Talk:U. N. Gunasekera
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U.N. Gunasekera
U N Gunasekera (B.Sc. Eng. London, MI.Struct. UK, F.I.E.) is considered to be Sri Lanka's Greatest Construction Engineer of the 20th Century. Mr.Gunasekera revolutionized engineering in Sri Lanka through his construction of High-rise buildings including Sri Lanka's First five star hotel (the Ceylon Inter-Continental) and Sri Lanka's Largest five star hotel (Lanka Oberoi) among other various projects.
He was the President of the Institute of Engineers in Sri Lanka for an unprecedented five years.
He developed many influential friendships including that of the First Woman Prime Minister of the world, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Former President Hon. R. Premadasa, (Both of whom considered him their closest ally) Ministers, Heads of Armed Forces, Police Force and many of the Leading Businessmen. He was considered to be one of the most well-connected and Powerful Businessmen in Sri Lanka prior to his retirement.
U.N.Gunasekera is a strong Buddhist and one of the largest contributors to charities in Sri Lanka, though in a silent manner, and is famed to contributing to a vast number of temples, hospitals, schools and charities.
U.N.Gunasekera was educated at the prominent Royal College where he was the Captain of the Rugby team, winning the coveted Bradby shield, a member of the Cricket team and Athletics team. He obtained his degree in Engineering from the University of London after completing the University of Cambridge Higher Diploma.
He also has many other businesses, such as the Glass House Health Center and Diagnostic Laboratory and was known to be a prominent real estate mogul, having invested in famed Billion-Rupee Multi-Acre property in Sri Lanka's capital, and accumulated vast wealth placing him among Sri Lanka's richest people for many years prior to his retirement.
He married the daughter of Sir Ernest de Silva, the Cambridge-educated Former Chairman of the Senate of Sri Lanka and the Founder-Chairman of the Bank of Ceylon, making the lineage one of the most prominent and traditionally wealthy families in South-East Asia. His mother was the philantrophist Mrs. H. M. Gunasekera (OBE, CBE) who together with Lady Evadne de Silva started the Gamini Matha Home For Elders in 1938 and founder of the famous Mrs. H.M.Gunasekera Trust which mass prints Buddhist books for free distribution. His Grandmother, constructed a temple, the 'Abeysingharamaya' which he expanded and maintained. His younger daughter Sushila was a national tennis champion in the early 70s before attending University to study Architecture. His elder daughter Srimani became a doctor and his son Dhammika an engineer —Preceding unsigned comment added by Fitz Mackins (talk • contribs) 08:25, 10 May 2008 (UTC)
