Research Committee

Professor & Head, Department of Saiva Siddhanta & Department of Philosophy, University of Madras

Professor, Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics, Griffith University, Australia

Joseph Chandrakanthan received his PhD from the University of Ottawa and ThD from St.Paul University in Ottawa. He was Associate Professor and Founding Head of the Department of Christian and Islamic & Civilizations at the University of Jaffna where he taught there for seventeen years. Returning to Canada in 1996 he was Professor of Theology and Ethics at Concordia University in Montreal and in 1999 became Associate Professor in the Department for the Study of Religion and Senior Bioethicist at the University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethcis. Currently he is an Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Theology in the Univerity of Toronto . His areas of research and publications include Religious Sociology, Philopshy, and Literature, especially Buddhist, Hindu and SaiviteTamil Literature of the Pre-modern and modern periods. He has presented papers at several national and international conferences on Religion & Ethics and has given invited public lectures at several European and American Universities including University of Oxford, Uppsala University in Sweden and the State University of New York.

Full Name: Prof. Dr. Sinnathamby Santhirasegaram Academic Position: Professor in Tamil University Education: Ph.D in Tamil , Eastern University, Sri Lanka. M.Phil in Tamil, Eastern University, Sri Lanka. B.A.Hons., (Second Class – Upper Division) in Tamil, Eastern University, Sri Lanka. Post graduate diploma in Education , Open University of Sri Lanka. Academic Profession: Professor in Tamil at the Department of Tamil Studies, Eastern University, SL

Professor Dr. Nagaraja Iyer Subramanian
Born in Mulliyawala, Mullaitivu District, Sri Lanka, Subramanian, the youngest son of J. Nagaraja Iyer and Neelambaal, received his primary and secondary education at Kalaimagal Vidyalayam and Vidhyanananda College in the same town. He received his B.A. Hons and M.A. degrees in Tamil from the University of Peradeniya and his Ph.D. from the University of Jaffna. He worked as an assistant lecturer in the Tamil Department of the University of Jaffna and gradually rose to the positions of lecturer, senior lecturer, head of the department and professor in the same department. He took voluntary retirement in 2002 and later went to Tamil Nadu and lived for some time. He migrated to Canada in 2005 and is now a Canadian citizen. N., who is a descendant of the “Kandhapurana culture” of Eelam, Subramanian acquired Tamil knowledge at a young age through the process of reading and interpreting the Puranas known as “Purana Patanam”. Due to that engagement, he also became a person who understood and explored the ancient and modern literary and grammatical scope of Tamil through extensive reading by the age of ten.

Thus, he further refined and enriched the Tamil knowledge he acquired through the Purana Patana tradition and through wide reading through university education. In addition, he has established very close ties with the Tamil studies environment of Tamil Nadu and continues to maintain that relationship. He has also been working as an External Examiner for doctoral studies in the Tamil departments of many universities in Tamil Nadu for more than thirty years. In addition, since last year, he has been delivering lectures online for some of the postgraduate courses related to the Department of Saiva Siddhanta of the University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka. Through such academic series of activities, he has established himself as a researcher and critic in Tamil studies and a lecturer in the fields of literature and religious philosophy at an international level. He has written hundreds of research articles and has written and published nine books by 2005, when he immigrated to Canada.

The titles and years of publication of his books are as follows:

1. Eelam Tamil Novel Literature — 1978, 2009
2. Indian Thought Tradition — 1993, 1996
3. Dr. K. Kailasapathy in Tamil Studies — 1999
4. Nalvar Uvayum Vaakum — 2002
5. Kandapuranam: A Cultural Repository — 2002
6. Dr. N. Subramanian's Studies, Views, and Writings — Part 1 — 2005
7. Dr. N. Subramanian's Studies, Views, and Writings — Part 2 — 2005
8. The Voice of Time — 2005
9. Erode Tamilanban Poems from the Perspective of Effective Research — 2005

