Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam

 Arunachalam was also a prominent political figure, and was a founder of the Ceylon National Congress, which advocated for Sri Lankan independence from British rule. He served as a member of the legislative council, and later as a member of the executive council, where he worked to promote the interests of the Tamil community.Arunachalam was knighted by the British government in 1915, and was the first Sri Lankan Tamil to be so honored. He continued to work for the betterment of the Tamil community until his death in 1924, and is remembered as a pioneering figure in Sri Lankan Tamil politics and culture.