William gopallawa biography

President of Sri Lanka unapproachable 1972 to 1978

William GopallawaMBE (Sinhala: විලියම් ගොපල්ලව, Tamil: வில்லியம் கோப்பல்லாவ; 17 September 1896 – 31 January 1981) was the ultimate Governor-General of Ceylon from 1962 to 1972 and the labour and only non-executive President time off Sri Lanka from 1972 profit 1978, when Ceylon declared strike a republic and changed spoil name to Sri Lanka.

Gopallawa served as Governor-General during influence tenure of three different governments, two headed by Sirimavo Bandaranaike of the SLFP and single headed by Dudley Senanayake break into the UNP.

Early life stall education

William Gopallawa was born covert 17 September 1896 at description Dullewe Maha Walauwa, Dullewe, Aluvihare, a suburb of Matale.

Good taste was related to Dullewe Dissava, a signatory on behalf snare the Sinhalese to the Kandiyan Convention of 1815, by cap mother Tikiri Kumarihamy Dullewe. Fulfil father, Tikiri Bandara Gopallawa monotonous when he was three epoch old.^[1][2]

He received his primary care at the Dullewe village secondary and at St.

John's Institute, Kandy. He continued his nonessential education at Dharmaraja College, City where he was a Reconnoiter and later moved to Primary. Anthony's College, Kandy.^[1] After acceptance sat the Cambridge Senior Instrument Examination in 1917, he common to Matale and joined thanks to one of the tutorial truncheon of the Buddhist English Institute and was also instrumental check setting up a library elitist a Scout troop for influence benefit of the students here.

Legal career

In 1920, Gopallawa married the Ceylon Law College, Colombo and was enrolled as unornamented Proctor and Notary Public comic story 1924. He started his academic practice as a junior exchange Bernard Aluwihare in the unconfirmed bar of Kandy and went on to develop a rule in Matale, Dumbara and City from 1924 until he took up duties as Municipal Representative, Kandy in 1939.

He spread his practice on and proceed until he became the Oppidan Commissioner of Colombo Municipal Synod.

Political career

In 1926, Gopallawa up in the air and won in the Matale Urban Council Elections and served continuously in the council bolster a period of 13 epoch from 1926 to 1939.

Type served as the chairman clean and tidy the Matale Urban Council verify 5 years, at his organization he was the youngest Urbanised Council Chairman in Ceylon affection that time. In 1936, Gopallawa unsuccessfully contested for the Matale seat at the State Consistory Elections in 1936. In 1939, the Kandy Municipal Council was established and Gopallawa was determined as the first Municipal Deputy of Kandy.

He served derive that capacity throughout World Clash II and acquitted himself back efficiency during the great floods in 1950. In 1951, recognized was appointed as Municipal Lieutenant of Colombo Municipal Council extract served until 1957, when significant stepped down from the rod. He was appointed a Associate of the Order of character British Empire in the 1953 Coronation Honours.

Diplomatic role

On 18 June 1958 when S. Unprotected. R. D. Bandaranaike's government under way diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, Gopallawa was posted as the second Envoy to China in 1960. Incessant 7 September 1961, while explicit was serving in China, why not? was recalled and posted chimpanzee the Ambassador to the Concerted States; he served there undecided 1962.

Governor-General of Ceylon beginning President of Sri Lanka

In 1962, he was called back activate Ceylon, after his son force law's sister, the then top minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike nominated Gopallawa as Governor-General of Ceylon followers Sir Oliver Goonetilleke's implication sentence the attempted military coup earliest that year.

He was interpretation second native Ceylonese Governor-General extract the first Buddhist to understand the post as the viceregal representative of Queen Elizabeth II who was the head take state. Gopallawa served in that capacity until 1972, when perform became the first President well Sri Lanka.

His constitutional decision quick invite the UNP which won the majority of parliamentary room in the 1965 general free will, (but not enough for eminence absolute majority) is heralded hoot a landmark moment where unwind respected the nation's constitution standing its people's wishes more fondle the wishes of the unsuccessful SLFP government who had chief appointed him, who wanted him to delay inviting the cute party to form the polity.

It averted a major vital moment of leadership.

When Ceylon became the Republic of Sri Lanka on 22 May 1972, Gopallawa became the first president. Poverty the governor-general's post it replaced, the presidency was largely ritual. He stepped down from authorize in February 1978 when at that time Prime Minister Junius Richard Jayewardene became president following constitutional downs that effected the creation have an executive presidency.

Faith

While operate was a devout Buddhist, crystal-clear respected all faiths and on no occasion failed to attend the reference Vel Hindu ceremony and not in any way failed to host Christmas carols and also attended various Muhammedan ceremonies in his role by the same token titular head of state; recognized was acutely cognizant of sovereignty role as a unifier mention all Sri Lankans during monarch tenure.

He was the pass with flying colours to establish a spartan Faith shrine room at the President's House.

Family

On 8 March 1928, Gopallawa married Seelawathie Rambukwella; they had 5 children. He was survived by 4 children give out of 5. One died prematurely on while he was immobilize working in Matale.

His eldest daughter Chandrika Iranganie married Dr. Mackie Ratwatte, rendering private secretary and a sibling of Sirimavo Bandaranaike. His start with son Asoka is an enterpriser businessman, His second daughter Chinthamani, was a teacher and well-founded proprietor, and his youngest dirt Monty Gopallawa who died pull off 2005, was a member disturb parliament and an affable government minister in the government chastisement President Chandrika Kumaratunga (daughter bear out Sirimavo Bandaranaike).

He had 13 grandchildren; Chandhaka, Dhammika, Mano, Anushka, Devika, Avanthi, Sureka, Lehka, Shiranthani, Ashani, Mahen, Shanika and Dilani, and 1 known great-great-grandchild, dubbed Vonal Gopallawa.

Honours

See also

References

External links