| Honorific-Prefix: | Hon. |
| C. Sittampalam | |
| Native Name: | சி. சிற்றம்பலம் |
| Native Name Lang: | ta |
| Honorific-Suffix: | MP CCS |
| Office1: | Minister of Posts and Telecommunication |
| Term Start1: | 1947 |
| Term End1: | 1952 |
| Successor1: | V. Nalliah |
| Office2: | Minister of Industries, Industrial Research and Fisheries |
| Term Start2: | 1948 |
| Term End2: | 1948 |
| Predecessor2: | George E. de Silva |
| Successor2: | G. G. Ponnambalam |
| Constituency Mp3: | Mannar |
| Parliament3: | Ceylonese |
| Term Start3: | 1947 |
| Term End3: | 1956 |
| Successor3: | V. A. Alegacone |
| Birth Date: | 13 September 1898 |
| Alma Mater: | St. Peter's College, Cambridge |
| Profession: | Civil servant |
| Blank1: | Ethnicity |
| Data1: | Ceylon Tamil |
Cathiravelu Sittampalam (Tamil: கதிரவேலு சிற்றம்பலம்; 13 September 1898 - 3 February 1964) was a Ceylon Tamil civil servant, politician, Member of Parliament and government minister.
Sittampalam was born on 13 September 1898.[1] [2] [3] He was the son of A. Cathiravelu, a proctor and member of the Jaffna Local Board.[1] He was educated at Jaffna Central College and Royal College, Colombo.[2] [4] He won many prizes at Royal College including the English Essay Prize, the De Zoysa Science Prize and the Mathematics Prize.[2] Aged 15 he passed the Senior Cambridge with first class honours and distinction in mathematics.[1] [2] After school Sittampalam joined St. Peter's College, Cambridge on a science scholarship and graduated with a degree in mathematics.[1] [2] [5]
Sittampalam was a member of a distinguished family. His brother C. Ponnambalam and brother-in-law C. Casipillai were Mayors of Jaffna.[2] His uncle A. Canagaratnam was a member of the Legislative Council. His great-uncle V. Casipillai was a crown proctor and one of the founders of Jaffna Hindu College.[2]
Sittampalam married Kamalambikai.[1] They had four daughters (Devalakshmi, Pushpalakshmi, Yogalakshmi, and Mallikalakshmi) and one son (Arjuna).[1]
Sittampalam was called to the Bar from Middle Temple.[1] [2] He joined the civil service in 1923 and served in various positions including Assistant Government Agent and District Judge.[1] He later left the civil service and practised as an advocate.[1]
Sittampalam stood as an independent candidate in Mannar at the 1947 parliamentary election. He won the election and entered Parliament.[6] He was persuaded to join the United National Party led government and on 26 September 1947 he was sworn in as Minister of Posts and Telecommunication.[7] [8] He was made Minister of Industries, Industrial Research and Fisheries after George E. de Silva was unseated by an election petition.[8]
Sittampalam was re-elected at the May 1952 parliamentary election but lost his cabinet position.[9] He was defeated at the 1956 parliamentary election by the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (Federal Party) candidate V. A. Alegacone.[10]
Sittampalam died on 3 February 1964.[1] In February 2004 Sri Lanka Post issued a commemorative stamp of Sittampalam.[2]