Edwin Wijeyeratne

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

High Commissioner for Ceylon to the United Kingdom
In office
1951–1954
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime Minister
Preceded by
Sir John Kotelawala,
S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike
Preceded byC. Coomaraswamy
Succeeded byRichard Aluwihare
Personal details
Born
Edwin Aloysius Perera Wijeyeratne

(1889-01-08)8 January 1889
Died19 October 1968(1968-10-19) (aged 79)
Nationality
née
Pethiyagoda
Children
Occupationlawyer, politician, diplomat
ProfessionAdvocate

Sir Edwin Aloysius Perera Wijeyeratne

Ceylonese High Commissioner to India[3][4]

Early life and education

Born on 8 January 1889 in

Kotte Kingdom who had fled in face of the Portuguese. His father was Gabrial Perera Wijeyeratne, a notary public and his mother was Catherina Wickremasinghe Jayasekera née Tennekoon, daughter of Jayasekera Tennekoon, a notary from the Four Korales in Kegalle. The eldest in the family, he grew up in the Buddenipola Walauwa in Kegalle.[5][6][7]

Wijeyeratne received his primary education at the village school in Rambukkana. When nine years old, he transferred to Handessa Village School in

St Joseph's College, Colombo where he passed the Cambridge Senior exam with Honours. He won 15 prizes at his last school prize giving.[8]

Early career

After completing school, he taught at Lorenz Tutory whilst pursuing an early career in journalism, where he worked under Armand de Souza.

Legal career

While working as a journalist, Wijeyeratne studied law at the

Buddhist Ecclesiastical Law.[8]

Political career

1915 riots

During his early days in journalism, Wijeyeratne became political secretary to

A. E. Goonesinha
who went on to play a prominent part in the independence movement.

Ceylon National Congress and the State Council

Wijeyeratne was a founding member of the

Sir Claude Corea and H. W. Amarasuriya
were among the delegates.

United National Party and the Minister of Home Affairs & Rural Development

Sir Edwin Wijeyeratne with Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake

In 1947, Wijeyeratne became a founding member of the

Namo, Namo, Matha was subsequently selected as the country's national anthem.[12][13][14][15][16]
He resigned as Minister and Senator in February 1951 paving the way for Sir Oliver Goonetilleke to succeed him and return to his former post on his return from London.

Diplomatic role

Edwin and Leela Wijeyeratne with King George VI and the Royal Consort in London 1951
Queen Elizabeth II

In 1952, Wijeyeratne was appointed

Sir Richard Aluvihare.[18]

Family life

Sir Edwin and Lady Leela Wijeyeratne
Tissa, Nissanka and Cuda

Wijeyeratne married Leela Pethiyagoda from the Meewaladeniya Walauwa in Gampola and had three sons and a daughter. The eldest,

Russian Federation and former member of the governing body of UNESCO. The youngest son, Dr Cuda Wijeyeratne is a consultant psychiatrist
.

Later life

Sir Edwin Wijeyeratne died on 19 October 1968 in Kegalle.[19]

See also

References

  1. ^ Former Ministers, Ministry of Home Affairs. Official Website, Ministry of Home Affairs (Sri Lanka), Retrieved on 2 October 2018.
  2. ^ Page 153 - Of a Certain Age: Twenty Life Sketches. Of a Certain Age: Twenty Life Sketches By Gopal Gandhi.
  3. ISBN 0824811836
    9780824811839
  4. ^ VOTE OF CONDOLENCE Dr. NISSANKA WIJEYERATNE: Sri Lanka Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) on Friday, 10th June, 2011
  5. ^ Page 205 & 206 of Peace At Last In Paradise. Peace At Last In Paradise By Dr. Ananda Guruge.
  6. ^ a b Sorting Diplomats from The Officers. Daily News (Sri Lanka), Retrieved on 30 May 2013.
  7. ^ Kegalu Balika Vidyalaya celebrates 78 years. Daily News (Sri Lanka), Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  8. ^ a b c d An illustrious son of Sabaragamuwa
  9. ^ Tissa Wijeyeratne A Remarkable Personality by Professor.Wiswa Warnapala. The Island (Sri Lanka). Retrieved 5 September 2002.
  10. ^ "Sri Lanka: The Untold Story". Archived from the original on 7 August 2009. Retrieved 25 January 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  11. ^ Tissa Wijeyeratne, an illustrious son of Lanka by Ajith Samaranayake. Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka), Retrieved on 14 July 2002.
  12. ^ National symbols - The identity of Mother Lanka. Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka), Retrieved on 29 January 2012.
  13. ^ Independence of 1948 resurrected and revived. Sunday Observer, Retrieved on 2 February 2014.
  14. ^ National flag unites all communities. Sunday Observer, Retrieved on 4 February 2015.
  15. ^ History of Sri Lanka’s National Anthem mired in controversy. Daily Mirror, Retrieved on 27 March 2015.
  16. ^ Rocky road of Sri Lanka’s national anthem! By Dr Upul Wijayawardhana. Island (Sri Lanka), Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  17. ^ "FIFTH SUPPLEMENT TO The London Gazette OF TUESDAY, 3oth DECEMBER, 1952" (PDF). thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  18. ^ Former Sri Lankan Envoys to India Official Website, High Commission of Sri Lanka in India
  19. ^ "Life Abroad - Part 29: SORTING DIPLOMATS FROM THE OFFICERS". dailynews. Retrieved 10 August 2021.

Further reading

External links
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