of Tamils of Indian Origin in 1948.
The late Mr. Chandrasekaran was a member of the Talwakelle, Lindula Urban Council, a member of District Development Council, an MP elected thrice from the Nuwara Eliya district between 1994 to 2007, Deputy Minister of Trade and Commerce in 1994, Deputy Minister of Estate Housing from 1994 to 1999, Minister of Estate and Infrastructure during 2001, Minister of Community Development and Deputy Minister of Irrigation and Water Management between 2001 to 2004 and Minister of Community Development and Social Inequity Eradication from 2006 until the time of his death.
In 1994 it was his support in Parliament which helped then President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga to form the People’s Alliance Government.
Among his achievements was his election as a Provincial Councillor while being detained by the police in 1993. He fought against communal elements in the Nuwara Eliya district in 1986 which gave confidence to the youth in the plantations.
In 1989 he left the CWC and formed the Up Country People’s Front.
Minister Chandrasekaran at the time of his death was the President of the Upcountry People’s Front a leading political party among Tamils of Indian origin in the country. He was also a Cabinet Minister holding the portfolio of Minister of Community Development and Social Inequity Eradication under the present administration.
Through his Ministry of Community Development and Social Inequity Eradication, he implemented programmes and projects to uplift the standard of living among the disadvantaged plantation community. |
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