C. Rajadurai
Sri Lankan Tamil politician (1927–2025)
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Chelliah Rajadurai (Tamil: செல்லையா இராசதுரை; 27 July 1927 – 7 December 2025) was a Sri Lankan Tamil politician, government minister, and Member of Parliament. He served as the 1st Mayor of Batticaloa from 1967 to 1968.[1]
C. Rajadurai | |
|---|---|
செ. இராசதுரை | |
| Member of the Ceylonese Parliament for Batticaloa | |
| In office 1956–1989 | |
| Preceded by | R. B. Kadramer |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| 1st Mayor of Batticaloa | |
| In office 1967–1968 | |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | J. L. Tissaveerasinghe |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 July 1927 |
| Died | 7 December 2025 (aged 98) Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Party | United National Party (after 1979) Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (before 1979) |
Early life
Political career
Rajadurai was elected to elected to parliament at the 1956 parliamentary election as the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi candidate for Batticaloa.[4] He was re-elected in March 1960, July 1960, 1965 and 1970.[5][6][7][8] He ran again as the Tamil United Liberation Front candidate for Batticaloa in the 1977 parliamentary election and was re-elected.[9]
In March 1979, Rajadurai defected to the United National Party, the then-ruling party, and was rewarded by being appointed Minister of Regional Development and Hindu Cultural Affairs.[10][11][12] He was later appointed as the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Malaysia.[13]
Rajadurai became the first Mayor of Batticaloa in 1967. He was unseated the next year.[14]