Quick Facts
LibraBiography
Sir Velupillai Coomaraswamy, CMG, CCS (born 25 September 1892) was a Ceylonese civil servant and diplomat.
Early life and family
Coomaraswamy was born on 25 September 1892. He was the son of Velupillai from Vaddukoddai in northern Ceylon. Coomaraswamy passed the London Interscience Examination after school.
Coomaraswamy married Thayalnayaki, daughter of M. Sinnathamby. After Thayalnayaki's death he married Nesamani, daughter of J. T. Bartlett.
Career
Coomaraswamy worked as teacher before joining the Ceylon Civil Service in 1913. He was Police Magistrate and District Judge in Puttalam, Negombo, Kegalle and other places. He was then Assistant Government Agent in Hambantota before moving to Colombo where he held a number of positions including Permanent Secretary. He was Government Agent for the Western Province from January 1946 to December 1947 and again from February 1948 to October 1949. He was the first native Government Agent of the province.
Later life
Coomaraswamy served as the Deputy Ceylonese High Commissioner in London in 1948. He was later the Ceylonese High Commissioner in Ottawa and Ceylonese Minister and Envoy Extraordinary in Rangoon.
Coomaraswamy was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in June 1947. He was knighted in the 1952 New Year Honours.
Coomaraswamy died in the 1960s.