by Sachi Sri Kantha, August 27, 2025
Tiruvengadam Velupillai (1924-2010)
LTTE leader Prabhakaran’s father Velupillai departed this world 15 years ago on Jan. 6, 2010, at the age of 86. To honor his memory, after 8 years, I pick up the thread on my Onomastics of Tamil Personal Names. In this Part 4, I focus on a specific category of Tamil names that include weapons used in battles. Velupillai is one of them.
Previously, Part 1 had appeared in 2016. [https://sangam.org/onomastics-tamil-personal-names-part-1/] Part 2 was posted in 2017. [https://sangam.org/onomastics-tamil-personal-names-part-2/]. Then, Part 3 was presented in 2018. [https://sangam.org/onomastics-of-tamil-personal-names-part-3/]
Almost all the Tamil names in this category belong to the pre-explosive (gun) use period, prior to AD 1400. Weapons used in warfare during this period were arrow (ambu), battle axe (parasu), bow (kothandam, vil), knife (kaththi), lance or spear (vel), staff or stick (thandam). When explosives entered the warfare, the word vedi came to be tagged. Subsequently, the word thuvakku (gun) entered the lexicon.
But strangely, among Eelam Tamils, thuvakku has not found popularity, but Sinhalese has a popular name Kodithuvakku. Sociologist Ralph Pieris provides much information of this ‘Kodithuvakku’ clan in his 1956 book, Sinhalese Social Organization: the Kandyan Period. I provide particular details about Kodithuvakku, after describing the Tamil names.
Collected Tamil Names incorporating Weapons used in Battles
C.V. Velupillai
The following listing of 51 names is NOT exhaustive. These names, culled from the directories, bibliographies and the general election (and by-election) results held in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka to legislatures as well as personal knowledge, are real and NOT fictious. I have omitted stage names/pseudonyms. Within parenthesis, literal meaning in English is provided. Wherever feasible, I have included one or more examples of recognized personalities in public life, among the dead and the living, who had this name. For living individuals, arbitrarily selected cut off mark for inclusion in this list is 50 years and above. In the absence of standard ‘Who’s Who’ reference books, name collection for this specific category was inadequate. Names are arranged in English alphabetical order. Variants of same name with altered English spelling are omitted. Names with added honorific suffix aiyah/appa (literally, elder) or ‘pillai’ (literally, child) to the name are not excluded.
Alagavelu (beauty lance) – S. Alagavelu of DMK party was a losing candidate contesting the Kandamangalam constituency in the 1977 election for Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. He lost to M. Kannan, Anna DMK party’s MLA by a margin of 2,054 votes.
Balathandayutham (young staff weapon) – K. Balathandayutham (1918-1973) was a Communist Party MP in Lok Sabha, elected in the 1971 General election, representing Coimbatore constituency. He died in an airplane crash on May 31, 1973.
Bala Velayutham (young lance weapon) – An Anna DMK party candidate with this name had contested the Mayuram constituency in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Council elections of 1980. He lost to DMK party candidate by a small margin of 670 votes.
Chitravadivelu (engraved beauty lance) – an embellished version of Vadivelu (see below). Prefix ‘chitra’ has multiple meanings, including art, dexterous, elegance, fancy, and wonder. K. Chitravadivelu was an aquatic biologist from Jaffna.
Dhandapani (staff hand) – M.M. Dhandapani desikar (1908-1972) was a prominent Carnatic music vocalist and movie star who played lead roles portraying Hindu saints. R.K.S. Dhandapani was Anna DMK party MLA for Kangayam constituency in the 1977 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections. He defeated his DMK party rival with a margin of 13,167 votes. C.T. Dhandapani (1933-2001) was a DMK party MP in Lok Sabha. A movie actor, Dhandapani (1943-2014) had ‘Kadhal’ (love) tag as a prefix. It was the title of a 2004 film he had starred.
Dhandayuthapani (staff weapon hand) – V. Dhandayuthapani (b. 1941) was an Indian Congress Party MP in Lok Sabha.
Dhandayuthapanipillai (staff weapon hand + honorific) – K.N. Dhandayuthapani pillai (1921 – 1974) from Karaikal, Puducherri was a well known bharata natyam dance teacher and choreographer in.Tamil movies.
Jayavelu (victorious lance) – M.A. Jayavelu was an Anna DMK party MLA, elected from Katpadi constituency in the 1977 election for Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. He defeated a DMK Party candidate with a margin of 4,690 votes.
