About V. Appapillai
Velupillai Appapillai (13 November 1913 – 4 July 2001) was a Sri Lankan physicist and academic. He was the dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya. == Early life and family == Appapillai was born on 13 November 1913 in Batticaloa in eastern Ceylon. He was educated at Jaffna Central College, graduating in 1931. After school he joined Ceylon University College, Colombo, graduating with a BSc degree in physics. == Career == In 1936 Appapillai was appointed a demonstrator in physics at the Ceylon University College. He became a lecturer of physics in 1938. He carried out his doctoral research in Colombo before going to the University of Manchester in 1946 to work under P. M. S. Blackett, Langworthy Professor of Physics. Appapillai's work on the composition and origin of cosmic rays at sea level in Colombo earned him a PhD from the University of London. After returning to Ceylon Appapillai collaborated with Blackett, Arnold Wolfendale and A. W. Mailvaganam in establishing that Associated Penetrating Particles did not exist within the limits of measurement.
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