France honours Sri Lankan for long service

France has honoured a Sri Lankan citizen for his long years of French government service. The title of ‘Chevalier’ has been awarded to Naganathan Veluppillai who retired from French government service in 2007 after serving as Legal Attaché for 23 years in the French Trade Commission in Bombay.

The Ambassador of France to Sri Lanka, Mrs. Christine Robichon conferred the award on him on Monday (June 27), states the French Embassy in Colombo.

The insignia of ‘Chevalier’ finds its place in the French National Order of Merit. This award is conferred on French and foreign nationals for distinguished achievements.

Previous to his joining the French government service, Mr. Veluppillai served in Sri Lanka for more than 18 years in different capacities. He joined the Trincomalee Urban Council in 1966 and thereafter served in the Department of Information and the Legal Draftsman’s Department.

He is a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Ceylon, Colombo and an Attorney-at-Law. He obtained the Diploma in International Relations from the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS). He was ranked first in the BCIS examination and obtained a distinction pass. He did his further studies in France in the field of International Economic Relations.

He is proficient in English, French, Tamil, Sinhala and Hindi.

Mr. Veluppillai has specialized in International Trade Law and has rendered advice to French companies in this field. Further, he has acquired a high level of proficiency in the French language. He has distinguished himself by having authored a number of publications in French in the form of books and articles. His latest work of 412 pages in French, relating to the foreign investment law in India, published in 2007, has received acclaim from French companies as well as the French government. He has also participated in several trade seminars in France.