Captain Miller Age, Death, Family, Biography & More

Bio/Wiki
Real name	Vallipuram Vasanthan Christopher
Profession	LTTE Militant
Known for	Being the first Black Tiger [(an elite suicide commando unit of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)]
Physical Stats & More
Eye Colour	Black
Hair Colour	Black
Career
Organization	Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
Personal Life
Date of Birth	1 January 1966 (Saturday)
Birthplace	Thunnalai, Sri Lanka
Date of Death	5 July 1987
Place of Death	Nelliady, Sri Lanka
Age (at the time of death)	21 Years
Death Cause	Died in fire explosion [1]Zee News
Zodiac sign	Capricorn
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Hometown	Thunnalai, Sri Lanka
College/University	Hartley College in Point Pedro, Sri Lanka [2]Hartley College
Relationships & More
Marital Status (at the time of death)	Unmarried
Family
Wife/Spouse	N/A
Parents	Father- Name Not Known (a bank manager) Mother- Kamalathevi Vallipuram
Siblings	He has two siblings.

Some Lesser Known Facts About Captain Miller

• Vallipuram Vasanthan was a Sri Lankan militant who was a member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a separatist Tamil militant organization in Sri Lanka. He is known for being LTTE’s first Black Tiger, a designation for suicide attackers within the organization.

• Miller grew up during a time of increased tension between Tamils and the Sinhalese in Sri Lanka. The conflict increased after Sri Lanka gained independence from Britain in 1948, with the declaration of Sinhalese as the official language, which was seen as a challenge to Tamil speakers.

• In 1977, some clashes between police and civilians near Miller’s home occurred after the paintings of the slogan “Kill the Tamils and save the Motherland” on vehicles in Sinhalese-majority areas were found.
  

  A rare picture of Captain Miller

• The tension reached a tragic peak on 23 July 1983, when some Tamil rebels attacked an army team, which killed 13 soldiers. This event started violent revenge, leading to hundreds of deaths, particularly in the capital, Colombo. Many Tamils were forced to escape, with widespread fire leaving more than ten thousand people homeless.
  

  A picture of the July 1983 attacks in Sri Lanka

  

  Another picture of the July 1983 attacks in Sri Lanka

• Miller, deeply disturbed by these events, joined the Tamil Tigers a year after the riots in 1984. He witnessed the consequences of violence in Jaffna, where people had lost their lives, and this incident strengthened his will. The Tigers, facing a stronger military, considered guerrilla-style attacks as a response. Miller, among others, volunteered to lead the attacks and was chosen by the Tigers to do so.
  

  A rare picture of Captain Miller

• Soon after the attacks, some media sources published that the attack was a copy of the incidents in Lebanon; however, a Tiger official, Tamilselvan, dismissed the idea and stated that the planning and strategy were not based on those events.

• Reportedly, according to his mother, when Miller visited her about a week before the attack, he did not reveal his plans, and she sensed he might be saying goodbye.

• On the night of 5 July 1987, Sri Lankan soldiers taking part in “Operation Liberation” were taking a break at a temporary camp in Nelliady Central College. They were planning to take back the Vadamaratchi sector in Jaffna from LTTE. Soon, Sri Lankan Armed Forces attacked Tiger guerrillas using mortars, rocket-propelled grenades, and small guns. Meanwhile, Black Tiger “Captain Millar” drove a truck filled with explosives and crashed it into the building, which caused severe damage. He died in the explosion, creating a big hole to bury a bus. The incident resulted in 18 soldiers dead and 22 wounded.
  

  A picture of Captain Miller’s death memorial in Vadamaradchi

• As Miller drove to Nelliady Central College on the night of the attack, his thoughts remain unknown. However, the impact of the assault on the makeshift military base in Nelliady has left a lasting impression for almost two decades. Reportedly, a video captured the incident, even though Miller had already passed away.

• Later, after death, he was given the higher rank of captain. He became a respected figure in the LTTE, and his face was featured on the Black Tigers’ symbol, which was the LTTE’s suicide squad. The date 5th of July was designated as “Black Tigers Day,” a day for Tamils worldwide to remember all the Black Tiger martyrs. A shrine with a golden statue of Miller was constructed at Nelliady Madhya Maha Vidyalayam. In 1996, after the Sri Lankan military regained control of the Vadamarachchi region, they destroyed Miller’s shrine, but locals saved and hid his statue. In 2002, during the Cease Fire Agreement mediated by Norway, the statue and a new memorial plaque were re-established.

• Every year, for a whole week, the LTTE celebrates “Black Tiger Week” to remember “Captain Millar’s” death and honour other Black Tiger cadres who died in action.
  

  A Sri Lankan soldier praying in front of Captain Miller’s picture

• Once, in a media interview, his mother shared that she earned a lot of respect as Miller’s mother wherever she went. She said,
  

  “Whenever I go anywhere, to any country, people will say Miller’s mother is coming. And I get a proud feeling. I get a feeling of due respect as Miller’s mother.”

  

  Captain Miller’s mother while unveiling his picture at a ceremony

• Every year, on the anniversary of Miller’s attack, which is called “Black Tiger Day” in Tamil areas, people come together in Nelliady and other places to pay tribute to suicide bombers. In the little memorial garden in Nelliady, there is a depiction of Miller ready for action, wearing a beret, with a holstered gun, and combat boots.
  

  Statue of Captain Miller in Nelliyadi, Jaffna

• In 2006, armed men, believed to be Sri Lankan soldiers, destroyed his statue. On 4 July 2010, the Sri Lankan military also destroyed other memorial stones, including the graves of all LTTE members.
  

  The damaged statue of Captain Miller in 2006 

• In January 2024, a film titled “Captain Miller,” which was based on his life, was released, featuring Dhanush, Sundeep Kishan, Kaali Venkat, and Priyanka Mohan as lead characters.
  

  The poster of the film Captain Miller (2024)