Family Information
Dr. E.M.V. Naganathan
(1906-1971)
Dr. Elangai Murugesu Vijayaretnam Naganathan was born on 31 January 1906, son of Jebaratnam J. Hensman and Ponnamma Hensman, daughter of Reverend R.A. Vethavanam. Dr. E.M.V. Naganathan was a Member of Parliament for Nallur, Jaffna. Mr. Jebaratnam J. Hensman, he was Registrar of the University of Madras, India. His sister Harriet Hensman married Walter Olagasekaram, DJ. They were from Jaffna, but had settled in South India, where they distinguished themselves in the educational field.
Dr. E.M.V. Naganathan married Miss Retnavathi Senathiraja, daughter of John Wirt Ponniah Senathiraja, JP, UPM. They had three daughters and two sons. His oldest daughter Miss Mary Lakshmi Naganathan was the former Ambassador of Sri Lanka, and she served in many countries. She vacated her post in 1983. His second daughter Anne Nirmala Naganathan married Chandrahasan Chelvanayagam, son of S.J.V. Chelvanayagam, QC. The rest of the children are Elangai Anthony Naganathan married Kuamari, Elangai John Naganathan married Lakshmikanthi and Carmel Indhira Naganathan married Dr. George Handy of Columbia, USA.
Dr. E.M.V. Naganathan was a private Medical Practitioner in Colombo. He became a keen supporter of G.G. Ponnambalam’s Tamil Congress Party and functioned as its Secretary in 1947. He was elected a Member of the Senate, the same year. However, leaving the Tamil Congress he joined the Federal Party. He became one of its prominent members and he was also its Secretary for some time. He successfully contested the Nallur seat in the House of Parliament as a Federal Party Candidate. He was elected President of the Party in 1966 and worked hard for the well being of the Tamil Community. Dr. E.M.V. Naganathan passed away on 16 August 1971, and Mrs. Retnavathi Naganathan passed away on 11 December 2006, in Columbia, USA.