Prof A. Kandiah (Arupillai Kandiah) PhD / DSc 1900 – 1951

Professor A. Kandiah was a distinguished pioneer in Sri Lankan chemistry and academia. He was the first in Sri Lanka to obtain a Doctorate (DSc) in Chemistry from the research institution Imperial College, London in 1932

Early Life and Education

Born in 1900 in Kondavil, Jaffna, Sri Lanka, to Arupillai and Aachimuthu, Prof. Kandiah came from a humble farming family of four siblings. From a young age, he displayed a keen interest in academics. Alongside his brother, he reportedly walked approximately 5 kilometers each way to school daily, driven by a strong determination to pursue education and build a better future.

He completed his schooling at Jaffna Hindu College before enrolling at Ceylon University College, where he pursued studies in Chemistry. At the time, the Ceylon University College was affiliated with the University of London. Admissions during those years were through invitation based on the performance in the Cambridge Senior Examination or the London Matriculation Examination and was even open to women. Driven by his ambition to pursue higher education abroad, he successfully completed the external examinations conducted by the University of London in 1928. He was selected for a doctoral program at the prestigious Imperial College London, a renowned research institution. He went on to complete his Doctor of Science (DSc) in Chemistry in 1932.

He was the first Sri Lankan (then Ceylonese) to achieve this distinguished accomplishment.

He completed his doctorate under the mentorship of Sir Jocelyn Field Thorp.

Some of his research work :

The Chemistry of the three-carbon system

Arupillai Kandiah & Reginald Patrick Linstead – 1929

Studies in dicyclic systems. Part I. The chemistry of 2-substituted cis– and trans-hexahydrohydrindenes

Arupillai Kandiah 1931

Studies in dicyclic systems. Part II. The influence of cis– and trans-hexahydrohydrindene nuclei on the carbon tetrahedral angle

Arupillai Kandiah 1931

Investigation on the formation and stability of β-lactones

Arupillai Kandiah 1932

Academic Career and Contributions

After returning to Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) in 1932, Prof. A. Kandiah briefly held an interim position at Parameswara College, Jaffna, before joining University College Ceylon as a professor in 1933. The following year, in 1934, he was appointed as Professor of Chemistry at the newly established University of Ceylon, Peradeniya, where he served until his passing in 1951.

In 1940, Dr. N. G. Baptist and Dr. A. A. Hoover approached Prof. Kandiah with a proposal to establish a professional association for chemists in Sri Lanka. Understanding the importance of cultivating and promoting the cause of chemical sciences by all practical means and raise the status and advance the interests of the Profession of Chemistry in Ceylon as well fostering collaboration between academia and industry, he secured the support of his colleagues at the Department of Chemistry, University of Ceylon and played a key role in founding the Chemical Society of Ceylon. On June 7, 1941, he was elected as its first President, serving two consecutive terms from June 1941to July 1942 and August 1942 to July 1943 making it as the oldest scientific body in Sri Lanka.

Legacy and Commemorative Awards

To honor Prof. Arupillai Kandiah’s contributions to the field of chemistry and his dedication to education in Sri Lanka, three prestigious awards are presented annually to outstanding graduate researchers in chemistry:

C1 Kandiah Award for Basic Chemistry

This award shall be made annually for research predominately in basic Chemistry (Organic, Inorganic,
Physical or Analytical).

C2 Kandiah Award for Applied Chemistry

This award shall be made annually for research in Chemistry-related areas, such as polymer, food,
biochemistry and biotechnology, where interdisciplinary research is involved, and provided that chemistry
has a central role comprising at least 50% of the content.

C3 Kandiah Award for Graduateship

This award shall be made annually for the best piece of research in the Chemical Sciences carried out by a Graduate Chemist of the College of Chemical Sciences, Institute Chemistry Ceylon, registered at a Higher
Educational Institute for a Postgraduate Degree

Ceylon Chemical Society

Professor A. Kandiah played a pivotal role in establishing the Ceylon Chemical Society in 1941 and served as its President for the first two terms. He was also the only Sri Lankan to hold the presidential position until the country gained independence.

The first Meeting of the Ceylon Chemical Society was held on 7 June 1941 (when this picture was taken), when members were elected as office bearers of the Society. Prof. A. Kandiah was elected as the President and Dr. A. A. Hoover and Dr. M. L. M. Salgado as Honorary Secretaries. Five members were elected as Vice Presidents namely, Dr. R. Child, Dr. A. W. R. Joachim, Dr. E. L. Fonseka, Mr. D. H. Balfour and Mr. T. E. H. O’Brien.

It is the oldest professional body in any field of pure sciences in Sri Lanka.

Prof A Kandiah can be seen seated 7th from the left.

Chemistry Institute →

Professor A Kandiah – A Timeline

Born in 1900 in Kondavil (Jaffna), Sri Lanka

Demise : 2 March 1951

Education:

Attended Jaffna Hindu College
Pursued higher studies at Ceylon University College
Earned a Doctorate in Chemistry (DSc) from Imperial College, London (1928–1932)

Academic Career:

Lecturer at Parameswara College, Jaffna (1932)
Professor at the UCU & University of Ceylon, Peradeniya (1933–1951)
He became the first Chemistry Professor at Ceylon University College (CUC) and then with University of Ceylon
Head of Chemistry Dept (1936 to 1951)

Professional Contributions:

Founding member of the Ceylon Chemical Society (1941)

President of the Ceylon Chemical Society:

June 1941 – July 1942 (First President)
August 1942 – July 1943 (Second term)

Blog

Ceylon University College / University of Ceylon – Chemistry Department

Published by Ceylon University College in 1936

Articles

References (clickable links)