Jump to content

T. Somasekaram

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Thamotharam Somasekaram)

Sri Lanka Sikhamani
Thamotharam Somasekaram
FRGS
37th Surveyor General of Sri Lanka
In office
1991–1992
Preceded byE. M. Perera
Succeeded byS. Berugoda
Personal details
Born(1934-09-22)22 September 1934
Died11 March 2010(2010-03-11) (aged 75)
Alma materJaffna Hindu College
University of Ceylon
Fitzwilliam College
Ohio State University
ProfessionSurveyor
EthnicitySri Lankan Tamil

Sri Lanka Sikhamani Thamotharam Somasekaram (22 September 1934 – 11 March 2010) was a leading Sri Lankan Tamil geographer and Surveyor General.

Early life and family

[edit]

Somasekaram was born on 22 September 1934.[1] He was educated at the Jaffna Hindu College.[2][3] After school he joined the University of Ceylon, Colombo from where he graduated in 1956 with a BSc degree.[1][4][5]

Somasekaram married Sathanithi. They had three children (Damayanthi, Jayanthi and Arjun).[6][7]

Career

[edit]

After university Somasekaram joined the Government Survey Department as an Assistant Superintendent of Surveys.[1][4] A year later he joined Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge in 1958 to study the Part II course in geography, which he completed in 1959.[1] On returning to Ceylon he rejoined the Survey Department.[1][4] He became Superintendent of Surveys in 1967, Assistant Surveyor General in 1971 and Deputy Surveyor General in 1973.[1][4] The latter position made in head of the Institute of Surveying and Mapping.[4]

Somasekaram joined the Ohio State University in 1976 on a United Nations Fellowship, graduating with an MSc in Geodesy and Cartography.[1][4][5]

Somasekaram became Surveyor General in 1991.[1][8] He came up with the idea of the Sri Lankan Atlas and chaired the committee charged with creating it.[1][4] He was awarded the Sri Lanka Sikhamani title, a Sri Lankan national honour, in 1990 for this work.[1]

Somasekaram was president of the Surveyors' Institute of Sri Lanka (1985–87) and the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science.[1][4][9] In 1998 he was admitted as a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and received an honorary doctorate from the University of Jaffna.[1][4] He was vice-president of the Organisation of Professional Associations of Sri Lanka between 1985 and 1991 and a member of the Canadian Institute of Geomatics.[4]

Later life

[edit]

Somasekaram wrote a number of books after retirement.[4] Among them are: Surveying Stories,[10] and Arjuna's A-Z Street Guide.[11]

He died on 11 March 2010.[1][7]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Fitzwilliam Journal 2012" (PDF). Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 May 2014.
  2. ^ Somasekaram, T. (23 March 2004). "Memorial for IPKF". The Island (Sri Lanka).
  3. ^ Somasekaram, T. (6 April 2002). "Reconditioning the public service". Daily News (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 22 December 2004.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Mahaarachchi, R. (16 May 2010). "Mapping the life of a fine man and outstanding Surveyor General". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka).
  5. ^ a b "258th Commencement" (PDF). Ohio State University. Autumn 1976. p. 11.
  6. ^ "Dr.T.Somasekaram former Surveyor General of Sri Lanka and Jaffna Hindu College Oldboy passed away". Tamil Sydney. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016.
  7. ^ a b "Obituaries". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 12 March 2010. Archived from the original on 15 March 2010.
  8. ^ "History". Department of Survey (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 16 April 2014.
  9. ^ "About SISL". The Surveyors' Institute of Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 5 August 2013.
  10. ^ Somasekaram, T (January 2001). Surveying Stories. Dehiwela, Sri Lanka: Arjuna Consulting Co. Ltd (published 2001). ISBN 955-9276-05-0.
  11. ^ Somasekaram, T (2000). Arjuna's A-Z Street Guide (2nd ed.). Dehiwela, Sri Lanka: Arjuna Consulting Co. Ltd. ISBN 955-9276-00-X.
Government offices
Preceded by Surveyor General of Sri Lanka
1991–1992 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=T._Somasekaram&oldid=1223919021"