A. Thiagarajah
A Sri Lankan Tamil teacher and parliamentarian whose advocacy for his community was tragically cut short by political violence.
1916–1981 (age 65)·Sri Lankan politician·Birthday: April 17·The Greatest Generation
Biography
A. Thiagarajah's life was rooted in education and service in the Jaffna peninsula. As a teacher and principal of the renowned Vembadi Girls' School, he shaped generations of students before entering the political arena. Elected to Parliament in 1977, he represented the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) during a period of escalating ethnic tension and rising militancy. Thiagarajah occupied a difficult middle ground, part of a group of moderates seeking political solutions for Tamil rights within a united Sri Lanka. This stance made him a target for more radical elements. In May 1981, he was shot by militants and died of his wounds the following day, becoming one of the first sitting MPs assassinated in the conflict, a grim signal of the violent turn Sri Lankan politics was about to take.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
A. was born in 1916, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When A. Was Born
The biggest hits of 1916
#1 Movie
Intolerance
A.'s Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1916Born
The Battle of the Somme claims over a million casualties
President: Woodrow Wilson
1921Started school
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1929Became a teenager
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1932Could drive
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1934Could vote
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1937Turned 21
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1946Turned 30
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1956Turned 40
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1966Turned 50
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1976Turned 60
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Died at 65
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
Key Achievements
- Served as the elected Member of Parliament for the Jaffna district from 1977 until his death.
- Was a prominent figure in the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) during a critical period.
- Had a long career as an educator, serving as principal of Vembadi Girls' School in Jaffna.
Did You Know?
He was a dedicated teacher and remained principal of Vembadi Girls' School even while serving as an MP.
His assassination in 1981 occurred just before the infamous burning of the Jaffna Public Library.
He was known as a moderate politician who believed in achieving Tamil rights through parliamentary means.
“True service is not in holding office, but in holding a student's future.”
