S. Kanapathipillai

Who was S. Kanapathipillai?

S. Kanapathipillai was a minority Sri Lankan Tamil literary figure and Hindu revivalist in the school of Arumuga Navalar. His father was Sinnathamby Pillai of Madduvil. Kanapathipillai was enrolled at the Navalar Kaaviya Paadasalai, under Kumaraswamy Pulavar, where he pursued higher studies in classical Tamil and literature. He was also guided by Swami Vipulananda, while still a student at the Navalar Kaaviya Paadasalai.

In 1925, he became one of only four people from Jaffna who had been bestowed the Pandithar qualification by the Madurai Tamil Sangam. Kanapathipillai was a trained teacher and was in charge of the Saiva Teachers Training School at Thirunelveli, Jaffna, from 1929 until he retired. He was also knowledgeable about Sanskrit, about Saiva Siddhanta and is a revered Tamil scholar of high repute and was given the title of "Pandithamani". In his last years he lived at his residence in "Kalasalai Veedi" in Thirunelveli, Jaffna.