H. W. Thambiah

Henry Wijeyakone Tambiah (1906–1997) was a Ceylonese academic, diplomat, lawyer and judge, born in Sri Lanka during British colonial rule. He was a Commissioner of Assize, High Commissioner and judge of the Supreme Courts of Ceylon and Sierra Leone.

Early life and family Tambiah was born on 28 May 1906 in Jaffna in northern province of Ceylon. He was the son of David Tambiah, a surveyor, and Thangamma, daughter of Dr William Thillayampalam Paul and sister of Dr S. C. Paul. Both his parents died when he was child. Tambiah was educated at St. John's College, Jaffna and Jaffna Central College from where he passed the London matriculation in the first division. He obtained a PhD from the University of London in 1949 and in 1954 he was called to the Middle Temple. Tambiah returned to Sri Lankan in 1975 and started the Tamil section of the Law Faculty at the University of Colombo. He served as the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Canada from September 1975 to December 1977. He then served as chair of the Law Commission.

Tambiah was awarded the Deshamanya title, the second highest civilian honour in Sri Lanka, in 1993. He died in 1997 aged 91.

Works Tambiah wrote many books during his life:

Dominion of Ceylon Landlord and Tenant in Ceylon Law of Insolvency Laws and Customs of the Tamils of Jaffna (1950, Times of Ceylon) Laws and Customs of the Tamils of Ceylon (1954) Principles of Ceylon Law Sinhala Laws and Customs (1968) The Judicature of Sri Lanka in its Historical Aspects