S. R. Kanaganayagam

Kanaganayagam was born on 16 May 1904.[1][2] He was from Sangarathai in northern Ceylon.[1] Kanaganayagam was educated at Hindu English School, Vaddukoddai, Victoria College, Chulipuram and Jaffna College.[1] He played football for the college.[1] After school he joined Ceylon University College, graduating with an arts degree.[1] He then entered Ceylon Law College, qualifying as an advocate.[1]

Kanaganayagam married Satiammah, daughter of Selvaduari.[1] They had a daughter (Savitri Devi) and two sons (Kanag-Isvaran and Maheswaran).[1]

Kanaganayagam was called to the bar on 10 April 1933.[2] He practised law at the Jaffna Bar.[1]

Kanaganayagam was a member of the Jaffna Youth Congress, Jaffna Association and Tamil Association.[1] He joined the United National Party (UNP) in 1947 and was appointed to the Senate of Ceylon in 1949.[1][2] He left the UNP because of its support for the Sinhala Only Act.[1] He joined the All Ceylon Tamil Congress and served as president of its Jaffna branch until his death.[1]

Kanaganayagam was awarded the Smith Mundt Scholarship in 1953 and studied in the USA.[2]

Kanaganayagam was a director and vice president of the Hindu Board of Education.[1]

Kanaganayagam was heavily involved with the Hindu orphanage in Thirunelveli.[1] He was a member of the senate of the University of Jaffna.[1]

The civil war caused Kanaganayagam to move from Jaffna to his birth town of Sangarathai in 1984.[1] He later moved to Australia to live with his daughter.[1][2] He died on 15 May 1989 in Sydney.[3]

• நூற்றாண்டின் பிறந்ததினம் (எஸ். ஆர். கனகநாயகம்)
• அமரர் எஸ். ஆர். கனகநாயகம், அமரர் நா. த. சிவஞானம்