S. Vithiananthan

Suppiramaniam Vithiananthan (8 May 1924 – 22 January 1989) was a Sri Lankan writer, academic and the first vice-chancellor of the University of Jaffna.

Early life and family Vithiananthan was born on 8 May 1924. He was the son of Suppiramaniam, a proctor from Tellippalai in northern Ceylon. After school he joined the Ceylon University College in 1941. He graduated from the University of Ceylon in 1944 with an honours degree. He served as president of the Jaffna Campus of the University of Sri Lanka between August 1977 and December 1978. The Jaffna Campus was elevated to university status on 1 January 1979 with the creation of the University of Jaffna and Vithiananthan was appointed the first vice-chancellor of the new university. He held the position until July 1988. During his tenure the university underwent serious difficulties due to the civil war. Vithiananthan kept the university open during the 1987–89 JVP Insurrection which forced every other university in the country to close.

Death Vithiananthan died on 22 January 1989.