About
My name is Ben Anandappa, and I am researching and compiling the genealogy of the Colombo Chetty people. My hope is that this website will help others learn about their heritage and remind us of how connected we all are!
Please sign up or login to access all website content, and feel free to send an email to ben@colombochetty.com for any questions or contributions. I’m happy to add additional photos, documents or other information to the website.
Some background on my interest
My father, Romello Anandappa, is of Colombo Chetty ancestry - his parents were Benedict “Benson” Anandappa and Annabelle “Rajie” Casie Chetty. My sister, Annabelle, and I were named after his parents!
After a few trips to Sri Lanka as a kid in the 2000s, I was inspired to learn more about our family history, and my dad helped me put together an initial family tree from his memory. After that initial attempt, I put the project away in a metaphorical drawer - I was 13 after all, and it wasn’t easy to seek out more information.
For the next decade or so, the project was all but forgotten, until a chance encounter led to my sister discovering we had extended family in Chicago - the descendants of Ernest and Estelle Anandappa. I later met Gerard Saverimuttu as well, who explained that he was the son of my great-grandmother’s sister! Given I was now connected with more relatives (and I was older!), I was inspired to expand the family tree I made as a kid.
In Februrary 2023, I visited Sri Lanka after 13 years. I was on a mission to meet more of my extended family, and I was fortunate enough to meet three of my oldest living relatives - Anthony Eubaldus “Tony” Anandappa (age 98, my grandfather’s brother), Helen Juliana Rodrigo-Muniarem-Perumal (age 98, my grandmother’s first-cousin), and Bede Leonard Anandappa (age 102, my great-grandmother’s first-cousin).
This is an on-going project with many more avenues for research. It could not be possible without the support and positive reception of everyone, so I wanted to say…
Thank you!
I’m so grateful to everyone who has helped with this project, such as Gerard Saverimuttu, Anton Anandappa, Tony Anandappa, Bede Anandappa, Jacinta Wijeratnam, Sharma De Silva, Oswin Anandappa, Ephrem Mutukisna, Gina Rodrigopulle, Romany Perumal, Nadine Fernando, Sandra & Michael Ramenaden, Deidre Anandappa, Hillary Anandappa, Mannick Anandappa, Tamara Samarasinghe, Maureen Ramachandran, Helen Perumal, Renee Doss, Angela Anandappa, Erma Pererapulle, Dawn Perumal, Esha Wijeyesekera, Brian Anandappa, Genny Silvapulle, Nihal Anandappa, Rozanne Perera, Mohan Fernandopulle, Doreen Anandappa, Mariette & Edgar Thevarayan, Andrea Casie Chetty, Rochelle & Delano Cadiramenpulle, Joe Saverymuthapulle, Carmen Adaman, Mahen Fernandopulle, Rachel Anandappa, Rodney Anandappa, Ruth Anandappa, Rohan Casie Chetty, Tania & Chari Perera, Jacinta Edussuriya, Berdie Fernandopulle, Indranee Sivasubramaniam, Xavier Anandappa, Nihal Anandappa, Eugene Anandappa and all of my extended family in Chicago! I apologize if I have missed you!
I appreciate everyone’s support and your contributions mean a lot; I’m so happy that these contributions can now be shared with more people through this website. Of course, a special thanks to my dad for your support - even though you think I’m a little crazy for going so far with this project!!