D. D. Karunaratne Explained

Meneripitiya Appuhamillage Don David Karunaratne was a Ceylonese politician.^{[1] [2]}

Karunaratne was elected to parliament at the 1st parliamentary election, representing the United National Party (UNP), for the Gampaha electorate.^[3] He secured 11,786 votes (38% of the total vote), 3,370 votes ahead of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party candidate, C. A. Mathew, who received 27% of the total vote.^[4]

Karunaratne had two daughters, Chandra Charlotte and Edith. Chandra married Percy Jayakoda, who was the MP for Divulapitiya.^{[5] [6]}

Karunaratne was a wealthy landowner in the Gampaha District, owning a number of coconut and rubber plantations. In the 1930s he constructed a palatial walauwa, called Agra, in Bendiyamulla. The 1966 film Parasathu Mal, directed by Gamini Fonseka, was filmed on the property. In 1978 the Gampaha District Secretariat purchased the dwelling and 4.9ha for Rs 15,300,000 and converted it into government offices, to house the secretariat.^{[7] [8]}

Notes and References

1. Web site: Hon. Karunaratne, Meneripitiya Appuhamillage Don David, M.P.. Parliament of Sri Lanka. 26 October 2017.
2. Book: Members of the Legislatures of Ceylon: 1931-1972. Jātika Rājya Sabhāva. Pustakālaya. National State Assembly Library. 1972. 154.
3. University of Ceylon Review. 1948. 6. University of Ceylon. 169.
4. Web site: Result of Parliamentary General Election 1947 . Department of Elections, Sri Lanka . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150924115557/http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/Results_1947%20GENERAL%20ELECTION.PDF . 2015-09-24 .
5. News: Obituaries. Daily News. 2 December 2006. 26 October 2017.
6. News: Her equanimity was remarkable: Mrs. Pearlie Gunawardena – All in the Family. The Island. 5 December 2015. 26 October 2017.
7. News: The walauwe behind award winning film. Nimna. Edirisinghe. The Island. 20 March 2005. 26 October 2017.
8. News: A Stately Home acquired. Ceylon Today. 27 August 2017. 26 October 2017.