Rajan Kadiragamar

Infobox Military Person
name=Rajan Kadiragamar
lived=1922 - ??
placeofbirth=
placeofdeath=


caption=
nickname=
allegiance= flagicon|Sri Lanka Sri Lanka
serviceyears= 1941-1970
rank=Rear Admiral
branch=Royal Ceylon Navy (1950-1970),
Royal Ceylon Volunteer Naval Force (1941-1950)
commands= Captain of the Royal Ceylon Navy
unit=
battles= World War II
awards=Member of the Royal Victorian Order,
Burma Star
laterwork=
Rear Admiral Rajanathan "Rajan" Kadiragamar, MVO, ADC, RCyN (1922-??) was the second native Captain of the Royal Ceylon Navy (at present referred to as Commander of the Navy) from 1960 to 1970 and as such the longest serving Captain of the Navy.

Early life & education

Kadiragamar came from a Tamil protestant Vellala family with deep roots in Jaffna, his father was Sam J.C.Kadirgamar Sr. He was the brother of Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs Lakshman Kadirgamar, PC , S.J.C.Kadirgamar Jr., QC and Colonel Bai Kadirgamar.

Educated at the prestigious Royal College, Colombo where he was the senior sergeant of the cadet contingent.

Naval career

With the out break of World War II Kadiragamar joined the Ceylon Naval Volunteer Force as a cadet officer, completed and took the Sword of Honour passing out parade at Trincomalee in 1941. He was commissioned as a probationary Sub Lieutenant in the Ceylon Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (CRNVR) on 1 January 1942 and was attached to the Royal Navy. During the war he served on broad ships of the Eastern Fleet and saw action off the cost of Burma. Following the general demobilization at the end of the war, he remained in the CRNVR and in 1946 led the CRNVR's contingent in the victory parade in London. In 1949 he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander.

With the formation of the Royal Ceylon Navy in 1950 he became a regular officer in it. In 1951 he was made the commanding officer of HMCyS Vijaya the first ship of the new navy. He was promoted to Commander in 1955, Captain in 1959 and temporary Commodore in 1960 (confirmed 1964) that year he was made acting Captain of the Navy after Rear Admiral G.R.M. De Mel was relived of command. In the capacity of Captain of the Navy he severed for ten years retiring in 1970 with the rank of Rear Admiral. During that time he was appointed as working director at Port Cargo Corporation.

Rear Admiral Kadiragamar had been awarded the 1939-1945 Star and the Burma Star for war service from 1939 - 1945 and for service for the RCyN the Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal, the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal and the Ceylon Armed Services Inauguration Medal. He had also severed as extra Aid-de-Camp to three Governor-Generals.

ee also

* Lakshman Kadirgamar

External links

* [http://www.navy.lk Sri Lanka Navy]
* [http://www.navy.lk/index.php?id=34 Rear Admiral R. Kadiragamar, MVO - Royal Ceylon Navy]