Hartley past principal's funeral held in UK

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 April 2001, 06:30 GMT]
Mr. K. Pooranampillai, 92, a former principal of Hartley College, Point Pedro (1943-1967), and later at St. Johns College, Jaffna (1967-1976), affectionately known as KP, passed away in UK at his daughter's residence on 22 April. His funeral took place in Falkstone, Kent on Saturday. Many past pupils of Hartley College now resident in UK attended his funeral.

During Pooranampillai's tenure Hartley College attained national status as a premier academic institution producing quality students to medical, engineering and arts faculties. All parents in Vadamaradchy wished their sons and daughters to study under KP's guidance.

Old Hartleyites have been expressing their condolences in the college web-site (www.hartleycollege.com). S.Gunanayagam, a San Jose, California resident, and a well known sportsman during KP's golden era, said in his message, "The chief architect of Hartley may be no more, but the light he kindled in every one who entered the portals of Hartley lives on. Whilst we mourn his passing away, let us not forget his was a life worthy of great celebration. Ninety two years amongst us, fiftynine as a devout husband and father, but all his adult life as a teacher, administrator, educationist, and an example, to all those who knew him and knew of him. Could our school and community have asked for anyone better? Oh Lord, thank you for the gift."

Mr. Pooranampillai was born in Thunnalai, about four miles from Point Pedro. He was the son of S.S.Kanapathipillai, a former Principal and grandson of J.C.T. Sherrard, another Head of the school. His younger brother, Theivananthampillai, Reader in Linguistics and English at the Universities of Kuala Lumpur and Fiji, also studied at Hartley. Pooranampillai was an Assistant Teacher at Hartley under C.P Thamotheram for eleven years.