# A. T. Moorthy > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/A._T._Moorthy > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/A._T._Moorthy.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._T._Moorthy > Source revision: 1353329376 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) A. T. Moorthy Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the United Kingdom In office January 1981 – May 1984 Preceded by Noel Wimalasena Succeeded by Chandra Monerawela Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Pakistan In office 1978–1981 Personal details Born (1928-08-10)10 August 1928 Batticaloa District, Ceylon Died 1 April 2008(2008-04-01) (aged 79) London, United Kingdom Alma mater University of Ceylon, Colombo Profession Diplomat Ethnicity Sri Lankan Tamil **Arambamoorthy Thedchana Moorthy** (10 August 1928 – 1 April 2008) was a [Sri Lankan Tamil](/source/Sri_Lankan_Tamil_people) diplomat and [High Commissioner to the United Kingdom](/source/Sri_Lankan_High_Commissioner_to_the_United_Kingdom). ## Early life and family Moorthy was born on 10 August 1928 in [Batticaloa District](/source/Batticaloa_District) in eastern [Ceylon](/source/British_Ceylon).[1] He was educated at Sivananda Vidyalayam, Batticaloa and [Jaffna College](/source/Jaffna_College).[1] After school he joined the [University of Ceylon, Colombo](/source/University_of_Ceylon%2C_Colombo), graduating in 1948 with a degree in economics.[1] Moorthy married Suseela, daughter of [P. Sriskandarajah](/source/P._Sriskandarajah), in 1959.[1] They had two daughters (Uma and Ima) and a son (Sri Ayilavan).[1] ## Career Moorthy joined the [Ceylon Overseas Service](/source/Ceylon_Overseas_Service) in 1953 and his first diplomatic posting was in [Jakarta](/source/Jakarta), [Indonesia](/source/Indonesia).[1] He became [chargé d'affaires](/source/Charg%C3%A9_d'affaires) of the Ceylonese embassy in [Beijing](/source/Beijing), [China](/source/China) in 1957, meeting leaders such as [Mao Zedong](/source/Mao_Zedong) and [Zhou Enlai](/source/Zhou_Enlai).[1] He was first secretary at the [High Commission of Ceylon, London](/source/High_Commission_of_Ceylon%2C_London) between 1961 and 1963.[1] During this time Moorthy and Suseela studied for the bar at [Gray's Inn](/source/Gray's_Inn).[1] He was [called to the bar](/source/Called_to_the_bar) in 1965.[1] Moorthy then served in various diplomatic positions: first secretary in West Germany (1964–66); chargé d'affaires in Thailand (1969–70); permanent representative to the [United Nations Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East](/source/United_Nations_Economic_Commission_for_Asia_and_the_Far_East); and chargé d'affaires in Iraq (1970).[1] He returned to Sri Lanka in 1974 to co-ordinate the fifth [Non-Aligned Summit](/source/Non-Aligned_Summit) which was to be held in [Colombo](/source/Colombo) in 1976.[1] He was appointed [Ambassador to Pakistan](/source/Sri_Lankan_Ambassador_to_Pakistan) in 1978 (also [accredited](/source/Diplomatic_accreditation) to Iran).[1] After the 1979 [Iranian Revolution](/source/Iranian_Revolution) Moorthy played an important role in [Sri Lankan government](/source/Sri_Lankan_government)'s attempts to free the [US hostages in Iran](/source/Iran_hostage_crisis).[1] In 1981 Moorthy was appointed [High Commissioner to the United Kingdom](/source/Sri_Lankan_High_Commissioner_to_the_United_Kingdom).[1][2][3] Back in Sri Lanka violence against the country's Tamils escalated, culminating in the [Black July](/source/Black_July) riots of 1983.[1] [Sinhalese](/source/Sinhalese_people) expatriates living in the UK started a campaign to have Moorthy replaced by a Buddhist Sinhalese.[4] He received a letter, allegedly from a member of the Sinhala Association in UK, threatening his life.[5] The Sri Lankan government ordered Moorthy to declare that his appointment was evidence that there was no serious discrimination against the Tamils.[1] Moorthy refused make such a declaration and resigned in 1984.[1] Moorthy and his family remained in the UK.[6] He died on 1 April 2008 in London.[1] ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-TG190508_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-TG190508_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-TG190508_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-TG190508_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-TG190508_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-TG190508_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-TG190508_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-TG190508_1-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-TG190508_1-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-TG190508_1-9) [***k***](#cite_ref-TG190508_1-10) [***l***](#cite_ref-TG190508_1-11) [***m***](#cite_ref-TG190508_1-12) [***n***](#cite_ref-TG190508_1-13) [***o***](#cite_ref-TG190508_1-14) [***p***](#cite_ref-TG190508_1-15) [***q***](#cite_ref-TG190508_1-16) [***r***](#cite_ref-TG190508_1-17) [***s***](#cite_ref-TG190508_1-18) Farrell, Tom (19 May 2008). ["Obituary: AT Moorthy"](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/may/19/srilanka). *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["The History of the High Commission"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150303003548/http://www.srilankahighcommission.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemid=71). [High Commission of Sri Lanka, London](/source/High_Commission_of_Sri_Lanka%2C_London). Archived from [the original](http://www.srilankahighcommission.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemid=71) on 3 March 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2015. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** de Silva, Bandu (21 February 2007). ["Reply to I. P. C. Mendis: Sri Lanka Foreign Service"](http://www.island.lk/2007/02/21/midweek3.html). *[The Island (Sri Lanka)](/source/The_Island_(Sri_Lanka))*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["The London Hilton Jamboree"](http://noolaham.net/project/32/3142/3142.pdf) (PDF). *[Tamil Times](/source/Tamil_Times)*. **IV** (11): 12. September 1985. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0266-4488](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0266-4488). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Niwunhella, Sujeeva (18 February 2001). ["Britain will not name banned terrorists tomorrow"](http://www.island.lk/2001/02/18/news01.html). *[The Island (Sri Lanka)](/source/The_Island_(Sri_Lanka))*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["The chimes of peace"](http://www.sundaytimes.lk/020811/plus/9.html). *[The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)](/source/The_Sunday_Times_(Sri_Lanka))*. 11 August 2002. Wikimedia Commons has media related to [A. T. Moorthy](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:A._T._Moorthy). --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [A. T. Moorthy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._T._Moorthy) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._T._Moorthy?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.