Background
His father was Samuel J.C.Kadirgamar Senior, Justice of the Peace, University of Malaya a Proctor, who was the President of the Colombo Proctor"s Association and the founder President of the Law Society of Ceylon.
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Rajan Kadiragamar
Edit Profilecaptain admiral Ceylonese Captain
Education
Kadirgamar was educated at Royal College, Colombo, where he was the senior sergeant of the cadet contingent and played rugby in the annual Bradby Shield Encounter. After completing his officer training he graduated, winning the Sword of Honour at the passing out parade at Trincomalee, in 1941.
Career
He was the second Ceylonese Captain of the Royal Ceylon Navy from 1960 to 1970 and as such the longest serving Commander of the Navy. He had three brothers. With the outbreak of World World War II, Kadirgamar joined the Ceylon Naval Volunteer Force as a cadet officer
He was thereafter commissioned as a probationary Sub Lieutenant in the Ceylon Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (CRNVR) on 1 January 1942 and was attached to the Royal Navy for the duration of the war.
During this time he served on board ships of the Eastern Fleet and saw action off the cost of Burma. Following the general demobilization at the end of the war Kadirgamar, who was now a Lieutenant, remained in the CRNVR and in 1946 led the CRNVR"s contingent in the victory parade in London.
In 1949 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. With the formation of the Royal Ceylon Navy in 1950 he was commissioned as a regular officer with the rank of Lieutenant Commander.
In 1951 he was made the commanding officer of HMCyS Vijaya the first ship of the new navy.
In 1960 he was made acting Captain of the Navy with promotion to the rank of temporary Commodore, when Rear Admiral Royce de Mel was relieved of command following an inquiry into officers smuggling contraband. When a coup d"étata was attempted in 1962, which included de Mel, Kadirgamar was targeted by the coup and was planned to be held under house arrest. The coup failed and its leaders arrested shortly.
In 1964 his appointment was confirmed and he served as Captain of the Navy until his retirement in 1970 with the rank of Rear Admiral.
Even though funding was cut and recruitment halted in the navy by the government, he established the Naval and Maritime Academy in Trincomalee. He was a working director at Portuguese Cargo Corporation and played a major role in establishing the Ceylon Shipping Corporation.
He had also served as extra aide-de-camp to three Governor-Generals. He also served as President of the Swimming Union.
Achievements
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Taking successive commands at sea and in shore establishments of the now growing navy, he was promoted to the ranks of Commander in 1955 and Captain in 1959, by which time he was Chief of Staff of the Navy. Kadirgamar was appointed a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) for service to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and had been awarded the 1939-1945 Star, the Burma Star for war service from 1939–1945. Foreign service in the Royal Ceylon Navy he received the service medals Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal, Ceylon Armed Services Inauguration Medal and the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Meda
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Born
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Nationality
Sri Lankan -
Religion
Protestant