Thondaman’s last rites at Norwood Grounds, Hatton

The final rites of former Minister and Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) Leader Arumugam Thondaman will be held on May 31 ( Sunday) at the Norwood Grounds in Hatton.

Mr Thondaman, who died on Tuesday evening ( 26) at the Thalangama Hospital after suffering a heart attack, represented Parliament continuously for 26 years after he was first elected to the legislature from the Nuwara Eliya district in 1994. He held a wide array of Cabinet Ministerial Portfolios during his political career, including Estate Infrastructure& Livestock Development, Housing & Plantation Infrastructure, Youth Empowerment & Socio-Economic Development and Livestock and Rural Community Development

He succeeded his grandfather, Savumiamoorthy Thondaman as leader of the CWC in 1999 upon the latter’s death and served as party leader for 21 years up until his untimely death at the age of 55.

On Thursday (28), Mr Thondaman’s remains were brought to Parliament where they lay-in-state for dignitaries and Parliament staff to pay their final respects to him. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya and many former MPs as well as foreign diplomats paid their final respects to him while the remains lay-in-state at the Assembly Hall of Parliament.

Mr Thondaman’s remains were then taken to the CWC ’ s Headquarters in Colombo 03 for the public to pay their respects. The casket carrying his remains was airlifted by a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) helicopter on Friday (29) and taken to the family home at Wavendon Estate in Thawalanthenna. They were thereafter taken to Kotagala CWC Headquarters yesterday (29) and will remain there until being taken in procession to the Norwood Grounds in Hatton where the final rites will be conducted.