Kandavel (lance of Lord Skanda) – I located the name R. Kandavel (probably an obstetrician) who had published a sole-authored paper in the Jaffna Medical Journal in 1976. It’s title ‘Management of patients previously delivered by Caesarian section’.
Kathiravelu (arrow lance) – Kathiram means arrow. Kathir also has the meaning of ray of light. Thus, holder of this name could have been either a specialist lancer in the past, or a lance maker from kathiram tree (Sterculia urens), native to India. In the 1970 general election of Ceylon, a locally prominent P. Kathiravelu contesting as an Independent was placed 2nd in Kayts constituency, by receiving 5,013 votes, over the respected Federal Party veteran V. Navaratnam (receiving 4,758 votes), contesting in his newly formed breakaway party Tamilar Suya Atchi Kazhagam. V. Navaratnam had been a previously elected MP to the same constituency twice in a 1963 by-election and 1965 general election.
Kathiravelupillai (arrow lance + honorific) – S. Kathiravelupillai (1924-1981) was a Federal Party/ TULF MP for Kopai constituency in Sri Lanka, winning three times, 1965, 1970 and 1977.
Kothandam (bow) – E. Kothandam was a DMK party MLA elected in the 1989 and 1996 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections, at Sri Perumbudur constituency.
Kothandapani (bow hand) – M. Kothandapani was an Anna DMK party MLA elected in 2016 and Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections, at Tirupporur constituency. Visvalingam Kothandapani (1920-1967), born in Inuvil, Jaffna, was a prominent nadaswaram player in Eelam during his generation. Both his sons Ganamurthi and Panjamurthi also followed their father to maintain the nadaswaram playing tradition in Jaffna.
Kothandaramiah (Rama armed with bow + aiyah suffix) – K.S.Kothandaramiah was a losing Janata Party candidate contesting the Hosur constituency in the 1977 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election.
Kothandaraman (Rama armed with bow) – V.K. Kothandaraman (1912 – ?) was a Communist Party MLA representing Gudiyatham constituency, winning the 1957, 1967 and 1977 elections of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. MGR fan club president turned politician P. Musiriputhan’s alternate name is Kothandaraman (1933- ?). When he contested for the first time in Musiri constituency in 1977 on Anna DMK ticket, registered name in the ballot sheet was P. Kothandarama alias Musiri Putthan. He won against the DMK party candidate with a margin of 14,002 votes. In 1980 Tamil Nadu State Council elections, he contested Tiruchirapalli –1 constituency under the name of P. Musiri Putthan and won against the DMK candidate with a margin of 2,178 votes.
Kolandaivelu (child’s lance) – P. Kolandaivelu (1938 -2001) was a minister in MGR’s Cabinet in Tamil Nadu from 1977 to 1984, and subsequently Anna DMK party MP in Lok Sabha. He died in a road accident.
Kumaravelu (youth’s lance) – K. Kumaravelu was an elected MP representing Ceylon Indian Congress in the 1947 general election in Ceylon.
Kumaravadivel (youth’s beauty lance) – R. Kumaravadivel is a physicist, affiliated to the University of Peradeniya and subsequently University of Jaffna.
Manickavelu (ruby lance) – M.K. Manickavelu Naicker (1896-1996) was the founder of Commonweal Party in 1951, who merged this party with Indian Congress Party in 1954.
Murugavel (lance of Lord Muruga) – Sittampalam Murugaverl, was a Deputy Librarian, University of Peradeniya, while I was studying/working there between 1977-1981.
Muthuvel (pearl lance) – DMK leader Karunanidhi’s father (? – 1947) carried this name. C. Muthuvelu (1867-1947) was an irrigation engineer from Kokkuvil, Jaffna. V. Muthuvel was a DMK party MLA representing Vanur constituency, elected in 1980.
Palanivel (Palani lance; Palani being the famous temple of Lord Muruga) – P.T.R. Palanivel Rajan (1932-2006) was a prominent DMK party legislator. In the 1980 Tamil Nadu Legislative Council election, he lost to P. Nedumaran contesting Madurai Central constituency by a margin of 14,134 votes. Between 1996 and 2001, he served as the Speaker of Tamil Nadu State Assembly. A rather unusual fact is N. Palanivel, representing the Communist Party (Marxist) was a victor in the 1977, 1980 and 1989 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections at Palani constituency. Though Palany is a famous temple town of Lord Muruga, this Palanivel belonged to the atheist camp.