Among these, he has co-authored the book “Indian Thought Tradition” with his partner, Dr. Kausalya. Dr. N. Subramanian, as a cultural educator, is actively involved in many cultural institutions of the Tamil environment in Canada. He is the Head of the Faculty of Higher Education of the “Canadian Tamil College”, where he leads undergraduate and postgraduate classes. Furthermore, he has also taken on a new role as the President of the “International Tamil Research Forum — Canada” (IATR Canada) from 23-12-2024. Apart from these, he is also leading educational activities related to social and cultural institutions such as “Toronto Tamil Society”, “Thinking Field” — Music, Dance — and “Forestry Research Forum”.

The Toronto Tamil Society, of which he is one of the directors, has become a global platform for high-level discussions on all aspects of Tamil Studies. The organization, which was started in February 2014, has organized 174 high-level seminars in the last twelve years. It is also noteworthy that it successfully organized the 6th International Thirukkural Conference in Toronto on September 19, 20, and 21, 2025, in collaboration with the Institute of Asian Studies of Tamil Nadu and the University of Toronto. His research on “Tamil Literary Criticism” and “The Overall Dynamics of Tamil Studies” has been ongoing for the past several years. In particular, he continues to write and speak on the background of the formation of Sangam literature, Tolkappiyam, Thirukkural, Silappathikaram and Manimekalai, and on the aesthetic traditions of Tamils ​​and modern critical thinking. His writings on these topics are regularly published in the magazine “Gnanam” of Eelam, in magazines such as “Thaiveedu”, “Pathivugal” (Pathivugal.com), “Uthayan” etc. published in Canada, and in other magazines of international standing. Dr. N. Subramanian has received many high-level honors in Eelam, Tamil Nadu and Canada for his writing efforts, lectures and activities related to cultural institutions.

Some of them are as follows:

1. Gold Medal — 1968 First Prize for the work “Peradhanai Thirumurugan Atrupadhi” — Ceylon University Hindu Council.
2. “Vidyabhushanam” Award — 1978 Honorary Award for Religious and Philosophical Excellence — Ceylon Nallai Aatheenam.
3. Thambimuthupillai Kanakasundaram Pillai Memorial Research Prize — 1985 Award given annually by the University of Jaffna to those who have successfully completed their PhD thesis.
4. “Thirukkural” Award — 1992 Honorary Award given by the “World Centre for Advanced Study of Thirukkural” in Chennai for Thirukkural Excellence.
5. “Sakithya Mandal” Award of the Government of Sri Lanka — 1993 Awarded for the book “Indian Thought Tradition”.
6. Tamil Valarchi Kazhagam Award — Government of Tamil Nadu — 1993 Awarded for the book “Indian Thought Tradition”.
7. “Srividya Bhushan” Award — 2006 Recognition for religious and philosophical scholarship — Toronto, Canada, Merupuram Bhadrakali Ambal Devasthanam.
8. “Tamilhar Agam” Award — 2007 Presented by the “Tamilhar Agam” magazine company in Canada in recognition of Tamil works.
9. “Literary Great Scholar” Award — 2007 Recognition for literary discourse — Toronto, Canada, Varasidhi Vinayagar Devasthanam.
10. “Puranapothakar” Award — 2008 Presented by the Canadian Hindu Council in recognition of the excellence of the Kanda Purana.
11. Canada Literary Garden Award — 2010 Award for the best research book of the year 2009. Book: “Eelamthut Tamil Novel Ilakyam” — 2nd edition, 2009.
12. Tamil Mirror Award — 2015 An honor given by the Toronto Tamil Mirror magazine, Canada, in recognition of social and cultural contributions.
13. “Kalaratna” — 2017 An honor given by the Hindu Priests’ Union of Canada for social and cultural contributions.
14. “Uthayan” Award — 2018 An honor given by the “Uthayan” magazine, Canada, for social and cultural contributions.
    Lifetime Achievement Awards were given by the following five organizations:
    1. Erodu Tamilanban Readers’ Association — 2019
    2. Canadian Tamil Writers’ Network — 2023
    3. Canadian Tamil Sangam — 2024
    4. Venmary Foundation — 2024
    5. Canadian Tamil College — 2025

