Nissanka Wijeyeratne
Ranil Wickremasinghe | |
---|---|
Minister of Higher Education | |
In office 1978–1980 | |
Succeeded by | J. R. Jayewardene |
Minister of Justice | |
In office 1980–1988 | |
Preceded by | K. W. Devanayagam |
Succeeded by | Vincent Perera |
Asia-Pacific Representative to the UNESCO Executive Board | |
In office 1987–1989 | |
Member of Parliament for Dedigama | |
In office 1977–1988 | |
Preceded by | Rukman Senanayake |
Succeeded by | Constituency Abolished |
Personal details | |
Born | 14 June 1924 |
Died | 7 January 2007 Kandy, Sri Lanka | (aged 82)
Resting place | Family Cemetery at Meeduma, Ceylon Artillery |
Deshamanya Nissanka Parakrama Wijeyeratne (Sinhala: නිශ්ශංක පරාක්රම විජයරත්න) (14 June 1924 – 7 January 2007), known as Nissanka Wijeyeratne, was a Sri Lankan politician, civil servant, diplomat and English language poet. He was also the
Early life
Nissanka Wijeyeratne was born on 14 June 1924 to a leading family
Education
Wijeyeratne completed his primary and secondary education at the Royal College, Colombo. He then pursued further studies at the University of Ceylon where he earned a BA Honours in history. He also had a scholarly interest in Sri Lankan sociology, as well as in religious philosophy.
Civil Service
Nissanka Wijeyeratne after leaving university, served for a brief period for the
National emblem and flag of Sri Lanka
The present national
Sacred City & new town of Anuradhapura
During his public service career, Nissanka Wijeyeratne was Government Agent of Anuradhapura District from 1958 to 1962. He was arguably the best known of all government agents of his time. His stature ensured that the voice of Anuradhapura was heard at the highest levels in Colombo. Apart from being Government Agent, he was Chairman of the Anuradhapura Preservation Board. This was the time when the city of Anuradhapura was in a period of historic transition. The new town of Anuradhapura was being built, and the residents of the old were being transferred to the new town. It was a time of some tension and of excitement. He managed this process of change with courage and remarkable political skills. While in Anuradhapura, he unveiled a memorial for H. R. Freeman, a popular British Government Agent who later was elected by the people of the district to represent them in the 1st State Council of Ceylon.[9] Coming events cast their shadows before. A striking feature of Wijeyeratne's Anuradhapura days was his great ability to see the bigger picture and focus on the key issues, and delegate responsibilities to his staff officers. He was never one to be enmeshed in detail. He also set up the Sacred City of Anuradhapura shifted the urban city to the newly created Anuradhapura town and is responsible for the establishment of Anuradhapura Airport.
Diyawadana Nilame
Nissanka Wijeyeratne served as Diyawadana Nilame (Chief lay Custodian) of Temple of the Tooth, Kandy for 10 years. He was elected for the post in 1975. Wijeyeratne was the first low country Govigama person in the history of Sri Lanka who successfully challenged the Kandyan Radala hierarchy for that post. During his tenure as Diyawadana Nilame, he introduced administrative methods to Sri Dalada Maligawa and established the Gold Museum, and re-organised the Kandy Perahera. He established the Kandy
Political career
Wijeyeratne was a long-standing a member of the
As Cabinet Minister of Education and Higher Education,
The new superior court complex in Colombo was established by Wijeyeratne with Chinese Government aid during his tenure as the Cabinet Minister of Justice.[6] He established the Sri Lanka Cultural Triangle with aid from UNESCO for preservation of National Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka,[6] and proposed the Sri Lankan President's Fund, which provides health and education assistance to the needy and underprivileged.[6] One of his major personal achievements was the enactment of the Mediation Board Act No.72 of 1988.
Diplomatic role
In the 1990s, Nissanka Wijeyeratne was appointed as Sri Lankan Ambassador to the Soviet Union, where he served as the head of the Sri Lanka Diplomatic Mission in Moscow for a period of three years. Wijeyeratne's global perspectives lay not only in Russia but also from his associates in UNESCO (of which he was at one time an executive committee member).[15] His deep interest in scholarship lay behind the proposal he made at UNESCO for the revival of the ancient library of Alexandria.[16]
English-language poetry
A collection of over two decades of Wijeyeratne's English poems was published in a book titled අපේ අප්පච්චි: An Anthology of Our Father's Poems in 2001 (Vijitha Yapa Publications,
Family
He married Nita Dullewe, the only child of Tinnie and Mallika Dullewe of Meeduma Walauwa, Rambukkana.[6] Nissanka Wijeyeratne and his wife Nita had five children: Neranjan, Mano, Anuradha, Lankesh and Nishanganie.
Neranjan Wijeyeratne (eldest son of Wijeyeratne) He was former leader of the opposition in the Kandy Municipal Council and was the former Diyawadana Nilame (Chief Lay Custodian) of the Temple of the Tooth, Kandy. He served as Diyawadana Nilame for a total of 20 years.
Honours
- The Honorary Doctor of Philosophyby in 1978.
- The title of Buuddha Kulawthansa was conferred on him by the Maha Nayake Theros (chief incumbents) of Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters.
- President Ranasinghe Premadasa conferred him the title Deshamanya on National Heroes Day, 22 May 1991.
See also
References
- ^ Biography of Hon. H.B Udurawana. Hon. H.B Udurawana (The 16th Diyawadana Nilame of the Temple of the Tooth)
- ISBN 978-955-1302-14-6)
- ^ Page 127 - If My Table Could Talk: Insights into remarkable lives by Michael Wynne-Parker.
- ^ An illustrious son of Sabaragamuwa. Daily News (Sri Lanka), Retrieved 20 October 2007.
- ^ Tissa Wijeyeratne, an illustrious son of Lanka by Ajith Samaranayake. Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka), Retrieved 14 July 2002.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Saga of Nilame and Kumarihamy by Lakmal Welabada. Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka), Retrieved 10 December 2006.
- ^ Representation on the Executive Board, UNESCO. Sri Lanka in United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
- ^ Central Bank of Ceylon Armorial Ensign of Sri Lanka - 1977. Central Bank of Ceylon
- ^ How Freeman won the NCP seat. Island (Sri Lanka), Retrieved 10 March 2010.
- ^ 1977 Parliamentary Elections Results. Official Website, Department of Elections, Sri Lanka.
- ^ History, The Faculty of Medicine of the University of Jaffna. The Faculty of Medicine of the University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka.
- ^ Sri Lanka Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Sri Lanka Parliament Vote of Condolence to Dr.Nissanka Wijeyeratne on 10th June 2011.
- ^ Ranil vows to continue struggle against racism sans he is branded Tiger and Bin Laden. Lanka e News, Retrieved 6 December 2008
- ^ Hon. Ranil Wickremasinghe's press conference held in the parliament 5th Dec 2008. Divaina, Retrieved 6 December 2008.
- ^ D. G. B. de Silva. "A seat in the UNESCO Executive Board: What it is all about". The Island (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 5 November 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2003.
- ^ Weeramantri, Christy (17 June 2001). "He bridged cultures across the world". Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). Retrieved 17 June 2001.
- ^ අපේ අප්පච්චි: Anthology of Our Fathers Poems. Vijitha Yapa.Com
- ^ Remembering Dr Nissanka Wijeyeratne by G. Sathasivam Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka), Retrieved 14 June 2015.