V. A. Kandiah

Velupillai Ambalavanar Kandiah (3 September 1891 – 4 June 1963) was a Ceylon Tamil lawyer, politician and Member of Parliament.

Early life and family Kandiah was born on 3 September 1891. He was from the island of Velanaitivu in northern Ceylon.

Kandiah married and had two sons and three daughters. He was the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (Federal Party)'s candidate in Kayts at the 1956 parliamentary election. He won the election and entered Parliament. He was re-elected at the March 1960 and July 1960 parliamentary elections.

Following the 1958 riots ITAK and the Jathika Vimukthi Peramuna (National Liberation Front) were banned. ITAK's leaders, including Kandiah, were arrested on 4 June 1958 as they left Parliament and imprisoned.

Kandiah played a leading role in the 1961 satyagraha campaign organised by ITAK. Early on the morning of 20 February 1961 a group of 55 to 75 persons staged a satyagraha at the Jaffna Kachcheri in Old Park. Among them were ITAK MPs A. Amirthalingam, S. J. V. Chelvanayakam, V. Dharmalingam, Kandiah, E. M. V. Naganathan, V. N. Navaratnam and K. Thurairatnam. He died on 4 June 1963.