Parasuraman (Rama with battle axe) – K. Parasuraman (1960 – 2024) was a Anna DMK Party MP in Lok Sabha, representing Thanjavur constituency in 2014.
Rajavelu (lance of Raja) – T.A. Rajavelu was a DMK party MLA, who represented the Tiruchengode constituency in the 1967 Madras Legislative Assembly election. Rajavelu is a politician in Puducherry Legislative Assembly. He represents All India Namathu Rajjiyam Congress Party.
Ratnavel (jewel lance) – S. Ratnavel Pandian (1929 – 2018) served as a Supreme Court Justice of India. Prior to that, he had lost two Legislative Assembly elections as a DMK candidate in 1962 and 1971. A Canadian native of Eelam Tamil origin, carrying this name is Roy Ratnavel (b. 1969).
Senthivel (lance of Tiruchendur Muruga) – Senthil is a diminutive of Tiruchendur, location of a renowned temple of Lord Muruga. S.K. Sentivel (b 1943) from Puttur, Jaffna was affiliated to the Communist Party (Maoist) from 1964 as a full timer, under the leadership of N. Sanmugathasan. Subsequently, he established another minor party in 1978.
Singaravelu (beauty lance) – Chennai-born M. Singaravelu or Singaravelar (1860 – 1940) was a pioneer leader of Communist movement and social reformer in India.
Singaravadivel (double beauty lance) – S. Singaravadivel (? – 2022) was a Indian National Congress MP representing Thanjavur constituency, from 1979 by-election, and retaining it consecutively in 1980, 1984 and 1989 elections.
Sothivel (illuminating light lance) – Unfortunately, I cannot recognize an invidual who has a degree of name recognition among Tamils. But, at the Colombo Hindu College, Ratmalana, during 1960s, one of my seniors had this name.
Subravelu (great splendor lance) – DMK party candidate K. Subravelu contested the Sirkazhi constituency in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections of 1977 and won against the Anna DMK party candidate K. Balasubramanian by a margin of 4,876 votes. But in the 1980 election, same Subravelu lost to same Balasubramaniam in Sirkazhi by a margin of 13,280 votes.
Sundaravadivelu (beauty lance) – N.D. Sundaravadivelu (1912-1993), an academic, who had served as the Vice Chancellor of University of Madras.
Surulivel (spiral lance) – a Tamil professor in a college in Thoothukudi district, Tamilnadu, with this name is included in the Tamil Writers Directory. Entry no. 1147.
Thangavelu (golden lance) – K.A. Thangavelu (1917-1994), popular verbal comedian actor in drama-cinema with a characteristic nasal twang, was a regular in many movies of MGR and Sivaji Ganesan of 1950s and 1960s. P. Thangavelu Gounder was an Anna DMK party MLA, elected to Melmalayanur constituency in the 1977 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections. A Communist Party politician K. Thangavel (1951-2020) was elected to Tiruppur South constituency in the 2011 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections.
Thillaivillalan (Thillai is a poisonous mangrove tree Excoecaria, having latex that blinds eye temporarily; + an expert in the bow made from this tree) R. Thillai Villalan, was a DMK party activist. Though polling 136,671 votes (43.34%), he lost at Chidambaram constituency in the 1962 Lok Sabha election to Indian Congress candidate R. Kanagasabai, by a margin of 4,060 votes. Later, Thillaivillalan served one term in Rajya Sabha, from 1968 to 1974..
T.C. Vadivelu Naicker
Vadivelu (beauty lance) – T.C. Vadivelu Naicker, a member of Suguna Vilasa drama troupe, was a pioneer movie script writer and director who flourished in late 1930s and 1940s. He had scripted a couple of MGR’s early movies Prahlada (1939), in which MGR plays the role of Lord Indra, and Harichandra (1944), in which MGR plays the minister Satyakeerthi to King Harichandra, played by P.U. Chinnappa. Vadivelu Naicker also directed M.M. Dhandapani Desigar in the title role Pattinattar (1936). Another Tamil film personality is Vadivelu (b. 1960) is a popular comedian actor in cinema. K.Vadivel was the Anna DMK party MLA, elected to Karur constituency in the 1977 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections. He defeated the DMK party candidate by a margin of 11, 592 votes.
Vediappan (explosive elder hand) – This is an unusual name. But, a writer from Dharmapuri district, Tamilnadu, with this name is included in the Tamil Writers Directory. Entry no. 1265.
Veerakaththi (brave knife) – K. Veerakaththi from Karaveddy in Eelam was a Tamil language pundit and a children poet.