Dr. N. Subramanian, who has received the above-mentioned social honors, has recently been focusing on compiling and formatting many of the writings that have not been published in book form since 2005. The driving force behind Professor Dr. N. Subramanian's academic leadership and social and cultural activities is his life partner and research assistant, Dr. Mrs. Kausalya. Dr. Kausalya, who has developed expertise in the fields of musicology, drama-theater and journalism-public relations, considers family management and research as two eyes.

He holds a Ph.D. in music and has published Dr. N. Subramanian’s books “Studies, Views, Records” Part 1, Part 2 and “Voice of Time”. His doctoral thesis “Types of Music in Tamil — A Study Focusing on Arivanar’s Panchamarapu” was published in book form in 2017. His subsequent book “Thoughts on Music in Tamil” was also published in the same year. Currently, since December 2020, he has established an online organization called “Thought Zone” through which he is conducting high-level global discussions on the fields of music and dance.

EMERITUS PROFESSOR DR. ARUNASALAM SANMUGADAS Born on 2nd January 1940 in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. Graduated from University of Ceylon in 1963 and obtained his Doctorate in Linguistics from University of Edinburgh, Scotland, supervised by Professor R.E. Asher in 1972. Had been teaching in Sri Lankan Universities for more than 40 years. At present he is affliated with University of Jaffna as an Emeritus Professor in Tamil. Had been a visiting Professor at Gakushuin University in Japan and University of Ibadan in Nigeria. Has published more than 40 books. With Mr. Wimal Saminathan and Dr. S. Manonmani I have translated Kuruntokai into Sinhala language in The Central Institurte of Classical Tamil.

I was awarded Senior Research Fellowship by The Japan Foundation in 1983. Government of Sri Lanka awarded ‘Sahitya Ratna’ in 2008 for my services for literary studies. Attended and presented papers at the World Tamil Teachers Conferences held in Singapore, Malaysia, Madras, Mauritius and South Africa. For advising and organizing “The Great Festival of Thirukkural” in Sri Lanka in 2019, the “President’s Award” was awarded to me. World Tamil Sangam Madurai awarded me its ‘Prize for Tamil Grammar’ in the year 2020. I was appointed as the Director of The Media Resources and Training Centre established in University of Jaffna with the financial assistance from Denmark and Norway from 2005. UNESCO awarded me a Scholarship to visit Departments of Media Studies in New Delhi, Bharathyar, Manonmaniyam Sundaranar and Chennai Universities in India and the Media College in Argos in Denmark. I was the first President of Jaffna Tamil Sangam and now as Senior President. From 2019, I am functioning as the one of the General Secretaries of International Association For Tamil Research.

Mrs. Vijitha Thivakaran Head, Department of Tamil Studies Faculty of Arts and Culture, Eastern University, Sri Lanka.

R. Srinivasan, Ph.D., (1963-) serves as the ‘Secretary and Research Officer’ for the “High-Level Committee on Union-State Relations” under the Government of Tamil Nadu, a position he assumed in June 2025.

Prior to his current role, he served as a Full-Time Member of the State Planning Commission from June 2021 to May 2025. He previously served the Commission in both full-time and part-time capacities between 2006 and 2011.

His policy expertise frequently intersects with educational and fiscal evaluation. Recently, he chaired the Committee to Evaluate Finances of State Universities in Tamil Nadu and served as a member of the State Committee on Education Policy.

Earlier in his career, he also contributed his expertise as an Economist for the state's Tax Reforms and Revenue Augmentation Commission in 2002–2003.

