Deshamanya

Baku Mahadeva

CCS
பக்கு மகாதேவா
Born(1921-10-29)29 October 1921
Died29 November 2013(2013-11-29) (aged 92)
Alma materRoyal College, Colombo
OccupationCivil servant

Deshamanya Balakumara Mahadeva (Tamil: பாலகுமாரன் மகாதேவா; 29 October 1921 – 29 November 2013; commonly known as Baku Mahadeva) was a leading Sri Lankan Tamil civil servant.

Early life and family

Mahadeva was born on 29 October 1921.[1] He was the son of Arunachalam Mahadeva and Sivahamy Ammal.[1][2] He was educated at Royal College, Colombo where he was classmates of C. A. Coorey.[3][4] After school he obtained BA and MA degrees in mathematics from the University of London.[5]

Mahadeva married Sundari, daughter of Sega Theagarajah.[1][6] They had two children, Kumar Mahadeva and Isvari.[6]

Career

Mahadeva lectured in mathematics at the University of Ceylon, Colombo before joining the Ceylon Civil Service in January 1945.[1][5] During his civil service career he held numerous senior positions. He was Assistant Secretary to the Minister of Defence in 1949 and Assistant Secretary to the Minister of Lands in 1952.[1] He became Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food in 1958.[1][2] He also served as Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs.[2][7]

Later life

After retirement Mahadeva served as Secretary to the Treasury.[2][7] He then served with the United Nations in Malaysia.[5][8]

Mahadeva was chairman of the National Development Bank and DFCC Bank and a director of People's Bank.[1][2] He was chairman of Lanka Tiles Ltd and Lanka Wall Tiles Ltd and director of several private companies.[9][10] He was chairman of the Presidential Privatisation Commission and a member of the Securities and Exchange Commission.[5][11]

Mahadeva was chairman of the boards of trustees for Sri Ponnambalavaneeswara Temple and Sri Arunachaleswara Temple.[2] He was awarded the Deshamanya title, the second highest Sri Lankan national honour, in 1990.[12]

Mahadeva died on 29 November 2013.[2][7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Arumugam, S. (1997). Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon. p. 95.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Deshamanya Baku Mahadeva passes away". The Sunday Times. 1 December 2013.
  3. ↑ de Silva, Raja (13 June 2004). "Memories of an upright man: C.A. Coorey". The Sunday Times.
  4. ↑ de Silva, Charitha P. (11 July 2004). "Chandana Aelian Coorey". The Sunday Leader.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Annual Report 2007" (PDF). Overseas Reality (Ceylon) PLC. p. 11.
  6. 1 2 "Obituaries". Sunday Observer. 1 December 2013. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  7. 1 2 3 "Death of Baku Mahadeva". Sunday Island. 1 December 2013.
  8. ↑ "Baku Mahadeva passes away". The Nation. 1 December 2013. Archived from the original on 4 December 2013.
  9. ↑ "Parquet reviving under new ownership". The Island. 18 January 2004.
  10. ↑ "Death of Baku Mahadeva". Sunday Observer. 1 December 2013. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  11. ↑ Ladduwahetty, Ravi (15 November 2011). "'I was held at gun point at home during peoplisation of United Motors'". The Island.
  12. ↑ "National Awards". Presidential Secretariat.
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