Vel or Velan – Sinnathamy Podi Velan (1804 – 1880) was a 19th century Tamil poet from Akkarai Patru, Batticaloa. He specialized in composing derisive verses.
A.K. Velan was a notable Tamil script writer, movie producer and director in 1950s, recognized for the 1958 hit movie Thai Piranthaal Vazhi Pirakkum (1958; January Opens Fresh Opportunities). Isari R. Velan (1941-1987) was a comedian actor in MGR’s later movies, He was elected as an Anna DMK party MLA at the Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency in the 1977 general election for Tamil Nadu legislative assembly, with a margin of 1,488 votes. But, lost in the same constituency the 1980 general election. The ’Isari’ tag in front of Velan is not a name, but a corrupted version of his popularised tagline in movies – ‘Athu sari’ (literally, ‘It’s OK) that morphed into ‘Isari’.
Vel Ananthan (lance + ‘blessed with joy’) – Velayutham Vel Ananthan (b. 1941) is a male dancer, from Neduntheevu, Jaffna. He was a disciple of kathakali dance artist Guru Gopinath (1908-1987).
Velappan (lance + ‘appa’ honorific) – C.V. Velappan was elected as an Anna DMK party MLA, to Kapilamalai constituency in the 1980 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election.
Velnampi (lance+ believer) – Thirunavukkarasu Velnampy, a professor in accounting, of the University of Jaffna carries this name.
Vel Pillai (lance + honorific) – Kanapathipillai Vel Pillai (1847 – 1930), from Mattuvil, Jaffna, was a junior contemporary of Arumuga Navalar, and a Tamil poet. He also spent years in Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu propagating the Hindu thoughts of his mentor Navalar.
S. Velsamy, indicated in the title card of Utama Puthiran (1940) Tamil movie
Velayutham (lance weapon) – P.P. Velayudham was the script writer for the 1949 Tamil movie Ratnakumar, starring P.U. Chinnappa, MGR and P. Bhanumathi. Other than the two prominent male actors, this movie is also recognized as the first Tamil movie, in which Telugu speaking Bhanumathi made her appearance. Selvaraj Velayutham (b. 1968), currently affiliated to Macquaire University, Australia, is a published scholar on Tamil movies.
Velayuthapillai (lance weapon + honorific) – S. Velayuthapillai (1923 – ?) from Kokkuvil, Jaffna, was a recognized educator, engaged in curriculum development and Tamil translation. T. Velauthapillai was a distinguished Eelam pathologist, who had published in 1940s and 1950s.
Velmaran (lance + title of Pandiyan king) – Though a popular name, an individual who has gained popular recognition is not easily visible.
Velmurugu (lance of Lord Muruga) – a reversed form of Murugavel (see above).
Velmurugan is a variant form. T. Velmurugan (b. 1970) is a Tamil Nadu politician, affiliated to Pattali Makkal Katchi and lately DMK party. He had been elected to Panruti constituency in the Legislative Assembly elections in 2001, 2006 and 2021.
Velsami (god’s lance) – one of the pioneer Tamil movie lyricist in 1930s and 1940s was Velsamy kavi. Suffix kavi indicates poet, as honorific. He had also dabbled in script writing and direction. One of his popular hit creations was Modern Theatre’s ‘Utama Puthiran’ (1940), starring P. U. Chinnappa. Title card for this movie also states, that he assisted in the direction by T.R. Sundaram, the producer of the movie. See also, the entry for Velupillai for a 1947 election performance of a candidate Velchamy, against C.V. Velupillai.
Movie producer G. Velumani (lt) garlanding MGR, circa 1968.
Velumani (lance and bell) – G.N. Velumani (1918-1979), from Gopichettipalayam was a costumer turned popular Tamil movie producer in late 1950s and 1960s. Many of his movies starring MGR, Sivaji Ganesan and Gemini Ganesan were popular hits among the masses.
Velummayilum (lance and peacock; a pious reference to Lord Muruga, who carries lance in hand and uses peacock as his vehicle) – Dr. S. Velummayilum (1921-1981), from Kaddudai, Jaffna, was a judicial medical officer (JMO), serving in Jaffna, Kandy and Colombo, prior to his retirement in 1976. Subsequently, he moved to UK.