His doctoral thesis, “Union Financial Transfers and Horizontal Equity in India,” laid the academic foundation for his lifelong focus on fiscal federalism.

He began his academic career as a Lecturer in Economics for the governments of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry in 1988. He later enjoyed a long tenure at the University of Madras, teaching postgraduate applied economics in the Department of Econometrics, serving as an Associate Professor from 2008 to 2014 and Professor from 2014 to 2021.

He also held the significant administrative role of University Registrar from October 2017 to October 2020.

R. Srinivasan is actively publishing in peer-reviewed journals, academic books, and mainstream newspapers. His academic work predominantly explores fiscal federalism, multidimensional poverty, state-level economic dynamics, and the impacts of taxation systems such as VAT and GST.

Beyond academia, he is a frequent op-ed contributor to major English-language dailies and magazines, including The Hindu, Frontline, The New Indian Express, and The Hindu Business Line.

Through these platforms, he analyses pressing socio-economic issues such as state election dynamics, central-state financial transfers, and education reform.

He has also authored over 100 columns for Tamil publications like The Hindu (Tamil) and Naanayam Vikatan.

HoD, Department of Christian & Islamic Civilization, University of Jaffna Rev. Prof. J.C. Paul Rohan is a Roman Catholic Priest from the Diocese of Jaffna, Sri Lanka. He is a Professor in Christian Studies and currently serves as the Head of the Department of Christian and Islamic Civilizations at the University of Jaffna.

He has authored and edited several books on Christian philosophy and theology, and has contributed extensively to academic journals and reviews, where he examines the intersections of faith, ethics, language and cultural engagement. Complete academic portfolio is on ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6785-4778

• B.A (Hons) in Tamil with first class – University of Jaffna.  (1987-1992)
• M. Phil in Tamil – University of Jaffna. (1997)
• Post graduate Diploma in journalism and mass communication with Second class upper division, Madurai Kamaraj University, Tamil Nadu, India. (2001)
• Post graduate Diploma in Temple Arts with first class, Karakkudi Alagappa University, Karakkudi, Tamil Nadu, India. (2002)
• PhD in Tamil Literature, Tamil University, Thanjavour, Tamil Nadu, India. (2002) Carrier path

• Senior Professor in Tamil – 24.09.2017 to todate
• Professor – 24.09.2009
• Senior Lecturer Grade – I – 2005
• Senior Lecturer Grade – II – 1999
• Lecturer – 1994
• Assistant Lecturer – 1993

Positions

• Senior Professor in Tamil – 24.09.2017 to todate

Resource Person for Postgraduates Degree Programmes/Diploma Programmes

• Master of Arts in Tamil Degree Programme- Postgraduate Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya
• Postgraduate Diploma in Tamil Diploma Programme- Postgraduate Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya
• Master of Arts in Tamil Degree Programme- Department of Tamil, The South Eastern University, Oluvil
• Master of Arts in Tamil Degree Programme- Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Jaffna, Jaffna
• Master of Arts in Cultural Studies Degree Programme- Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Jaffna, Jaffna
• Higher Diploma in Media Studies- Department of Media Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Jaffna, Jaffna
• Resource Person for M.Phil, PhD Students’ Research Methodology Lecture (For Cultural Studies), Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Jaffna, Jaffna
• Master of Education Degree Programmes Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Jaffna, Jaffna
• Diploma in Journalism, Media Resource Training Centre,  Faculty of Arts, University of Jaffna, Jaffna.

