Sahayaseeli Pedhuruppillai, alias Malathi (or Malathy) (1967–1987), was a female Sri Lankan Tamil Tigers fighter, the first to die in combat, hence revered as the first female martyr. Her death anniversary is commemorated as ''Women's Awakening day''. Her death is significant as later females joined the Tamil Tigers at all levels and played significant roles (including the

Black Tigers The Black Tigers () was an elite suicide commando (special operations capable) unit of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a militant Tamil separatist organization in Sri Lanka. They were specially selected and trained LTTE cadres who ...

). On 10 October 1987, Malathi was injured in combat when an LTTE women unit, which she was leading, was confronted by the

IPKF Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) was the Indian military contingent performing a peacekeeping operation in Sri Lanka between 1987 and 1990. It was formed under the mandate of the 1987 Indo-Sri Lankan Accord that aimed to end the Sri Lanka ...

near Navatkuli-Kopay Road in

Kopay Kopay () is a Sri Lankan town about 4 km from the city of Jaffna along Point Pedro road. An agricultural town consisting mainly of vegetable farms, paddy fields and coconut gardens. The suburb Kopay has several scholars because of very strong ...

near

Jaffna Jaffna (, ; , ) is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka, Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna District located on a Jaffna Peninsula, peninsula of the same name. With a population o ...

. Although clearly overwhelmingly outnumbered by the IPKF soldiers with far superior firepower, her team still successfully blocked and retaliated the IPKF and forced the IPKF to withdraw. In the battle, she was bleeding profusely and rendered immobile when her fellow fighter soldier girls rescued her. Malathi, realizing the grave situation, wanted the girls to leave her and go on with the fight, and then took her cyanide capsule to avoid being captured. Tamil Tigers called one of their brigades the Malathi Brigade in honour of her and built a memorial for her in

Kilinochchi Kilinochchi (; ) is the main town of Kilinochchi District, Northern Province of Sri Lanka. Kilinochchi is situated at the A9 road some south-east of Jaffna. It was the administrative center and de facto capital of the LTTE (Tamil Tigers) until ...

which was opened on October 10, 2004.

References

{{Authority control Sri Lankan Tamil rebels Sri Lankan Tamil people Sri Lankan rebels Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam members 1987 deaths 1967 births