Tamil Diaspora Success

ACADEMIC:

Academic success story of the Tamil diaspora: Melanie Ratnam, PhD, becomes of first woman of Tamil origin to be recognized by Woman and Gender Equality (WAGE) Canada for Women’s History Month in Canada.  https://twitter.com/iThamizhi/status/1718082702862119268

Shankri Chandran (lawyer): winner of 2023 Miles Franklin Award, Australia's major literary award, for her novel 'Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens' https://twitter.com/iThamizhi/status/1690173095963774977

Neethan Shan elected as the Vice Chair of Toronto District School Board https://twitter.com/iThamizhi/status/1592955002339098624

M. Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation Intnl., was selected as 1 of the 100 Most Influential Climate Leaders in Business for 2023 by @TIME  magazine. https://twitter.com/iThamizhi/status/1740008708069855650

ARTS:

Musical Success of another Tamil diaspora: His name is Leslie Suganandarajah, born in Columbuthurai, Jaffan & raised in Germany.  Currently a successful music director if the prestigious Salzburg Landestheater & 1st ever conductor of Tamil heritage  https://twitter.com/iThamizhi/status/1714624620043641192

Indhu Rubasingham - appointed Director of the National Theatre [UK] https://twitter.com/iThamizhi/status/1734928265842683950

BUSINESS

Couple who built a 10 billion oil empire https://twitter.com/iThamizhi/status/1588248400918872064

success of Tamil diaspora in Papua New Guinea https://twitter.com/iThamizhi/status/1722946685683302807

Prema Subaskaran, Lyca Healthcare https://twitter.com/iThamizhi/status/1593258725283926019

Dr. Sabesan Sithamparanathan appointed OBE in King’s New Year Honours! He was named in Business Elite's "40 Under 40" in 2023 https://twitter.com/iThamizhi/status/1741575277778452779

CULINARY

Culinary success of Tamil diaspora https://twitter.com/iThamizhi/status/1720469578948448665

Tharshan Selvarajah, a baker, won the title of Best Baguette in Paris https://twitter.com/iThamizhi/status/1656974540566609920

POLITICS:

Success of Tamil diaspora in politics : Vijay Thanigasalam https://twitter.com/iThamizhi/status/1705380210945008102

President of Singapore: Tharman: multi-generational Singaporean of Eezham origin, son of Prof. K. Shanmugaratnam,  "father of pathology in Singapore" & founded the Singapore Cancer Registry  https://twitter.com/iThamizhi/status/1697678380580147206

Political success: Mayor of Hartford, Connecticut, USA is Arunan Arulampalam https://twitter.com/iThamizhi/status/1727338611622691247

SPORTS

Abisha won first place at a gymnastic competition at Ontario level [Canada] https://twitter.com/iThamizhi/status/1590508098279858178

Bodhana Sivanandan, 8 YO British Tamil Chess prodigy https://twitter.com/iThamizhi/status/1738202118647877854

Amuruthaa Surenkumar: winner of the Charlotte Edwards Award - The Most Outstanding Under 16 Schoolgirl Cricketer in England & being selected in England's U19s https://twitter.com/iThamizhi/status/1722417195039252884 https://twitter.com/iThamizhi/status/1738709591993593872

Vimal Yoganathan signed a professional contract with the Reds.  He became the 1st professional player of Tamil ethnicity to play in English football https://twitter.com/iThamizhi/status/1747090923094216892

Tamil diaspora accomplishment in Canada https://twitter.com/iThamizhi/status/1539275427851780097

Famine in Tamil Nadu [Madras Presidency] that led to migration to Eezham [Ceylon]

 

Famine in 1878 killed 65,000 people in Madras Presidency alone, of starvation and diseases caused by malnutrition. British colonizers didn’t know what to do, the numbers for all of South India (and the rest of India) were not known but based on Madras Presidency statistics, it was not good news. The government of Madras presidency may have set up relief work, on a smaller scale, but the famine became so extreme: one of the worst India has witnessed.  

Before the agricultural revolution, how England was to Ireland, similarly, to South India, Eezham was the same. Any time South India faces a crisis of some sort, people from there always migrate to Eezham.  Similarly, when the drought hit in 1876, many from South India migrated to Eezham via the ship that was run by the Ceylon government.  Stats show that from the Pamban Port [from Ramanathapuram], between November 1 to 23rd of 1876, over 10,000 people migrated to Eezham.

 It also mentions people migrating from Thoothukudi in large numbers.   Those who were able to find a job worked and settled in local areas while sending money to their loved ones back home. Those who were unable to work or find a job, settled in relief camps where they were provided with food and shelter.  According to stats in March of 1877 from Madurai, of the 150,000 people who lived in 1101 villages, about 17% [23,600] of them moved to Eezham.  The migration of these people also benefitted the plantation employers in Ceylon.  This led to them assisting these migrants as well.  There was a relief center was created in Kandy as well. The main purpose of this relief center was to serve meals for those who were unable to find a job.  The government of Ceylon wanted to assist these migrants and promised to increase public projects which would in turn increase the number of employment. 

Not every migrant had a success story; the ones who were not physically strong died even before crossing the sea, from diseases like cholera.  From a report in 1877, it was mentioned that about 4,000 people waited daily to cross the sea to make it to Eezham.   Most of the migration took place from the following locations: Palani, Thindukal, Thiruppuvanama, Puthukkottai, Ramanathapuram, Salem, and Thirchirappalli.  

Source: The famine campaign in Southern India, Madras and Bombay Presidencies and Province of Mysore, 1876-1878 - ii

Migration of Malayaka [Up-Country] Tamils to North & East!

I would like to begin with a note of apology.  Those who led us, those who taught us, those who waved a path for us did NOT want us to differentiate between Tamils. We were all Tamils and perhaps this is why we failed to document the necessary history.  The most common misnomer being spread in recent times is the lack of assimilation of Tamils from Malayakam/Uo-country into the North and East of Eelam.  One of the biggest factors for the lack of interaction is the geographical differences but when anti-Tamil pogroms took place, as early as 1977, they DID start moving to the North and East. To date, you will find third or fourth-generation Tamils who have their ancestry to Malayakam.  

Most of those who migrated were not separated as different ethnic groups. Under LTTE, they thrived and made a home in the new location.  Kilinochi[கிளிநொச்சி], Mullaitheevu [முல்லைத்தீவு], Vavuniya [வவுனியா] , Mannaar [மன்னார்], Ampaarai [அம்பாறை], Batticaloa [மட்டக்களப்பு] are the areas they mainly migrated to.  

Their migration allowed them to thrive in the new environment, leaving behind an oppressive indentured labour-like lifestyle. They became successful not only in assimilating to the new environment but they took a stronghold in agriculture, education, politics, liberation movements, arts, etc.   They revamped the type of agriculture in these regions.  Peas, lentils, peanuts, and groundnuts [கடலை, உளுந்து, கச்சான், நிலக்கடலை, கொண்டக்கடலை] were the main crops they planted and it had an excellent market. Lands like Mullaitheevu [முல்லைத்தீவு ] is known for its fertile land, cultivating any grains will lead to fertile growth.  With stable incomes from agriculture, they built a successful life here.  LTTE gave them land and they built their own homes with large land.  Till date, we know the living conditions of Tamils in Malayakam: limited space for accommodation and lack of basic facilities.  Migrated Tamils to the North and East,  they all owned homes, own land, as well as agricultural lands. 

They also had their own art department. Kummi [கும்மி] was very popular among these performers. Kulal Mothal Kummi [குழல் மோதல்  கும்மி ] is a type of Kummi that was brought to the North and East from those Tamils who migrated here.  

Their success did not just extend to settling in, building homes, financial success but also in education too.  In 2023, a student from Kuravayal [குறவயல்] earned 9A in O level whose lineage goes back to Malayakam.  She is the pride of Mullaitheevu [முல்லைத்தீவு].  In A level, a student from Udaiyaareddu received [[உடையாரெட்டு]] 3A.  In Puthukudiyiruppu [ [புதுக்குடியிருப்பு] Central College, in Maths division, the student who got first rank in Mullaitheevu also comes from a lineage of Malayakam. In biology, second rank holder also have the same lineage.  In Thunukai [துணுக்காய்], Yogapuram National School, approximately 9 students received 9A and they are all from a background that goes to Malayakam.  Education-wise, they have risen above as we see the lack of opportunity and access to education for those in Malayakam.  In Tamil Eelam, they have the opportunity that was denied to them in Malayakam and they are thriving.  