Administrative Positions in University of Jaffna

• Head of Department, Department of Tamil (2010-2016)
• Acting Dean, Faculty of Arts
• Student Counselor, Faculty of Arts
• Sub warden (Part-time)
• Course Coordinator, Master of Arts Degree Programme in Tamil
• Coordinator for Extra Mural Studies
• Coordinator for Media Studies Unit, Faculty of Arts
• Coordinator for Media Resource Training Centre,  Faculty of Arts, University of Jaffna

Chairperson for National and International Conferences

• Chairperson, Humanities Track, Jaffna University International Conference (JUICE), 2014
• Chairperson, Humanities and Fine Arts Track, Jaffna University International Conference (JUICE) 2012
• Chairperson on Tamilology, 1st International Conference on Tamilology conducted by the Department of  Tamil, Faculty of Arts
• Chairperson on Tamilology, 2nd International Conferences on Tamilology conducted by the Department of  Tamil, Faculty of Arts
• Chairperson on Tamilology, 1st International Conference on Saiva conducted by the Department of  Hindu Civilization, Faculty of Arts
• Chairperson on Tamilology,  2nd International Conference on Saiva conducted by the Faculty of Hindu Studies
• Chairperson on Tamilology, 1st International Conferences on Contemporary Management (ICCM) conducted by the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce
• Chairperson on Tamilology, 2nd  International Conferences on Contemporary Management (ICCM) conducted by the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce
• Chairperson on Tamilology, 3rd International Conferences on Contemporary Management (ICCM) conducted by the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce
• Chairperson on Tamilology, 4th  International Conferences on Contemporary Management (ICCM) conducted by the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce
• Chairperson on Tamilology, 5th International Conferences on Contemporary Management (ICCM) conducted by the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce
• Chairperson on Tamilology, 6th  International Conferences on Contemporary Management (ICCM) conducted by the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce
• Chairperson, International Conference on Classical Literature conducted by Lady Doak College and Madurai Kamaraj University, Tamil Nadu, India

Reviewer for International Conference and Refereed Journals University of Peradeniya

• International Conferences in Tamil conducted by the Department of Tamil, Faculty of Arts

University of Jaffna

• Jaffna University International Conferences (JUICE)
• International Conferences on Contemporary Management (ICCM) conducted by the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce
• First and Second International Conferences on Tamilology conducted by the Department of  Tamil, Faculty of Arts
• First International Conference on Saiva conducted by the Department of  Hindu Civilization, Faculty of Arts
• Second International Conference on Saiva conducted by the Faculty of Hindu Studies
• National Research Conference and Exhibition on Indigenous (NRCEM-2017) conducted by the Unit of Siddha Medicine and Norther Province Indigenous Medicine
•  ‘Cinthanai’, a Refereed Journal of Faculty of Arts

The Eastern University of Sri Lanka

• ‘Neithal’ a Refereed Journal of Faculty of Languages and Cultural Studies

External Examiner for Post graduate Studies

• University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
• The Eastern University of Sri Lanka
• The South Eastern University of Sri Lanka
• Buddhist Palli University, Sri Lanka
• The Open University of Sri Lanka
• Madurai Kamaraj University, Tamil Nadu, India
• Madras University, Tamil Nadu, India
• Tamil University, Tanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India
• Woman Teresa University, Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, India
• Gandhi  Gram Rural University, Dhindukal, Tamil Nadu, India
• Pondichery University, Pondichery, India

Chairperson/ Member of University Level Committees and Sub Committees

• Chairman of the Faculty Research Committee (FRC), Faculty of Arts, since 2020
• Member of the Selection Committee for Vice-Chancellor’s Selection
• Member of the Board of Study for the Bachelor of Arts (External Degree Programme)
• Member of the Board of Study for Language Studies, Faculty of Graduate Studies
• Member of the Board of Study for Religion and Philosophical Studies, Faculty of Graduate Studies
• Member of the University Library Committee
• Member of the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC), Faculty of Arts
• Member of the Faculty News Letter Committee, Faculty of Arts
• Member of the University Publication Committee
• Member of the Action Committee on Revision of the Structure and Syllabus of the B.A Degree Programme, 2010
• Member of the Quality Assurance Committee, Faculty of Arts, 2015
• Member of Executive Committee of the University Teachers’ Association, University of Jaffna, 2011
• Member of the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) providing services at Students’ Hostels of University of Jaffna, 2010
• Member of the Sub Committee on Endowment of Saiva Siddhantha Fund
• Member of the Estate Kandhaiya Karthikesan Trust, (2010-2016)

