Eminent Agriculturist

By L.B.Senarate

A farmer’s son from the backwoods of Jaffna  from the rural; village of Alaveddy was awarded the ” “SriLankoRAA eminent Agtriculutralist  Award ” at the 25th Annivsary of the Agricultuar  of the Deartment of Agriculute.

The symposium was the gathering of the elite of Agriculturists of Sri Lnaka who had gathered to present their Research findings before an ‘ august ‘ assembly.

Professor Emeritus Chellian Sivayogannathan  was from the backwoods of Jaffna having had his primary education Sathananda Vidyalam, in Alaveddy – a distance of 14 Kilometers from Jaffna Town.. 

He with his brother and three sisters helped his famer father to cultivate onions and vegetables in a one acre plot of land of his father –  a farmer.  They did so after school hours when they came home and it  was a lucatic employment to keep the fires burning.

Chellian Sivaogananthan after his primary education entered the Mahakjanma Colleg of Tellippalai and  with his academic excellence  gained admission to he Univerwsity of Ceylon.Peradeniya ( as it was called then )  He pursued this studies and was  able to earn the Bachelors Degree in Agriculture and was the last battch to udnertake the protramm at the Faulty of Science to complete teh Degree in 1971

He began his career as a Research officer  in November 1971 at the Agricultural Research Station at Maha=Illuppallama..  He became an Assistant Lecturer in the Department o Agricultural Economici and Farm Mangement at the University of Peradeniya.  In 1979 he earned a Master’s from the University of Queensland, Australia.

With a USAID Fellowsjip he pursured to obtain a Ph.D in 1982.  Aftet his retrn he was promoted as  a Lecturer in January 1983, followed by a promotion to Associate Profesorship in 1993 and Professor in 1999.  For his exceptional contributions he earned the title of Senior Professor in 2007.

He had collaborated with Organizations like FAO, JICA,GIZ and CIDA,which contributed to three ear decade whene he supervused 10 PH.D’s 6 M.  Philstudnets and published 35 peer -reviwed research papers.

When he retired in 2014 he was honored with the Title of Professor Emeritus by the University of Peradeniya.

Thw Award :” SriLankaKoRRA Eminent Agriculturist Award of ASDA was p;resetned by the Direcvtror of Agriculture  (Ms)Kanani Ranathunge with the associton of Dr.Ms Shiromi Edrimanne ( Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture who was the Chief Guest at this gathering of Agrciulture Scientiists.

Phtorfaphs befoow indicate Professor  Emertitus Chellian Sivayogananthan been awarded the plaque and cash  prixe awarded by Dr.Pae Doham – ( Director of KOPIA, onm Sri Lnaka.).