Senator M Tiruchelvam QC

The International Centre for Ethnic Studies (ICES) held a book launch of "Senator Tiruchelvam’s Legacy - Selected Speeches and Tributes to Senator Murugeysen Tiruchelvam QC" edited by Ram Balasubramaniyam. The book was released by Vijitha Yapa Publishers to coincide with Senator Tiruchelvam’s 100th birth anniversary. The event will take place at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute (SLFI) at 5.30 p.m. on Friday, February 1, 2008.

Senator Tiruchelvam (1907-1976), a former Solicitor-General, was the only Federalist to become a Cabinet Minister in Sri Lanka’s history. He was also the last Queen’s Counsel to hold Cabinet office in South Asia. As the Federal Party representative in the 1965 UNP Cabinet, Senator Tiruchelvam worked for communal harmony and democracy.

The selected speeches published in this book cover topics such as devolution, language rights, economic development, and constitutional affairs. The book also contains tributes to Senator Tiruchelvam from leaders such as Mr. J. R. Jayewardene, Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, Dr. Colvin R. de Silva, Mr. Gamini Dissanayake and Mr. S. J. V. Chelvanayakam.

Comments on the book were made by Justice C. V. Wigneswaran, Mr. Bradman Weerakoon, Mr. K. Kanag-Isvaran PC and Mr. Rohan Edirisinha at this event. Dr. Rama Mani, Executive Director of the ICES presided.