Robert Gunawardena

Robert Gunawardena, born Don Benjamin Rupasinghe Gunawardena (12 March 1904 - 26 December 1971) was a prominent Sri Lankan politician and diplomat. He was one of the founders of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party, which was the first political party in Sri Lanka, and served as the long time MP for Kotte. He was the leader of the Suriya-Mal Movement and served as ambassador to China between 1965 and 1970.

Hon.

Robert Gunawardena
Member of the Ceylon Parliament
for Kotte
In office
1947–1960
Succeeded byStanley Tillekeratne
Member of the Ceylon Parliament
for Kottawa
In office
March 1960 – December 1964
Succeeded byMahabalage Don Henry Jayawardena
Sri Lankan Ambassador to China
In office
1965 – 1970
Preceded byStephen Frederick de Silva
Succeeded byYogendra Duraiswamy
Personal details
Born
Don Benjamin Rupasinghe Gunawardena

(1904-03-12)12 March 1904
Kosgama, British Ceylon
Died26 December 1971(1971-12-26) (aged 67)
NationalitySri Lanka
Spouse(s)Rupa
MotherDona Liyanora née Gunasekera
FatherDon Jacolis Rupasinghe Gunawardena
RelativesPhilip (brother), Caroline (sister)
Education

Early life and education

Don Benjamin Rupasinghe Gunawardena, popularly known as Robert was born on 12 March 1904,[1] to an affluent family in Kosgama, Sri Lanka. The fourth of seven children of Don Jacolis Rupasinghe Gunawardena, known as Boralugoda Ralahamy, and Dona Liyanora née Gunasekera, he was the younger brother of Harry and Philip. He attended the government school in Hanwella for his primary education and went on to the Prince of Wales' College, Moratuwa however following his father's false arrest for allegedly being an agitator in the 1915 Ceylonese riots the family decided to withdraw the brothers from the school and enroll them at Ananda College, Colombo.[2][3]

In the late 1920s Harry, Robert and their younger sister Caroline became active in nationalist youth groups which were demanding democratic reforms with the ultimate goal of complete independence.[2]

Political career

See also

References
  1. "Hon. Gunawardena, Don Benjamin Rupasinghe (Robert), M.P." Parliament of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  2. Ervin, Charles Wesley (28 September 2008). "Pioneer Sri Lankan Socialist Celebrates Her 100th Birthday - Caroline Anthony Pillai – The Lioness of Boralugoda". The Island. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  3. Azwer, A. H. M. (31 May 2009). "Freedom fighter and national hero". Sunday Observer. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  4. Leslie Goonewardene"A Short History of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party". Marxists Internet Archive(MIA).
  5. Charles Wesley Ervin, Tomorrow is Ours:the Trotskyist Movement in India and Ceylon, 1935-48, Colombo: Social Scientists Association, 2006
  6. "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1947" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka.
  7. "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1952" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka.
  8. "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1956" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka.
  9. "Result of Parliamentary General Election 19 March 1960" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka.
  10. "Result of Parliamentary General Election 20 July 1960" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka.
  11. Personalities, Sri Lanka: A Biographical Study (15th-20th Century), 1490-1990 A.D., A-Z, Ceylon Business Appliances Limited, 1994 - 149 p. p. 60
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