1979 in Sri Lanka explained

The following lists notable events that occurred during 1979 in Sri Lanka.

Incumbents

• President  - J. R. Jayewardene
• Prime Minister  - Ranasinghe Premadasa
• Chief Justice  - Neville Samarakoon

Events

• Sri Lanka defeated India in the ICC World Cup. They were the winners of the inaugural ICC Trophy, ahead of the cricket World Cup. ^[1]
• Ethnic tensions and political unrest increase, as the Tamil minority realize their political party is having minimal success in the south.^[2]

Births

• 4 January  - Chamila Gamage, cricketer.
• 27 February  - Sanjaya Rodrigo, cricketer.
• 28 February  - Dinesh Lalinda, cricketer.
• 2 March  - Dharshana Gamage, cricketer.
• 28 March  - Duminda Dissanayake, politician.
• 30 March  - Malaka Dewapriya, film maker.
• 2 April  - Amila Perera, cricketer.
• 13 May  - Krishantha Ukwatte, cricketer.
• 26 May  - Malinda Warnapura, cricketer.
• 22 June  - Buddhika Mendis, cricketer.
• 10 July  - Dinesh Subasinghe, musician.
• 11 July  - Nisitha Rupasinghe, cricketer.
• 19 July  - Dilhara Fernando, cricketer.
• 29 July  - Chaminda Ruwan, cricketer.
• 10 August  - Dinusha Fernando, cricketer.
• 14 August  - Ranga Dias, cricketer.
• 11 September  - Thuwan Raheem, footballer.
• 28 September  - Mahesh Bogahalanda, cricketer.
• 6 October  - Chanuka Bandara, cricketer.
• 7 October  - Sujeewa de Silva, cricketer.
• 9 October  - Prasanna Jayawardene, cricketer.
• 14 October  - Hasantha Fernando, cricketer.
• 26 October  - Indika Basnayake, cricketer.
• 29 October  - Duminda Perera, cricketer.
• 2 December  - Manju Wanniarachchi, boxer.
• 4 December  - Wenura Caldera, cricketer.
• 14 December  - Chamara Silva, cricketer.
• 17 December  - Upekha Fernando, cricketer.
• 31 December  - Malinga Bandara, cricketer.

Deaths

• 17 February  - K. Alvapillai, civil servant (b. 1905).^{[3] [4]}
• 23 May  - S. Selvanayagam, geographer and academic (b. 1932).^[5]
• 14 August  - N. M. Perera, politician (b. 1905).
• 15 September  - Don Carlin Gunawardena, academic (b. 1899).
• 28 December  - Dommie Jayawardena, actor and singer (b. 1927).
• Unknown date  - I. J. Wickrema, trade unionist (b. 1922).

Notes and References

1. Web site: World Cup 1979: India suffer shocking defeat against Sri Lanka. 18 June 2013.
2. Book: Gunaratna. Rohan. Rohan Gunaratna. Sri Lanka's Ethnic Crisis and National Security. 1998. South Asian Network on Conflict Research. 955-8093-00-9. 353.
3. Book: Arumugam, S.. S. Arumugam

   . Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon. 1997. 3. S. Arumugam.

4. Web site: Sri Kantha. Sachi. Alvapillai: A Silent Axle of the Colonial and Post-colonial Ceylon Administration. Ilankai Tamil Sangam. Sachi Sri Kantha.
5. Book: The Glowing Tributes Paid to Late Prof. S. Selvanayagam.