| Gunapala Piyasena Malalasekera | |
|---|---|
| Born | 8 November 1899 Malamulla, Panadura |
| Died | 23 April 1973 Colombo |
| Nationality | Sri Lankan |
| Alma mater | St. John's College Panadura, University of London |
| Occupation | Academic, diplomat |
| Religion | Theravada Buddhism |
Gunapala Piyasena Malalasekera (8 November 1899 - 23 April 1973) was a Sri Lankan professor, scholar and diplomat. He was the first Ceylon Ambassador to the Soviet Union,Ceylon High Commissioner in Canada, Ceylon High Commissioner to United Kingdom and Ceylon Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.[1][2]
Contents |
Born on November 8, 1899 at Malamulla, Panadura, his father was a well-known Ayurvedic (native medicine) physician, Ayur. Dr. M. S. Pieris Malalasekera.
As a school boy, young George Pieris Malalasekera as he was known then, was sent to St. John's College Panadura, (now the St. John's College National School) for his English education. It was a leading school in the English medium in Panadura under the principalship of Cyril Jansz, an reputed educationist of the colonial era. After receiving his education in that school from 1907–17, he joined the Ceylon Medical College, Colombo to qualify as a doctor with a Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery (LMS).
The death of his father cut short his medical studies. Circumstances compelled him to give up his hopes of becoming a medical doctor. By following a correspondence course from England, he gained a BA from the University of London External System, 1919 with a first division. His subjects were English, Latin, Greek and French. He was the youngest candidate to obtain the Bachelor of Arts degree in the British Empire in that year with a first class.
In 1923, he proceeded to join the University of London and obtained the two post-graduate degrees of a MA and a PhD simultaneously in 1925, in oriental languages majoring in Pali. His thesis was 'Pali Literature in Sri Lanka'.
Coming under the influence of Buddhist renaissance of Srimath Anagarika Dharmapala, he changed his foreign names of George and Pieris to those of Gunapala Piyasena and henceforth came to be known as G. P. (Gunapala Piyasena) Malalasekera. After gaining his BA he took to teaching at Ananda College, Colombo, then under the principal P. de S. Kularatne. Both of them were the architects of the Sinhala national costume.In quick succession Malalasekera rose up the ranks to be the Vice Principal and acting Principal of Ananda College. Thereafter he left for London for his graduate studies. On his return to the motherland in 1926, he was appointed Principal of Nalanda College Colombo. The student assembly hall of Nalanda College Colombo is named Malalasekara Theatre in memory of him.
Shortly afterwards, he succeeded Ven. Suriyagoda as lecturer in the then University College, Colombo to lecture in English on Sinhala, Pali and Sanskrit for the University of London degree examinations. When the University of Ceylon was founded in 1942, he became the Professor of languages which included Sinhala, Pali, Sanskrit and Buddhist Civilization. In course of time he became the Dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies. His research on Buddhism and Buddhist Civilisation was extensive and he was the Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopaedia of Buddhism.
His contribution by way of research papers and publications to the Pali Text Society of London under the distinguished patronage of scholars like Rhys David and Miss I. B. Harner are stupendous, voluminous and highly knowledgeable. From 1927 twice he was elected the Joint Secretary of the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress. Thrice he was the Vice-President and functioned as its President from 1939-1957.
During his tenure of office, he saw to it that this congress got constructed a new building for its headquarters at Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo-7. He took a delight in the activities of the Viharamahadevi Girls' Home, Biyagama and was responsible for the establishment of boys' homes at Panadura and Ja-Ela. During his presidency of the Buddhist Congress for 25 years, he addressed 20 of its annual sessions. His 'magnum opus' or great work is the famous 'Gunapala Sinhala-English Dictionary'. Of equal importance is the Pali dictionary - Sinhala-English. An ardent member of the Ceylon Asiatic Society, he was conferred honorary degrees from the reputed universities in the UK, France, Cambodia and Myanmar (Burma). He represented Ceylon at several parleys abroad notably, Conference on Living Religions (1924 - London), Conference on World Religious (1936 - London), Association of Occidental (Western) and Oriental Philosophers (Hawaii - 1949), Association of Indian Philosophers - India, meeting of the Pakistani Philosophers (1953 - Karachi), and the Seminar on Religions for Peace, (San Francisco, USA, 1965). So numerous were the essays, write-ups, literary contributions he made and radio talks delivered over Buddhist, religious and cultural matters and Social service assignments. He was the founder president of the World Fellowship of Buddhists inaugurated within the hallowed precincts of the Temple of the Tooth, Kandy in 1950 at the suggestion of the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress.
He was president of the World Fellowship of Buddhists from 1950 to 1958;http://www.wfb-hq.org/intro1.htm
they still seem to have special events named in his honor from time to time.
Malalasekera was appointed the first Ambassador for Ceylon to the USSR in 1958 by Prime Minister S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike when he established diplomatic relations with socialist countries such as Russia, China, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia.
Subsequently, he functioned as the Ceylon High Commissioner in Canada and was Ceylon UN Permanent Representative in New York. Finally, he was the Ceylon's High Commissioner in the UK.
In 1967, he returned to the island to accept the post of chairman of the National Higher Education Commission which responsible post he held till 1971. He died on April 23, 1973.
He had six children - three daughters and three sons, one daughter excelled in classical music (piano) and the other daughter became a science graduate whilst his son Vijaya studied law at the University of Cambridge and was called to the English Bar as Barrister-at-Law.