Between 1990 and 1995, we witnessed a huge influx of migration to Vanni [வன்னி] region alone. One third (or more) of Tamils from Vanni are of from Malayaka background. Below is the detailed information of Up-country Tamils ​​who migrated to the North, by region:

• Under Kilinochchi [கிளிநொச்சி] Divisional Secretariat, with 26 Gram Sevakar Divisions in which 15 of them have more than 50 percent are Up-country Tamils.
• Anaivilunthaan [ஆணைவிழுந்தான்] (75%)
• Akkaraiyan Kulam [அக்கரையான்குளம்] (60%)
• Konaavil [கோணாவில்] (75%)
• Ponnakar [பொன்னகர்] (70)
• Bharathipuram [பாரதிபுரம்] (80%)
• Malaiyaalapuram [மலையாளபுரம்] (95%)
• Vivekananthanagar [விவேகானந்தநகர்] (50%)
• Krishnapuram [கிருஷ்ணபுரம்] (85%);
• Ampaal Kulam [அம்பாள் குளம்] (75%)
• Selvanagar [செல்வநகர்] (80%)
• Ambaal Nagar [அம்பாள் நகர்] (65%)
• Maruthanagar [மருதநகர்] (50%)
• Pannangkanndi [பன்னங்கண்டி] (55%)
• Ottuppulam [ஒட்டுப்புலம்] (85%)
• Puthumurippu [புதுமுறிப்பு] (60%)
• Under Kandavala [கண்டாவள] Divisional Secretariat, Tharumapuram [தருமபுரம்] West and East have more than 80% of Tamils are of Up-country background
• Under Poonagri [பூநகரி] Divisional Secretariat, a majority (90%) of the Jayapuram [ஜெயபுரம்] North and South Grama Sevakar Divisions belong to the Up-country Tamils.
• In Vavuniya Divisional Secretariat, areas from Kurumpankaadu [குறும்பன்காடு] all the way to Chithamparapuram [சிதம்பரபுரம்] are all Malayaka Tamils. Their settlement is also found along Vijithapuram [விஜிதபுரம்], Poovarasan kulam [பூவரசன்குளம்], Chettikkulam[செட்டிக்குளம்].
• Under Mullaitivu [முல்லைத்தீவு] Divisional Secretariat, areas such as Pudukudiripu [புதுக்குடியிருப்பு], Ottusuddaan [ஒட்டுசுட்டான்] also have a large population of Up country origin:
• Vinavail [வினவில்] (95%)
• Vallipuram [வல்லிபுரம்] (95% )
• Thevipuram [தேவிபுரம்] (55%)
• Kuravayal [குறவயல்] (99%)
• Suthanthirapuram [சுதந்திரபுரம்] (74% )
• Iranaimadu [இரணைமடு] (67%)
• Valluvarpuram [வள்ளுவர்புரம்] (100%)
• Manikapuram [மாணிக்கபுரம்] (100%)
• Elangopuram [இளங்கோபுரம்] (92%)
• Mannankandal [மன்னங்கண்டல்] (51%)
• Muthyankatu [முத்தையன்கட்டு] (63%)
• Thyaganagar [தியாகநகர்] (83%)

These data were recently collected by a Kandiyan Tamil organization to document Malayaka makkal across the island. Other Tamils, especially LTTE, did not want to differentiate the Tamils and their integration to the existing society happened naturally.

Their success also extends to politics. Puthukudiyippu, Kuravayal, Vavuniya, it's Malayaka Tamils hold ranks in municipal councils. Former provincial councillor and Member of Parliament Kalaiarasan Thavarasa, Sivarajan, Youth MP, who identifies himself as Eela Tamil, have a heritage also goes back to Malayakam. In government jobs, in Puthukudiyippu, over 90% of those in service are from similar backgrounds.

They consider themselves as Eela Tamils. No one there divides themselves as Malayaka Tamils and Vanni Tamils. This line was never drawn and does not appear till date. Even if you take the Tamil liberation movement, many high rank officials come from Malayaka background. Some of the most trusted people of Thalaivar Prabhakaran were also from such lineage. This was never written in books, articles, or papers. We were not classified differently: we are all united as Tamils. The intention of this writeup is not to show the difference but rather to show, we are not divided, but rather united.