Philip Gunawardena

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Don Philip Rupasinghe Gunawardena (b. 11 January 1901- d. 26 March 1972) is a national hero of Sri Lanka.

Don Philip Rupasinghe Gunawardena popularly known as Philip Gunawardena was born on 11th January 1901, to a well-to-do family in Boralugoda, Avissawella, in Sri Lanka.

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[edit] Early life

He had his primary education at the village school and later he was admitted to Prince of Wales' College, Moratuwa and later entered Ananda College, Colombo and thereafter to the University College, Colombo. At the age of 21 years he entered the University of Illinois, and later the University of Wisconsin, where he studied Economics and went on to Columbia University in New York. In USA he had a brilliant academic career. He became radical minded in his young age and associated himself actively in mass struggles which stormed the States at the time. On completion of his studies in America he joined the struggle of the Anti-imperialist League in New York. In 1929 he went to UK where he participated in mass agitations and anti-colonial movements. Shri Jawaharlal Nehru, Jayaprakash Narayan, & Krishna Menon of India, Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, Tan Malaka of Malaya, Jose Vasconcelos of Mexico, and Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam of Mauritius were some of his contemporary colleagues who played prominent roles lately in their motherlands. Philip Gunawardena excelled himself as a brilliant orator, trade unionist, and political columnist in UK.

[edit] Political career

He crossed the channel to Europe and worked with socialist groups in France, Germany, and as a revolutionary himself he had a rare opportunity to meet the revolutionaries of Spain who were aging a civil war.

Soon after his return to Sri Lanka, he plunged into active politics organizing rural peasants, plantation workers and urban workers. He pioneered the founding of Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) in 1935. In 1936 he was elected to the State Council where he continued his struggle for the betterment of workers and peasants.

When the World War II broke out Philip Gunawardena was detained on Governor’s orders. However, he escaped to Indian and participated in the independence struggle in India. In 1943 he was rearrested and detained in Mumbai, and after many months deported to Sri Lanka to be imprisoned till the end of war.

On his release in 1945 he again started political and trade union activities. At the General Election in 1947 he was elected to the first Parliament to represent Avissawella seat, but soon he was unseated on his involvement in the General Strike in 1947, and lost his civic rights for seven years.

He lead the Viplavakari Lanka Sama Samaja Party (VLSSP) since 1951 and as constituent party formed the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP, Peoples’ United Front) in 1956 under the leadership of Mr.SWRD Bandaranaike to form the first people’s government in 1956 General Election. At that election, in 1956, he won the Avissawella seat with a large majority and served as a key member of the Cabinet of SWRD Bandaranaike as the Minister of Agriculture, Food, & Co-operatives. He is remembered as the architect of the Paddy Lands Bills which brought relief to the tenant cultivator and spearheaded the Port & Bus nationalization, introduction of Multipurpose Co-operatives movement and establishing of the People’s Bank, those brought tremendous change to society in Sri Lanka.

He served in the National Government of Mr.Dudley Senanayake, 1965-1970, as the Cabinet Minister of Industries and Fisheries. He established the Industrial Development Board, strengthened & expanded state industrial corporations and national private sector industries, and planned the development of the Fisheries sector.

Philip Gunawardena married Kusuma (Amarasinha), in 1939, who later served as Member of Parliament from 1948-1960. They are parents to Indika (Ex-Cabinet Minister), Prasanna (Ex-Mayor of Colombo), Lakmali (State Award Winner of literature), Dinesh (Cabinet Minister), & Gitanjana (Deputy Speaker of Parliament).

Philip Gunawardena made an impeccable mark in the history of his motherland and committed his life to the development of Sri Lanka and died on 26th March 1972.

Don Philip Rupasinghe Gunawardena is honoured as a national hero of Sri Lanka.

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