Baku Mahadeva
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{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix = Deshamanya
| name = Baku Mahadeva
| honorific_suffix = CCS
| native_name = பக்கு மகாதேவா
| native_name_lang = ta
| image = Baku Mahadeva.jpg
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| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1921|10|29}}
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| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2013|11|29|1921|10|29}}
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| alma_mater = Royal College, Colombo
| occupation = Civil servant
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Deshamanya Balakumara Mahadeva ({{langx|ta|பாலகுமாரன் மகாதேவா}}; 29 October 1921 – 29 November 2013; commonly known as Baku Mahadeva) was a leading Sri Lankan Tamil civil servant.
Early life and family
{{See also|Ponnambalam-Coomaraswamy family}}
Mahadeva was born on 29 October 1921.{{cite book|last=Arumugam|first=S.|title=Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon|url=http://www.noolaham.org/wiki/index.php?title=Dictionary_of_Biography_of_the_Tamils_of_Ceylon|year=1997|page=95|author-link=S. Arumugam}} He was the son of Arunachalam Mahadeva and Sivahamy Ammal.{{cite news|title=Deshamanya Baku Mahadeva passes away|url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/131201/news/deshamanya-baku-mahadeva-passes-away-75127.html|newspaper=The Sunday Times|date=1 December 2013}} He was educated at Royal College, Colombo where he was classmates of C. A. Coorey.{{cite news|last=de Silva|first=Raja|title=Memories of an upright man: C.A. Coorey|url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/040613/plus/appreciation.html|newspaper=The Sunday Times|date=13 June 2004}}{{cite news|last=de Silva|first=Charitha P.|title=Chandana Aelian Coorey|url=http://www.thesundayleader.lk/archive/20040711/letters.htm|newspaper=The Sunday Leader|date=11 July 2004}} After school he obtained BA and MA degrees in mathematics from the University of London.{{cite web|title=Annual Report 2007|url=http://www.orcl.lk/pdf/ar_2007.pdf|publisher=Overseas Reality (Ceylon) PLC|page=11}}
Mahadeva married Sundari, daughter of Sega Theagarajah.{{cite news|title=Obituaries|url=https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2013/12/01/main_Obituaries.asp|newspaper=Sunday Observer|date=1 December 2013|access-date=8 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207175848/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2013/12/01/main_Obituaries.asp|archive-date=7 December 2013|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} They had two children, Kumar Mahadeva and Isvari.
Career
Mahadeva lectured in mathematics at the University of Ceylon, Colombo before joining the Ceylon Civil Service in January 1945. During his civil service career he held numerous senior positions. He was Assistant Secretary to the Minister of Defence in 1949 and Assistant Secretary to the Minister of Lands in 1952. He became Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food in 1958. He also served as Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs.{{cite news|title=Death of Baku Mahadeva|url=http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=93187|newspaper=Sunday Island|date=1 December 2013}}
Later life
After retirement Mahadeva served as Secretary to the Treasury. He then served with the United Nations in Malaysia.{{cite news|title=Baku Mahadeva passes away |url=http://www.nation.lk/edition/news-online/item/23297-baku-mahadeva-passes-away.html |newspaper=The Nation |date=1 December 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204185212/http://www.nation.lk/edition/news-online/item/23297-baku-mahadeva-passes-away.html |archivedate=4 December 2013 }}
Mahadeva was chairman of the National Development Bank and DFCC Bank and a director of People's Bank. He was chairman of Lanka Tiles Ltd and Lanka Wall Tiles Ltd and director of several private companies.{{cite news|title=Parquet reviving under new ownership|url=http://www.island.lk/2004/01/18/busine03.html|newspaper=The Island|date=18 January 2004}}{{cite news|title=Death of Baku Mahadeva|url=https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2013/12/01/new50.asp|newspaper=Sunday Observer|date=1 December 2013|access-date=8 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207180417/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2013/12/01/new50.asp|archive-date=7 December 2013|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} He was chairman of the Presidential Privatisation Commission and a member of the Securities and Exchange Commission.{{cite news|last=Ladduwahetty|first=Ravi|title='I was held at gun point at home during peoplisation of United Motors'|url=http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=39071|newspaper=The Island|date=15 November 2011}}
Mahadeva was chairman of the boards of trustees for Sri Ponnambalavaneeswara Temple and Sri Arunachaleswara Temple. He was awarded the Deshamanya title, the second highest Sri Lankan national honour, in 1990.{{cite web|title=National Awards|url=http://www.presidentsoffice.gov.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=89&Itemid=236|publisher=Presidential Secretariat}}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mahadeva, Baku}}
Category:Academic staff of the University of Ceylon (Colombo)
Category:Alumni of Royal College, Colombo
Category:Permanent secretaries of Sri Lanka