Maveerar of the week - Second Lieutenant Maalathy

Second Lieutenant Maalathy is the first female Maveerar. She was the first woman to sacrifice her life for the liberation of Tamileelam. On October 10, 1987, at just 20 years old, she was shot in both legs by the Indian Army in Kopay. To avoid arrest and torture by the Sri Lankan Army, she chose to ingest cyanide.

Every year, on October 10, Second Lieutenant Maalathy is commemorated as a symbol of courage and sacrifice. In 2004, a statue was erected in her honor, but it was later destroyed by the Sri Lankan government.