G. G. Ponnambalam

G.G. Ponnambalam QC
Leader of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress
In office 1944–1972
Member of the State Council of Ceylon for Point Pedro
In office 1934–1947
Member of the Sri Lanka Parliament for Jaffna
In office 1947–1960
Succeeded by	Alfred Duraiappah, Ind
In office 1965–1970
Preceded by	Alfred Duraiappah, Ind
Succeeded by	C.X. Martyn, FP
Personal details
Born	(1901-11-08)November 8, 1901
Died	December 9, 1977(1977-12-09) (aged 76)
Political party	All Ceylon Tamil Congress
Alma mater	St. Joseph's College King's College London Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge
Profession	Lawyer
Religion	Hindu

Ganapathipillai Gangaser Ponnambalam, QC (8 November 1901 – 9 December 1977), known as G.G. Ponnambalam, was a Sri Lankan Tamil politician in British Ceylon, and then after independence, in Ceylon. He founded the first Sri Lankan Tamil political party, the All Ceylon Tamil Congress. Ponnambalam stood for the principle of minority representation.

Personal history

G.G. Ponnambalam’s parents were both from the northernmost part of the island, Jaffna District, his father Gangesar was a postmaster from Alvai North, Point Pedro, and his mother was from Navali, Manipay. He received his secondary education at St. Joseph's College, Colombo, and then went to King's College London on a scholarship and graduated with a degree in the Natural Sciences. He went on to Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, to study the Law Tripos. GG graduated with a BA in Law and was subsequently called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn, London.

He was an outstanding criminal defence attorney. In the famous Ranjani taxi cab murder case, the first finger print case in Ceylon, he thoroughly demolished the testimony of Scotland Yard's Inspector Godsell on cross-examination.

After his last (1956) term in parliament, he migrated to Malaysia and practiced law there until his death on 9 February 1977.

The Sri Lankan Government honored him by issuing a commemoration postage stamp on 22 May 1986.

He is the father of Gaasinather Gangaser 'Kumar' Ponnambalam, Vijayalakshmi Ponnambalam and grandfather and former TNA parliamentarian Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam.

Political philosophy

Ponnambalam and his colleagues tried to establish fixed minority representation for the Tamils. They believed that without it, the minority Tamils would become second class citizens. For the opposing viewpoint see Solomon Bandaranaike. Ponnambalam asked for a 50-50 representation in parliament (50% for the Sinhalese, 50% for all other ethnic groups). This proposal was immediately rejected and rebuked by the British Governor General Lord Soulbury as a "mockery of democracy".

Political history

G.G. Ponnambalam entered the State Council of Ceylon in 1934 from Point Pedro.

In 1948 Ponnambalam joined the cabinet of D.S. Senanayake of the UNP, a move seen by some as an abandonment of his principles.

External links

• One Hundred Tamils of the 20th Century - G.G. Ponnambalam Q.C. 1902 - 1977 by Appathuray Vinayagamoorthy