A. Raja, MP, recently visited the grave of John Sullivan, one of the first colonial explorers who made his way up the Nilgiri slopes. The final resting place of Sullivan is in a church in Slough, London.
In a press release, honorary director of the Nilgiri Documentation Center (NDC) Venugopal Dharmalingam said that the grave of John Sullivan, who led one of the first colonial expeditions up the slopes of the Nilgiris, was buried in London. He said that Mr. Raja placed garlands at the grave at the church where Sullivan was buried, and paid tribute to his contributions to the foundation of the “modern Nilgiris.”
“Allan and Julie, the church keepers of the 900-year-old St. Laurence church received Mr. Raja and took him on a tour of the ancient church,” said Mr. Venugopal.
“Ooty is currently celebrating it bicentenary. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin inaugurated the celebrations last June and unveiled a statute of Sullivan in the hill station,” he added.
Speaking at the grave of Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Raja, who invited one of his descendants to the event, Oriel Sullivan, said that he was paying tribute to Sullivan on behalf of the people of the Nilgiris, and the Tamil Nadu government. Footage of the event was also posted to Mr. Raja’s official social media accounts.
“Oriel Sullivan, a direct descendant of Sullivan met the MP at the church and thanked him for initiating the bicentenary celebrations of Ooty. She also thanked him for inviting her family to the valedictory function of Ooty 200 next June,” said Mr. Venugopal Dharmalingam.
The final resting place of Sullivan had remained a mystery for more than a century and a half. The grave of Sullivan was re-discovered by Mr. Venugopal in 2009.
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