Jeevan Thondaman

Jeevan Kumaravel Thondaman (; born 9 November 1994) is a Sri Lankan politician, Member of Parliament and former Cabinet minister.

Early life and education

Thondaman was born on 9 November 1994 into a prominent political family. He is the son of Arumugam Thondaman and the great-grandson of Savumiamoorthy Thondaman, both of whom were leaders of the Ceylon Workers' Congress (CWC) and government ministers.
He was educated at Gateway Primary School, Colombo; Lady Andal, Chennai and Chinmaya International Residential School, Coimbatore. Thondaman later pursued higher education at Northumbria University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree in 2017.

Political career

After completing his education, Thondaman initially interned at a law firm in London before returning to Sri Lanka to assist his father in political and trade union work. He then returned to Sri Lanka to assist his father in his political and trade union work. In December 2017 a court order was issued to arrest him in connection with an assault on a National Union of Workers supporter at a funeral in Maskeliya.

In June 2020, following the death of his father, Thondaman was appointed general secretary of the CWC. At the funeral of his father, Arumugam Thondaman, in 2020, Thondaman faced criticism for allegedly using the funeral procession as a political campaign, violating election and quarantine laws during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) accused him of parading through multiple electorates in an open vehicle, while election authorities remained silent. The five-day funeral, which drew large crowds, was condemned by professional bodies like the GMOA, which warned of a potential second wave of COVID-19, and the Public Health Inspectors' Union, which threatened legal action if the event caused a new infection cluster.

He contested the 2020 parliamentary election as a Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance candidate in the Nuwara Eliya District and was successfully elected to the Parliament of Sri Lanka. After the 2020 election, he was appointed State Minister of Estate Housing and Community Infrastructure, becoming the Sri Lanka's youngest-ever Cabinet Minister.

During the 2024 national Thai Pongal celebrations in Hatton, Thondaman faced criticism for inviting prominent South Indian actresses, including Aishwarya Rajesh and Samyuktha Menon, amid national austerity measures. Political opponents, such as Letchumanar Sanjay from the SJB, deemed the lavish event inappropriate given local economic hardships, including student dropouts and food insecurity, and questioned the use of taxpayer funds. Thondaman defended his actions, emphasizing the festival's cultural significance and the potential economic benefits of attracting tourism through celebrity participation.

In April 2024, Thondaman was recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. He was the first Sri Lankan Minister to receive this honour, which acknowledges his work in improving access to clean water and advocating for social justice. The recognition highlighted his initiatives to improve living conditions for marginalized communities and his innovative approach to leadership in the water sector. Thondaman emphasised that the recognition was a testament to the resilience of the Sri Lankan people and expressed his commitment to using the platform to foster international collaboration and promote entrepreneurship among Sri Lankan youth.

In May 2024, Thondaman became embroiled in a legal controversy involving the Pedro Tea Factory, owned by Kelani Valley Plantations PLC, after allegedly entering the facility with supporters, threatening management, and detaining the CEO to demand the reinstatement of suspended workers. The Nuwara Eliya Magistrate's Court issued an arrest order, but when Thondaman surrendered on July 29, 2024, the court refrained from arresting him due to incomplete investigations. The Planters' Association strongly condemned his actions, calling for accountability in the plantation sector.

Electoral history

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thondaman, Jeevan
1994 births
Alumni of Northumbria University
Tamil politicians
Ceylon Workers' Congress politicians
Living people
Members of the 16th Parliament of Sri Lanka
Members of the 17th Parliament of Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan Hindus
Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance politicians
State ministers of Sri Lanka
Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka