Harindra Corea Explained

Harindra Corea
President2:Chandrika Kumaratunga
Primeminister2:Ratnasiri Wickremanayake
Term Start2:2000
Term End2:2001
President3:J. R. Jayewardene
Primeminister3:Ranasinghe Premadasa
Term Start3:1980
Term End3:1989
Constituency Mp4:Chilaw
Parliament4:Sri Lankan
Term Start4:1977
Term End4:1988
Predecessor4:S. D. R. Jayaratne
Successor4:Constituency Abolished
Birth Date:4 March 1936
Birth Place:Colombo, British Ceylon
Death Place:Colombo, Sri Lanka
Nationality:Sri Lankan
Party:United National Party
Occupation:politician
Otherparty:People's Alliance
Spouse:Rochelle Corea
Parents:Claude Corea
Lylie Corea
Children:Sheonie, Harindrini
Alma Mater:S. Thomas College, Preparatory School, Bandarawela,
St Paul's School, London,
University College, Oxford
Profession:Lawyer

Harindra Jayantha Corea (4 March 1936 - 21 October 2005) was a Sri Lankan politician and Member of Parliament, who represented Chilaw. He was member of the United National Party of Sri Lanka. His parents were Sir Claude Corea who was renowned politician and diplomat and Lady Karmini Corea. Sir Claude was Minister of Labour in the State Council of Ceylon led by DS Senanayake, and was appointed the first ever Representative of Ceylon to the UK (before Independence) and was also Ceylon's first Ambassador in the United States.[1] Harindra Corea was the brother of Nihal Corea and Chandra Corea. The family home was situated in Alfred House Gardens in Colombo.

Education

Corea grew up in the UK and attended St Paul's School, London. He went on to study Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) at the University College, Oxford. He was then called to the Bar by the Honorable Society of the Inner Temple.

Political career

He won the Chilaw seat in the 1977 General Elections on the UNP ticket, following in the footsteps of his uncle, Srikuradas Charles Shirley Corea who won the parliamentary seat of Chilaw in 1952.[2]

Corea was appointed Minister of Telecommunications by President Ranasinghe Premadasa in the 1990s. After a disagreement with the UNP he crossed over to the People's Alliance Government under President Chandrika Kumaratunga in 2000. The Sunday Times of Sri Lanka noted 'the parliamentary debate on the draft constitution saw cross-overs from Dixon J. Perera, Harindra Corea and Mervyn Silva.[3] He was selected as a People's Alliance national list candidate.[4]

Harindra Corea was appointed Deputy Foreign Minister by President Chandrika Kumaratunga and travelled around the world representing Sri Lanka. Among the many duties undertaken as Deputy Foreign Minister, he opened the office of the Hony. Consulate General for Cyprus in Colombo, Sri Lanka in December 2000.[5]

Descendant of King Dominicus Corea (Edirille Rala)

Harindra Corea took a keen interest in the wider Corea Family. He headed the Edirimanne Corea Family Union in Sri Lanka in 2000. He was a descendant of King Dominicus Corea, also known as Edirille Rala.

Jazz Music

Corea was an accomplished jazz musician and he was a fan of some of the 'greats' in jazz music, among them Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington (who visited Sri Lanka in 1963). Chamikara Weerasinghe writing in the Daily News in Sri Lanka, observed that 'Among those who promoted jazz music in Sri Lanka are Tommy Perera, Tita Nathaniez, Mahes Perera, former Minister Harindra Corea and Bala Namasvayam.'[6]

Death

Corea died in Colombo on 21 October 2005. Parliamentarians held a Vote of Condolence when he died, speaking about his achievements in the Parliament of Sri Lanka in Kotte.[7] The citizens of Chilaw have named a sports ground in the town, in memory of their Member of Parliament who served them since 1977.

See also

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://archive.today/20120709050152/http://channel4.empireschildren.co.uk/category/chapters/index.php?chapter=499&cat=2 View other Empire Stories – Empire's Children
  2. Web site: Harindra Corea wins Chilaw for the United National Party in the 1977 General Elections in Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka Politics Portal. 29 July 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110716141233/http://www.politics.amazon.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=458%3Asri-lankan-parliamentary-election-1977&catid=575%3Aelections&Itemid=6. 16 July 2011. dead. dmy-all.
  3. Web site: Harindra Corea crossed over to the People's Alliance Government in September 2000 – Sunday Times, Sri Lanka. 29 July 2011.
  4. Web site: Harindra Corea – People's Alliance National List Candidate mentioned in an article in the Daily News, Sri Lanka. 29 July 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20121021043753/http://www.dailynews.lk/2001/11/15/pol08.html. 21 October 2012. dmy-all.
  5. Web site: Deputy Foreign Minister Harindra Corea with Cyprus High Commissioner to Sri Lanka (resident in New Delhi) and Mrs. Sicille P. C. Kotelawala, Hony. Consul General, opens the new Colombo office of the Consulate General for Cyprus in Sri Lanka – The Island Newspaper, Sri Lanka. 29 July 2011.
  6. Web site: Harindra Corea promoted jazz music in Sri Lanka – reference to Corea in an article by Chamikara Weerasinghe in the Daily News, Sri Lanka. 29 July 2011.
  7. Web site: Vote of Condolence on Hon. Harindra Corea, Parliament of Sri Lanka. 29 July 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20101021023827/http://www.parliament.lk/news/ViewNews.do?recID=NWS1616. 21 October 2010. dmy-all.