Thanthai Chelva’s 111th Birthday commemorated in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 31 March 2009, 16:28 GMT]
Hundreds of persons including several dignitaries took part in an event Tuesday morning to commemorate the 111th birthday of Thanthai Chelva, late S. J. V. Chelvanayagam, respectfully known as the Father of Tamil Nation, at the Thanthai Chelva Square in Jaffna town. Rev. Dr. S. Jebanesan, the president of Thanthai Chelva Trustee Board, presided at the event and delivered the memorial address. Later in the evening a memorial service was held in St. John’s Church in Chu’ndikkuzhi where Rev. Dr. S. Jebanesan paid tribute to Thanthai Chelva.

The morning event began with the garlanding of the Thanthai Chelva Memorial Pillar by Rev. Dr. Jebanesan, Dr. K. Kunarasa (writer, Chengkai Aazhiyaan), Dr. S. Sathiyaseelan, dean of the Faculty of Postgraduate Studies in Jaffna University, C. V. K. Sivagnanam, the president of Jaffna district NGOs Federation and several others.

This was followed by laying flowers at the Memorial Pillar by the people who had come to participate in the event held by Thanthai Chelva Trustee Board.

The memorial service and thanksgiving prayers held around 5:15 p.m in Chu’ndukkuzhi St. John’s Church was organized by Jaffna Christian Federation.