Chairperson/ Member of National Level Committees and Sub Committees

• Member, Selection  Committee of the District Level Literary Competitions, conducted by the Jaffna District Secretariat  , 2014
• Member, Best Book Selection Committee, Department of Cultural Affairs of Eastern Province
• Member, Best Book Selection Committee, Department of Cultural Affairs, Sports and Youth Affairs of Northern Province
• Member, Book Purchasing and  Selection, Ministry of Education, Northern Province
• Member, ‘Kalai Kurisil’,Ilam Kalignar Awards Selection Committee, Ministry of Education, Northern Province
• Member, State Literary Award Committee, Cultural Ministry, Sri Lanka
• Member, Compilation of Text Books under the new syllabus for the year Tamil Language and Literature, Educational Publication Department, Batteramulla
• Member, 2nd National Languages Proficiency Programme for Public Officers, University of Jaffna, 2014
• Member, Monitoring Committee for Development of Translations Skills, Department of Official Languages, Colombo, 2012

Prof. Balasundaram Elayathamby has graduated from Peradeniya University in 1969, and obtained his Ph.D. in 1977. More than 50 years he has been teaching continuously at the universities of Peradeniya, Colombo, Jaffna, and Annamalai Canada. Currently he is the head of Tamil studies at the Distance Education Program of the South Asian Institute of Fine Arts - Annamalai Canada, Toronto.

Prof. Elayathamby received Commonwealth Senior Fellowship and several academic scholarships from the universities in India, UK, USSR, and USA. He has published 23 research books on Tamil classical literature, Folklore, and Tamil Culture and published more than hundred research papers in academic journals and community magazines. He has received two literary Awards from Tamil Nadu Government for: “Tamil culture a New Approach” selected as the Best Research Book for 2015, “Treasure of Tamil Folklore” was        selected as “The Best Literary Scholar for 2021 among Diaspora Tamils”. Canada Literary Garden awarded: “Life & History of Sri Lankan Tamils in Canada – A Documentation of History” for 2017.

Prof. Elayathamby is one of the members of the Editorial Boards of academic Journal ‘Semmozhith Thamizh” and “Thamizhp Peraayvu” of the Indian Studies of the University of Malaysia. Prof. Elayathamby has participated in various international conferences:  IATR, IMTC, FeTNA, World Thirukkural Conferences, World Folk Drama Conference, World Tolkappiyam Conference, Fourth European Tamil Paris Conference are a few of them. He is the External Adjudicator for D. Lit. & Ph.D. thesis for Universities of Madras, Annamalai, Madurai, Bhathidasan, & Mother Teresa Women’s University.   

Prof.  Elayathamby has received community and Cultural excellent service Awards and Lifetime Achievements Awards from the Ontario Government, Community Organizations, and Tamil media. He holds executive positions in community, cultural and educational Associations in Canada. 

Abina Nimalraj holds a Master's degree in Peace and Conflict Studies and a Bachelor's degree in Political Science. She currently works in the nonprofit sector, supporting community initiatives and partnerships focused on social impact.

Her academic and professional interests include transitional justice, human rights, peacebuilding, and post-conflict reconciliation, with a particular focus on the Eelam Tamil struggle. She is passionate about advancing research that contributes to justice, preserves historical memory, and promotes meaningful dialogue within the global Tamil community.

As a member of the Eelam Tamil diaspora, Abina is committed to preserving Tamil heritage while supporting initiatives that strengthen scholarship, community engagement, and cultural continuity. Beyond her professional work, she has trained in Bharathanatyam for over 16 years and remains actively involved in community initiatives that promote Tamil culture and social impact.