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D. S. Ramanathan
D. S. Ramanathan (Tamil: டி. எஸ். ராமநாதன்) was a Malaysian politician, teacher, unionist, Malayan Army and educationist of Ceylonese origin. He was a member as well as chairman of the Labour Party of Malaya, and subsequently joined the Malaysian Indian Congress.[1] Besides that, Ramanathan also served as the first mayor for the city of George Town, and is credited for his pioneering efforts to set up a university in Penang.[2][3] The idea of a university in Penang was first mooted by him in 1959 in the State Assembly and later crystallised when he was nominated chairman of the Penang University Project committee. The Universiti Sains Malaysia opened in 1969 and is today one of the leading tertiary institutions of learning in Malaysia. Early lifeD. S. Ramanathan was born to a Sri Lanka Tamil family. He later married to Ruth Vanniasingham. D.S Ramanathan work as teacher on early days before joining politics.[4] He joined the Labour Party of Malaya and when in 1956, George Town was the first municipality in the Federation of Malaya to have a fully elected council, he became active in that arena. His time as the mayor of George Town lasted from 1958 to 1960.[5] The former teacher, who began his career in Perak, was also concurrently the president of the National Union of Teachers from 1959 to 1962 as well as vice-president of the Malayan Teachers National Congress from 1961-1962.[6] During that period, he was also an active member of the National Joint Council of Teachers. Even, after finishing his term as mayor, he was appointed as the headmaster of the Penang Pykett Methodist School. In 1963, Ramanathan levelled allegations of malpractice and misconduct against members of the George Town council, and this triggered his departure from the Labour Party. He first became an indenpendent politician before joining MIC.[7] His son John passed away in 1970 and DS Ramanathan himself died in 1973 in Kuala Lumpur.[8] His wife Ruth passed away in December 2015. At the time his surviving children were David, Sarojini Ruth, Peter and Lakhshmi Lucy.[9] MemorialsD. S. Ramanathan RoadScott Road, a small road off Air Rajah Road, has been renamed in honour of Ramanathan.[10] References
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