Keerthisena Abeywickrama Explained

Honorific-Prefix:Hon.
Keerthisena Abeywickrama
Office1:District Minister for Matara
Term Start1:1977
Term End1:1987
Constituency Mp2:Deniyaya
Parliament2:Sri Lanka
Term Start2:1977
Term End2:1987
Predecessor2:Sumanapala Dahanayake
Successor2:Keerthilatha Abeywickrama
Birth Name:Keerthisena Chandradasa Abeywickrama
Birth Date:20 December 1933
Death Place:Colombo
Nationality:Sri Lankan
Party:United National Party
Spouse:Dr. Maya Abeywickrama née Jayasinghe (m. 1982)
Children:nil
Alma Mater:Richmond College, Galle

Keerthisena Chandradasa Abeywickrama (20 December 1933 – 18 August 1987) was a Sri Lankan politician and a member of the parliament.[1] [2]

Life

Abeywickrama was the son of Padikara Muhandiram Don Pedris Francis Abeywickrama and Catharina Abeywickrama née Liyanage from Morawaka, Sri Lanka. He received his education at Richmond College, Galle. He trained as a tea planter at the Madampe Group in Rakwana before managing the family estate in Morawaka.[3]

Abeywickrama joined the United National Party and was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Deniyaya Electoral District at the 8th Sri Lankan Parliamentary Election in 1977.[4] He served as the District Minister for Matara in the Jayewardene cabinet.[5]

He is the cousin of Sumanadasa Abeywickrama, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Development & Research and Member of Parliament for Akmeemana. They both contested for the United National Party and won seats at the 8th Sri Lankan Parliamentary Election in 1977.

On 20 December 1982 he married Dr. Maya Abeywickrama née Jayasinghe, a music teacher, lawyer and author.[6] [7]

Death

Abeywickrama was assassinated in the 1987 grenade attack in the Sri Lankan Parliament by members of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) that was banned at the time.[8] [9] His sister Keerthilatha Abeywickrama was appointed Member of Parliament for the Deniyaya after his death.[10] [11]

The Keerthi Abeywickrama National School in Morawaka was named after him.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hon. Abeywickrema, Keerthisena, M.P.. Directory of Past Members. Parliament of Sri Lanka. 8 June 2020.
  2. Book: Members of the Legislatures of Sri Lanka, 1931-83: Record of Service. Parliament of Sri Lanka. Goonetilleke, T. V.. 1983. 8.
  3. Book: Personalities, Sri Lanka: A Biographical Study (15th-20th Century), 1490-1990 A.D., A-Z. Wimalaratne, K. D. G.. Ceylon Business Appliances Limited. 1994. 9789559287001. 5.
  4. Web site: Parliamentary Election - 1977. https://web.archive.org/web/20110717002624/http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/General%20Election%201977.PDF. 17 July 2011.
  5. Web site: Sri Lanka Year Book 1982. Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka. 13.
  6. Book: Abeywickrama, Maya. Keerthita Mese Pawasami. 2011. Vijita Yāpā Prakāśana . 978-9556651300.
  7. News: Book Review - Soliloquy of a Love Struck Woman. 19 March 2011. The Island. Maya. Abeywickrama. 9 June 2020.
  8. Web site: How JRJ and the UNP top rung escaped death. The day Parliament was bombed.
  9. News: SRI LANKA ATTACK MISSES PRESIDENT; 1 KILLED, 14 HURT. The New York Times . 19 August 1987 .
  10. Web site: The track record on representation.
  11. Web site: Hon. Abeywickrema, Keerthilatha Premawathie, M.P.. Directory of Past Members. 8 June 2020. Parliament of Sri Lanka.