Background
Niles was born on 4 May 1908 in Tellippalai in northern Ceylon. He was the son of district judge W. D. Niles and Rani Muthamma.
Niles was born on 4 May 1908 in Tellippalai in northern Ceylon. He was the son of district judge W. D. Niles and Rani Muthamma.
He was educated at Jaffna Central College.
After school he received theological training at United Theological College, Bangalore between 1920 and 1933. Mailvaganam married Dulcie Solomons in 1935. They had two sons (Preman and Wesley Dayalan).
After returning to Ceylon Niles taught at Jaffna Central College until 1936.
He was then ordained as a priest and became District Evangelist for the North District of the Methodist Church of Ceylon. Niles became general secretary of the National Christian Council of Ceylon.
He was general secretary and later chairman of the East Asian Christian Conference. Niles was pastor of the Methodist Church in Point Pedro (1946-1950).
Pastor at Maradana (1950-1953).
Principal of Jaffna Central College (1956-1962). And superintendent minister at Saint Peter"s Church, Jaffna (1953-1959). He was elected chairman of the North Ceylon Syndod and president of the Ceylon Methodist Conference in 1964.
Niles died on 17 July 1970.