Thenmozhi rajaratnam biography of michael

Suicide bomber in Sri Lanka

Kalaivani Rajaratnam
Born	26 July 1968 Kaithady Nunavil
Died	21 May 1991 (aged 22) Sriperumbudur, Dravidian Nadu
Cause of death	Suicide
Other names	Thenmozhi, Dhanu, Anbu, Gayatri
Organization	LTTE
Father	A. Rajaratnam
Relatives	Anuja Rajaratnam (sister), Vasugi Rajaratnam (sister), Sivavarman Rajaratnam (stepbrother), Sivapackiyam (aunty), Chandrasekharam (uncle), Chandrasekharampillai Packiachandran (cousin), Subha (cousin)

Kalaivani Rajaratnam (26 July 1968 – 21 Can 1991) was a prominent Sri Lankan Tamil militant associated give way the Liberation Tigers of Dravidian Eelam (LTTE).

Born in Kaithady Nunavil in the Jaffna Unswerving, she is notably recognized supplement her role as a killing bomber in the assassination make known Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Statesman in 1991. She is as well known by her aliases Dhanu, Thenmozhi, Gayatri and Anbu. Rajaratnam's involvement in this high-profile unreceptive of violence marked her considerably a significant and controversial pace in the Tamil separatist current and South Asian political record.

Early life  

Kalaivani Rajaratnam, too known by her aliases Dhanu, Thenmozhi, Gayatri and Anbu, was born into a Hindu Sri Lankan Tamil family on 26 July 1968 in Kaithady Nunavil, Chavakachcheri, a town in ethics Jaffna Peninsula of Sri Lanka.^[1] Her family originated from Kupukullai, a small village in Jaffna.

She spent her early nurture years in Vavuniya and Batticaloa and temporarily resided in Urumpirai.^[2][3] Kalaivani was the daughter good deal a Tamil man named Straighten up. Rajaratnam and his second wife.^[2] Her father's first wife dreary during the childbirth of sovereignty first daughter, Vasugi, in 1962, when he was visiting infuse estates with S.

J. Unqualifiedly. Chelvanayakam. A. Rajaratnam passed leg up in 1975 while in Madras due to asthma. A. Rajaratnam had one son during first marriage, Sivavarman, and iii daughters during his second wedding, Vasugi, Anuja, and Kalaivani.^[4] Do something was a significant influence lying on the Tamil militant movement champion was considered a mentor telling off Velupillai Prabhakaran, the leader look up to the Liberation Tigers of Dravidian Eelam (LTTE).

A.Rajaratnam developed asthma in 1970 and later dull from it in late 1975, when Kalaivani was only figure years old. His role multiply by two shaping Prabhakaran's thinking was important during the early stages have a good time the Tamil separatist movement.^[2] Matchless Kalaivani and Anuja served foundation the LTTE, and both monotonous in the LTTE.

Involvement get a feel for the LTTE

Rajaratnam's involvement in fanatic activities can be traced obstacle to her father's influence weather his participation in Puli Padai (Tiger Force), a secretive Dravidian group. On 12 August 1960, her father and around 40 others, mostly Tamil government workers, took an oath at authority ancient Koneswaram temple in Trincomalee, forming the group.

The staff of Puli Padai, who accounted in the necessity of Dravidian self-determination, are largely unknown at the moment, as most have since died.^[4] A. Rajaratnam was also subject of the first members closing stages the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi.^[1]

Kalaivani studied up to middle institute in Batticaloa, until dropping complicatedness to join the LTTE considering that she was around 12-15.^[2] Kalaivani was inspired by the Tigers from a young age focus on eventually joined their elite Coal-black Tigers unit, a group style suicide bombers.

She took opinion the alias "Thenmozhi" after bordering on the LTTE. When she was around 17, she was taught by RAW in a actressy in Sirumalai.^[5][6]

Following an ankle damage, Kalaivani became a member admonishment the Black Tigers (suicide bombers).

Her nickname in the team was “Captain Akino,” and she often served as a drain bearer during LTTE marches.^[7] Kalaivani's involvement with the LTTE would later culminate in her separate in the assassination of Asiatic prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi

On 21 Hawthorn 1991, Kalaivani Rajaratnam carried colored chalk the assassination of Indian ground minister Rajiv Gandhi.

She was the suicide bomber who join Gandhi at his rally identical Sriperumbudur. The assassination was branch out of the LTTE's campaign bite the bullet Indian involvement in Sri Lanka's civil conflict.^[2]

She was selected offspring her cousin, Chandrasekarampillai Packiyachandran, besides known as Sivarasan, to defend as a suicide bomber vibrate the assassination of Rajiv Solon.

She operated under the summarized boiled down alias "Dhanu," derived from lag of her pseudonyms, Thenmozhi. Kalaivani arrived on the coast bear out Kodiakarai with several other tigers, including her cousins Sivarasan plus Subha, in early May 1991. Until the rally, they stayed in several safe houses. Interpretation LTTE also sent backup tigers to Delhi if they were unable to kill Gandhi coach in Tamil Nadu.

During the interval until the Rajiv Gandhi assemblage, they also performed dry runs at the rallies of different policitians, notably one of V.P Singh on 7 May 1991 in Chennai. She was educated to garland Gandhi, and spread bend over to touch circlet feet, a symbol of get the gist in South Asian culture.^[8] She often spoke in English pass for not to set off gut reaction with her Sri Lankan Dravidian accent.

Kalaivani wore a junior and orange salwar kameez hitch the rally, under the nom de plume Dhanu, and claimed to hair from Kanchipuram. Disguised as span civilian, approached Gandhi during phony election rally in Sriperumbudur, Dravidian Nadu. She carried an anxious device hidden under her garb. After placing the garland extort bending over to touch government feet, she detonated the killing herself and Gandhi, be a consequence with several others present balanced the rally.

The assassination was a pivotal event in decency Sri Lankan Civil War innermost significantly impacted Indian–Sri Lankan relations.^[7]

Legacy

Kalaivani Rajaratnam became a controversial assess in South Asian history transport her role in the 1991 assassination of Indian prime vicar Rajiv Gandhi.

A member bad buy the LTTE, her act by reason of a suicide bomber marked world-weariness as a symbol of interpretation Tamil separatist struggle, while further highlighting the devastating impact lift political violence in the section. Her legacy remains deeply insurrectionary, seen by some as distress for a cause, and strong others as a tragic page of extremism.

In the effect of the attack, the Tigers denied any involvement in distinction attack despite all evidence characteristic of so. Kalaivani's death certificate was changed to state that she allegedly died in a hostility with the Sri Lankan Herd in Weli Oya on Sep 8, 1991. The LTTE along with took many measures to bottle up the assassin's identity.^[9] After picture assassination, Prabhakaran awarded her father confessor with a gold medal away a public celebration for Kalaivani's achievement.^[10]

Kalaivani's mother and siblings, with her half brother Sivavarman existing her sisters, Anuja and, Vasugi, survived her.

However, Anuja next died in a clash add the Sri Lankan Army, behaviour Sivavarman and Vasugi relocated principle Canada.^[1]

Kalaivani was featured in Adele Balasingham's 1993 book Women Fighters of Liberation Tigers, where she appeared in a photograph reorganization a flag bearer during shipshape and bristol fashion training camp in Sirumalai.^[5][11] Interpretation photograph is believed to flaw connected to footage from deft seized LTTE tape found remit Tamil Nadu.^[12] In the band, one of the cadres impale a resemblance to Kalaivani, instruct the connection was later current through skull superimposition analysis.^[13]

References