Akandhan Velusami Radhakrishnan (Tamil: அகண்டன் வேலுசாமி இராதாகிருஷ்ணன்; born 1 August 1952) is a Sri Lankan politician and state minister. He is the leader of the Up-Country People's Front (UCPF), a member of the Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) and United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG).
Velusami Radhakrishnan | |
|---|---|
வேலுசாமி இராதாகிருஷ்ணன் අකන්දන් වේලුසාමි රාධාක්රිෂ්ණන් | |
 Radhakrishnan in May 2017 | |
| State Minister of Education | |
| Assumed office 12 January 2015 | |
| Deputy Minister of Botanical Gardens and Public Recreation | |
| In office 9 October 2014 – 10 December 2014 | |
| Member of Parliament for Nuwara Eliya District | |
| Assumed office 8 April 2010 | |
| Member of the Central Provincial Council for Nuwara Eliya District | |
| In office 1999–2010 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 August 1952 |
| Political party | Up-Country People's Front |
Early life and family
Radhakrishnan was born on 1 August 10.1952[1] He was educated at Holy Trinity College, Nuwara Eliya, St. Peter's College, Colombo and St. Joseph's College, Colombo.[2] He is married and has four children.[1][2]
Career
Radhakrishnan was elected to Nuwara Eliya Divisional Council and became its chairman in 1991.[2] He contested the 1999 provincial council election as one of the Indian Origin People's Front's candidates in Nuwara Eliya District and was elected to the Central Provincial Council (CPC).[2][3] He was Minister of Culture and Tamil Education.[4][5] He contested the 2004 provincial council election as one of the United National Front's (UNF) candidates in Nuwara Eliya District and was re-elected to the CPC.[6] In February 2005 he was appointed Minister of Tamil Education (other than Muslim Schools) Industries, Estate Infrastructure Facilities, Hindu Cultural Affairs, Youth Affairs and Sports.[7] He was re-elected at the 2009 provincial council election, this times as a United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) candidate.[8] In March 2009 he was appointed Minister of Industries, Sports, Women Affairs, Rural Development, Estate Infrastructure Facilities Development, Hindu Cultural Affairs, Education (Tamil) and Youth Affairs.[9]
Radhakrishnan contested the 2010 parliamentary election as one of the UPFA's candidates in Nuwara Eliya District and was elected to Parliament.[10][11] On 11 September 2010 Radhakrishnan left the Ceylon Workers' Congress to sit as an independent MP supporting UPFA.[12] He joined the Up-Country People's Front as its political leader on 7 October 2010.[13] He was appointed Deputy Minister of Botanical Gardens and Public Recreation on 9 October 2014.[14][15]
Radhakrishnan resigned from the UPFA government on 10 December 2014 to support common opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena at the presidential election.[16][17] After the election newly elected President Sirisena rewarded Radhakrishnan by appointing him State Minister of Education.[18][19]
Radhakrishnan was one of the United National Front for Good Governance's candidates in Nuwara Eliya District at the 2015 parliamentary election. He was elected and re-entered Parliament.[20][21][22] After the election he was re-appointed State Minister of Education.[23][24][25]
Radhakrishnan was elected leader of the UCPF on 6 September 2015.[26]
Electoral history
| Election | Constituency | Party | Alliance | Votes | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 provincial | Nuwara Eliya District | Ceylon Workers' Congress | Indian Origin People's Front | Elected | |
| 2004 provincial[6] | Nuwara Eliya District | Ceylon Workers' Congress | United National Front | 44,525 | Elected |
| 2009 provincial[8] | Nuwara Eliya District | Ceylon Workers' Congress | United People's Freedom Alliance | 18,513 | Elected |
| 2010 parliamentary[10] | Nuwara Eliya District | Ceylon Workers' Congress | United People's Freedom Alliance | 54,083 | Elected |
| 2015 parliamentary[27] | Nuwara Eliya District | Up-Country People's Front | United National Front for Good Governance | 87,375 | Elected |
References
External links
- "Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa appoints Tamil leader V S Radhakrishnan as deputy minister". The Hindu. 9 October 2014 – via PTI.
- "Sri Lankan MP calls for Indian citizenship to Tamil refugees". The Hindu. 12 September 2021.