Velupillai (lance + honorific) – This is a popular name among Eelam Tamils. 19th century poet Kalladi Velupillai (1860-1944, aka Kalladi Velan) was a humorist and poet. He was decorated with the title ‘Asukavi’ (i.e., Instant poet; possessing a versatile ability to compose a lyric instantly with humor, on any theme). Nonagenarian Moses Velupillai (c.1880 – 1973?) from Uduvil, Jaffna was among the first batch to graduate from the newly established University of Madras. Then, he held the position of Principal, at the Teachers Training College, Madras. Father of Federal Party leader Chelvanayakam (1898-1977) was a Velupillai. C.V. Velupillai (1914-1984), who had written English poetry, was an elected MP for Talawakele constituency representing Ceylon Indian Congress in the 1947 general election in Ceylon. His opponent in this election was R.M. Velchamy representing Trotskyist LSSP Party. Velupillai received 10,645 votes, but Velchamy could muster only 935 votes, though he was placed 2nd! LTTE leader Prabhakaran’s father (1924-2010) also carried this name. Prof. A.Velupillai (1936-2015), was an Eelam Tamil academic.
Vetrivel (success lance) – Dr. S.A. Vettivelu (1904-1985) was a popular and much appreciated physician in Jaffna during his times; he was the father of Yogeswaran (MP for TULF, from 1977 to 1983).
Among my kin, quite a few had names such as Kathiravelupillai, Kumaravelu, Palanivel, Ratnavel, Velayutham, Velmurugu and Velupillai. And among my school mates and university mates there were guys with Singaravel, Murugavel, Sothivel, Muthuvel and Velayuthapillai names. If I had missed other pertinent names, I’d appreciate if readers add their contribution to this list, via the Comments section.
Few Points to Ponder on the Origin and Use of Martial Names
✦Those who were trained and handlers of weapons received such names from their patrons – petty kings, chieftains and feudal landlords.
✦Parents also choose such martial names to their male babies as protectional amulets for good health; derived from Hindu gods identified with martial emblems (Rama and Muruga).
✦Most popular weapon name is ‘Vel’ (lance or spear), with Velu ending. Simply, Velu is used as the surname. In addition, it is also used either with appreciative prefixes, or combined with suffixes as well.
✦Decline of such martial names during the post-explosive (gun) period may be partially explained to religious conversion of Hindus to Christianity (since the arrival of Portuguese in early 16th century) and Islam (from North Indian territories). Also, Dutch and British colonialists, for their ruling convenience/dominance over the natives, ‘defanged’ the Tamil caste groups which specialized on martial skills. This angle had been previously explored by assassinated scholar Dharmaratnam Sivaram aka Taraki Sivaram (1959-2005). This year also marks his 20th death anniversary. [https://sangam.org/2010/05/Origin_Sivaram.php?uid=3934] Sivaram’s study was serialized in the Lanka Guardian journal by Mervyn de Silva in early 1990s.
✦Also of significance is the vital fact, despite flashy bravado against the British East India Company by Tamilnadu’s chieftains Maruthu Pandia brothers – Periya and Sinna (1748-1801) as well as Veerapandiya Kattabomman (1760-1799) and against Dutch East India Company by Eelam’s Pandara Vannian (circa 1775-1810) in late 18th century, Tamils as ethnics never registered their military might in the battlegrounds in South India and Ceylon for half a millennium (from ~1500 -1991) until Velupillai Prabhakaran (1954-2009) thought otherwise.
Origin of Kodithuvakku clan among the Sinhalese
Parakrama-Kodituwakku (Sinhalese poet)
The combined word ‘kodithuvakku’ (kodi = flag/banner) and thuvakku (gun) are of Tamil origin. A contemporary Sinhalese poet Parakrama Kodituwakku (b. 1943) carries this name. Another Sinhalese individual, with this name recognition was Nihal Kodithuwakku (b. 1940), a cricketer.
The following details are assembled from the labors of Ralph Pieris’s study on the composition of Kandyan society since 1591, beginning from Vimala Dharma Surya I. In the footnote from first page itself, Prof Pieris indicates the influence of Indian Tamils in Kandyan kingdom, and the influx of Tamil mercenaries from India. Kodithuwakku clan originated from these mercenaries.
