Simon Casie Chetty | |
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சைமன் காசிச் செட்டி | |
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| Unofficial Member (Tamil), Legislative Council of Ceylon | |
| In office 1838–1845 | |
| Preceded by | A. Coomaraswamy |
| Succeeded by | V. Edirmannasingham |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 21 March 1807 Kalpity,Ceylon |
| Died | 5 November 1860 (aged 53) Kalpity,Ceylon |
| Occupation | Civil servant |
Simon Casie Chetty (Tamil :சைமன்காசிச்செட்டி,romanized: CaimaṉKācic Ceṭṭi;21 March 1807 – 5 November 1860) was a Ceylonese civil servant,author and member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon.
Casie Chetty was born on 21 March 1807 in Kalpity in north-western Ceylon. [1] [2] [3] He was the son of Gabriel Casie Chetty,Mudaliyar of Kalpity,and Marie de Rosairo. [3] He belonged to Ceylon's small Chetty community,descendants of Tamils from Tirunelveli district in India who migrated to Ceylon during Portuguese rule and converted to Catholicism. [2] [3] Gabriel's father Adrian converted to Protestantism during Dutch rule and was a member of the Dutch Reformed Church. [3]
Simon Casie Chetty was baptised as an Anglican in Colombo. [3] He was educated at a Tamil school in Kalpity and in Colombo. [3] As well as Tamil,he was proficient in English,Sinhalese,Sanskrit,Hebrew and Arabic. [3] He also had knowledge of Portuguese,Dutch,Latin and Greek. [3]
Casie Chetty married his cousin in 1839. [3] They had two sons (John and Aloysius) and a daughter.
Casie Chetty was appointed interpreter to the magistrates court in Kalpity in 1824,aged 17. [1] [3] He was appointed interpreter to the Office of Assistant Collector of Puttalam in 1826 and in 1828 he became collector of Chilaw. [3] Following the death of his father in 1837 he was appointed Mudaliyar and a proctor. [3] He later became Maniagar (British appointed administrative chief) for Puttalam. [2] [3]
Following the death of A. Coomaraswamy Casie Chetty was appointed to the Legislative Council of Ceylon in 1838 as the unofficial member representing Tamils. [1] [2] [3] He resigned after seven years and joined the Ceylon Civil Service,becoming the first Ceylonese civil servant. [1] [3] [4] He was appointed police magistrate in Kalpity in 1847 and district judge for Chilaw,a position he held until his death. [1] [2] [3]
Casie Chetty was responsible for the construction of St. Peter's Church in Kalpity in 1839 and paid half the costs himself. [3] He also ran a Tamil school in Kalpity catering for 50 boys. [3] He became a member of the Ceylonese branch of the Royal Asiatic Society when it was established in 1845. [3] He wrote several books and manuscripts,most notably Ceylon Gazetteer (1834),The Tamil Plutarch (1859) and The Castes,Customs,Manners and Literature of the Tamils (1934). [1] [2] [3]
Casie Chetty died on 5 November 1860 in Kalpity. [3] Prior to his death he had converted to Catholicism. [3] The Sri Lankan government issued a 75 cent stamp in 1989 honouring Casie Chetty. [1] [3] [5]
Sri Lankan Chetties also known as Colombo Chetties,are an ethnicity in the island of Sri Lanka. Before 2001,they were known as the Sri Lankan Tamil caste,but then after 2001,they were classified as a separate ethnic group in the 2001 census. They are now collectively referred to as the Colombo Chetties. They were said to have migrated from India under Portuguese rule and were given special rights and representation during colonial rule.
Negombo Tamils or Puttalam Tamils are the Tamil speaking ethnic Karavas who live in the western Gampaha and Puttalam districts of Sri Lanka. They are distinguished from other Tamils from the island nation by their unique dialects,one of which is known as Negombo Tamil dialect. Other sub categories of native Tamils of Sri Lanka are Jaffna Tamils or Northern Tamils and Batticalao Tamils or Eastern Tamils from the traditional Tamil dominant North and East of the Island nation. Negombo is a principal coastal city in the Gampaha District and Puttalam is also the principal city within the neighbouring Puttalam District.
Negombo is a major city in Sri Lanka,situated on the west coast and at the mouth of the Negombo Lagoon,in the Western Province,38 km (24 mi) from Colombo via the Colombo–Katunayake Expressway and the nearest major city from the Bandaranaike International Airport.
Mudaliyar was a Ceylonese colonial title during Portuguese and British rule of the island. Stemming from the native headman system,the title was usually hereditary,made to wealthy influential families loyal to the British Crown.
Ponnambalam Arunachalam was a Ceylonese civil servant and a member of the Executive Council of Ceylon and Legislative Council of Ceylon.
Sir Solomon Dias Abeywickrema Jayatilleke Senewiratna Rajakumaruna Kadukeralu Bandaranaike,was a Ceylonese colonial-era headmen. He was appointed as Head Mudaliyar and the aide-de-camp to the British Governor of Ceylon,therefore he was one of the most powerful personalities in British colonial Ceylon.
Sir Chittampalam Abraham Gardiner was a Ceylon Tamil businessman and member of the Senate of Ceylon.
Chilaw is a city in Puttalam District,North Western Province,Sri Lanka. It is governed by an urban council,whereas the outskirts are governed by a pradeshiya sabha of the same name. The town is located 80 kilometers away from Colombo via Negombo.
Colonel Theodore Godfrey Wijesinghe Jayewardene,VD,JP,CLI was a Ceylonese engineer,politician and military officer. A member of the State Council of Ceylon,he was the first Ceylonese commanding officer of the Ceylon Light Infantry.
James Clifford Aelian Corea was a Sri Lankan educationist. He was the former Principal of Royal College Colombo.
Gate Mudaliyar James Edward Corea was a Ceylonese colonial-era headman.
Srikumaradas Charles Shirley Corea was a Sri Lankan politician. He was the 9th Speaker of the Parliament and a Member of Parliament,representing Chilaw. He was a member of the United National Party of Sri Lanka.
Oswald Leslie De Kretser III was a Ceylonese judge. He was a judge of the Supreme Court of Ceylon.
Chellappah Coomaraswamy CBE was a Ceylon Tamil civil servant,diplomat and member of the Senate of Ceylon.
Gate Mudaliyar Jeronis de Soysa was a pioneering Ceylonese entrepreneur and philanthropist. He was a pioneer coffee planter and an industrialist who became the wealthiest Ceylonese of the 19th century by establishing the largest native commercial enterprise of the era. He was instrumental in the establishment of the first Ceylonese bank and is often referred to as a father of private enterprise in British Ceylon. He was the first Mudaliyar to be elevated in recognition of his philanthropy.
Sir Velupillai Coomaraswamy,CMG was a Ceylonese civil servant and diplomat. He served as the Ceylonese High Commissioner to Canada and Ceylonese Envoy to Burma.
William Gabriel Rockwood was a Ceylon Tamil physician and member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon.
Madapalli is a caste found mainly in the northern part of Sri Lanka. Found today as a subcaste of the Sri Lankan Vellalar,the Madapallis were considered an independent caste until recently.
The Jayewardene family is a Sri Lankan family that is prominent in law and politics. Along with many members who have been successful politician across generations,the family includes Presidents and Prime Ministers of Sri Lanka.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)| International | |
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