Mano Ponniah (full name Charles Edward Manoharan Ponniah) is a Sri Lankan architect and engineer, born in 1943. Ponniah was educated at the St. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia in Colombo, Sri Lanka. He studied Engineering at the ‘University of Ceylon’, now the University of Sri Lanka, from 1962 to 1965. Alongside his studies, Ponniah played cricket on the university team. As a strong batman, he was selected to play internationally for Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Ponniah joined Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge[MK1] , where he pursued a double degree in Architecture and Engineering from 1966 to 1969, while continuing to play cricket, this time for Cambridge University. In 1970, he enrolled in the postgraduate Department of Development and Tropical Studies. According to the Student Register, Ponniah joined Pat Wakely’s course and was awarded a Diploma with Honours in Urban Development Planning in 1971. Upon graduation, Ponniah practiced architecture in England until 1990, when he returned to Colombo, Sri Lanka, founding his architectural practice, Mano Ponniah and Associates. Among other projects, the firm has been involved in hospitality and leisure buildings and developments across Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
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