Comrade V. Ponnambalam தோழர் வ. பொன்னம்பலம் 18 December 1930 – 5 March 1994

At the conference, comrade V. Ponnambalam was elected unopposed as the district secretary of the party, and comrade K.A. Subramaniam was chosen as the youth league secretary.

Several prominent comrades, including Premalal Kumarasiri, Pieter Keuneman, W.A. Dharmadasa, N.Shanmugadasan, V. Ponnambalam, Sarath Muttetuwegama, A. Vaithilingam, I.R. Ariyaratnam, Karthigesan Master, and Banudevan were present. A small argument broke out between comrade V. Ponnambalam and comrade Karthigesan Master, but I prefer to stay out of internal Party matters.

My husband’s close comrade, V. Ponnambalam, came to the hospital with his wife. He said, *“We have named our child ‘Mavalirasan.’

I think it would be fitting to name your child ‘Sathiarajan.’”* During my pregnancy, a group of youth from Point Pedro had performed the play *“Sampoorna Harishchandra Mayana Kandam”* at the Aaladi temple in Karainagar, Vikakal. In that play, there was a scene where Satheakeerthy,

a minister unaware that the person guarding the graveyard was actually his king,

sings tearfully, *“I am searching for my brotherly king, searching and

searching without finding him.”* To which the king, who is disguised as a gravedigger, responds with,

*“Satheakeerthy ‘Aiya’, I am Harishchandra, as you see me now.”* This emotional scene touched everyone’s

hearts, leaving many in tears. From that moment on, we decided that if I gave birth to a boy or a girl, the name would be

Satheakeerthy, a symbol of truth and integrity. (In this play, Harishchandra was played by Mr. Vairamuthu, and Satheakeerthy

by Mr. Mahalingam—this drama was well known in Sri Lanka, performed in many villages.)

After comrade V. Ponnambalam expressed his preference, *“That is the minister’s name, this is the king’s name. Both represent truth in history,”* and thus, the name Sathiarajan was given to our child by comrade V. Ponnambalam. On the 45th day after the birth, among many comrades, Sathiarajan’s name was officially bestowed in a naming ceremony by comrade V. Ponnambalam. Even had invitations printed and distributed to comrades, calling it the *“Namakarana Vaibhavam” (Naming Ceremony).* Many comrades and Party supporters from Jaffna attended the event, along with neighbors and friends who also supported us.

I must mention the challenges we faced at that time. Within the Party, criticisms of ideological differences between China and Russia were starting to arise. The naming ceremony was also seen as a political opportunity for comrades to gather in one place, and my husband wanted to invite everyone. However, he didn’t discuss this with me. I was so focused on taking care of our Rasan and his curious little ways that I was completely absorbed.

As a result of assisting in their own betel garden, father, elder brother Mr. A. Thangarajah, relatives, and friends helped comrade KAS to establish a community reading center in Kilanai, inviting progressive thinkers like Uduvil M.P. V. Dharmalingam, Skandavarodhaya Teacher V. Ponnambalam, and Dr. S.V. Seenivasagam from Kankesanthurai (KKS), providing them with leadership positions and honoring them, as the books they provided would say, "I also want to read."

Comrade V. Ponnambalam Standing With S.T. Nagarathinam (Left) , V. Dharmalingam (Right)  in between comrade KAS during the Soviet Communist Party delegation to Sri Lanka

"1959:- தோழர் வி.பொன்னம்பலம் காங்கேசன்துறைத் தொகுதியில் கம்ய+னிஸ்ட் கட்சிக் கிளைகள் கிராமம் தோறும் ஏற்படுத்துதல். இதற்கு பக்க பலமாக தோழர் கே.ஏ.சுப்பிரமணியம் நின்று செயற்படுதல். கிராமங்கள் தோறும் ஜனசமூக நிலையங்களையும் பாரதி வாசிகசாலைகளையும் ஆரம்பிக்க ஊக்குவித்தல். இப்பணியைத் தொடர்ந்து கட்சிக் காரியாலயமும் படிப்பகமும் சுன்னாகத்தில் திறக்கப்பட்டன. இப்பணியில் தோழர்.எஸ்.ரி.என்.நாகரெத்தினம் சகல வழிகளிலும் உதவினார். படிப்பகத்தில் பத்திரிகைகளைப் பெறுவதற்குரிய நிதியுதவியை அன்று இலங்கை – சோவியத் நட்புறவுச் சங்கத்தின் யாழ் கிளைத் தலைவராகவும் தாய்ச் சங்கத்தின் உபதலைவராகவும் கடமையாற்றிய திரு.வி.தர்மலிங்கம் வழங்கினார்."


நன்றி "பொன்மலர் 1994"