Gate Mudaliyar Arunachalam Ponnambalam, JP, UM was a Ceylonese colonial-era government functionary, businessman and philanthropist. He was the cashier at the Colombo Kachcheri and was appointed to the titular rank of Gate Mudaliyar.
A. Ponnambalam
Mudaliyar was a Ceylonese colonial title during Portuguese and British rule of the island. Stemming from the native headman system, the title was usually hereditary, made to wealthy influential families loyal to the British Crown.
Mudaliyars of the Association of Ceylon Chiefs met to celebrate the King's birthday in June 1923
Mudaliyar Don Spater Senanayake, son of Don Bartholomew who assumed the name Senanayake, with son-in-law F. H. Dias-Bandaranaike, sons Don Stephen Senanayake, Don Charles and Fredrick Richard, daughter Maria Frances and wife Dona Catherina Elizabeth Perera.
Ponnanbalam Ramanathan in 1906 with his future wife Ms. Harrison (right). Several members of the family were married to western women.