To quote, “In the case of the Kandyan Sinhalese there was ‘the very slight admixture of Tamil blood, particularly in Court circles. The original Kappitipolas were fullblooded Tamils who came to the island with some Malabar king, presumably subsequent to 1739 when the Malabar dynasty was instituted, and settled in Navagomuva, near Rambukkana. In time they were considered aristocratic ‘Sinhalese’, having acquired the indigenous language, religion and customs. It is not ‘race’ that matters but ‘culture’. The difficulty with this quote is, Pieris had minimized the inflow of ‘Tamil blood’ with choice words like ‘very slight admixture’. This was not so. Even the first recognized Kandyan king Vimala Dharma Surya I (regnal years 1591-1604) had ‘Tamil blood’ as revealed by his alternate name Konappu Bandara! His origin was from the Tamil pandara subcaste from Tamilnadu. As revealed by Gananath Obeyesekere in 2017, Konappu Bandara’s predecessors were, Karalliyadde Bandara (regnal years 1552-1582) and Jayavira Bandara (regnal years 1511-1552).
Tamil mercenaries handling flag/banner and gun were called as kodituvakku-karayo in Sinhalese. Prof Pieris had begun the chapter ‘The militia’ with these sentences. “The backbone of the militia was a small standing army a few hundred strong, forming the personal bodyguard of the king. Besides this padikara hevapanne consisting largely of Malay mercenaries, was the native militia comprising the hevavasam and lekam departments. Further,, the personnel of certain primarily military departments such as kodituvakkukarayo or artillerymen, were always on call for military service.” (p.103)
Two pages later, Prof Pieris had included this paragraph. “Those composed of artillerymen and musketeers were formed in consequence of the knowledge of gunpowder and mechanized warfare gained in the Portuguese Wars of the sixteenth century. These departments performed other miscellaneous duties besides actual fighting. The kodituvakkukarayo or artillery men were mostly low caste folk and constituted a military as well as a police force.” (p. 105). Furthermore details include the following: “They guarded a building known as kodituvakku maduva in which the gingalls of the disava were stored, and had custody of the more atrocious prisoners of inferior caste. They were sometimes sent to the country to seize criminals and refractory persons. They carried gingalls when the disava went on circuit, e.g. to conscript young men for the army, and also on public occasions. They dug and carried earth and did other menial service for the king or the disava, but they did not fell nor drag timber, nor did they furnish water or firewood.” (p. 106).
What Prof. Pieris had described for the medival Kandyan kingdom’s forced labor of Tamil mercenaries, is applicable to the recent Tamil mercenaries (EPDP of Devananda, LTTE turncoats – Karuna and Pillaiyan groups etc.) who aligned themselves with the Ranasinghe Premadasa, Chandrika Kumaratunga and Mahinda Rajapaksa regimes, from 1989 to 2009).
I was unaware of the word ‘gingal’ used by Prof Pieris previously. This is what it means. Gingal is a large musket mounted on a swivel or a carriage for stability. It is a firearm designed to be fired from a fixed rest, providing greater accuracy and power, in comparison to handheld musket. Gingal had been in use in India and China. In the absence of positive proof (as of now) that Sinhalese had designed their gingal, one can safely infer that gingal handlers of the Kandyan kingdom were brought from Tamil Nadu and kodituvakku clan originated from this immigrants.
Coda
Quite many names included in this essay were collected as assorted facts for my ‘MGR Remembered’ biography series. Named individuals include, those who were associated with MGR in his movie and political careers, as fellow actors, participants in other areas of movie production, candidates who were pals in the DMK party, candidates chosen by MGR to represent his Anna DMK party, and candidates who had opposed MGR’s party in the general elections.
It’s anybody’s guess whether these Tamil names incorporating weapon markers within them, will prevail into the 22nd century.
Sources
FilmNews Anandan: Sadanaigal Padaitha Thamizhthiraipada Varalaru [Tamil Film History and Its Achievements], Sivagami Publications, Chennai, 2004.
Arumugam: Dictionary of Biography of Ceylon Tamils, London, 1997.
Obeyesekere G. Between the Portuguese and the Nayakas: the many faces of the Kandyan kingdom, 1591-1765. In: Sri Lanka at the Crossroads of History, ed Zoltan Biedermann, Alan Strathern, University College London Press, London, 2017 pp. 161-177.
Pieris and C.G. Uragoda: Bibliography of Medical Publications relating to Sri Lanka, 1811-1976, National Science Council of Sri Lanka, Colombo, 1980.
R.Pieris: Sinhalese Social Organization – The Kandyan Period, Ceylon University Press, Colombo, 1956.
D.G.P. Semneviratne and K. Samaraweera (Ed): Catalogue of Post-Graduate Theses and Dissertations by University and State Sector Personnel, Ministry of Finance and Planning, Colombo, 1984.
S.V. Subramanian and N. Ghadigachalam (Ed) The Tamil Writers Directory, International Institute of Tamil Studies, Madras, 1981, 256 pp. [contains 1417 names]