M. D. H. Jayawardena Explained

Honorific-Prefix:Hon.
M. D. H. Jayawardena
Office:Minister of Plantation Industries
President:J. R. Jayewardene
Primeminister:Ranasinghe Premadasa
J. R. Jayewardene
Term Start:23 July 1977
Term End:1979
Office2:Minister of Housing and Scientific Research
Term Start2:1968
Term End2:1970
Primeminister2:Dudley Senanayake
Office3:Minister of Health
Term Start3:1965
Term End3:1968
Primeminister3:Dudley Senanayake
Predecessor3:Badi-ud-din Mahmud
Successor3:George Rajapaksa
Office4:Minister of Finance
Term Start4:1 July 1954
Term End4:18 February 1956
Primeminister4:John Kotelawala
Predecessor4:Oliver Goonetilleke
Successor4:Stanley de Zoysa
Parliament5:Sri Lankan
Constituency Mp5:Horana
Term Start5:1952
Term End5:1956
Predecessor5:A. P. Jayasuriya
Successor5:K. A. S. Palansuriya
Constituency Mp6:Kottawa
Term Start6:1965
Term End6:1970
Predecessor6:Robert Gunawardena
Successor6:Chandra Gunasekera
Birth Date:29 March 1915
Birth Name:Mahabalage Don Henry Jayawardena
Birth Place:Padukka, British Ceylon
Death Place:Sri Lanka
Party:United National Party

Mahabalage Don Henry Jayawardena (29 March 1915 – 29 September 1986) was a Sri Lankan lawyer, businessman and politician. Jayawardena served as the Minister of Finance, Minister of Health, Minister of Housing and Scientific Research and Minister of Plantation Industries between 1954–1977.[1]

Early life and education

Born to M.D.S Jayawardena Ralahami, he was educated at Trinity College, Kandy and at the Ceylon University College, where he graduated with a degree in economics. In 1938, he entered Ceylon Law College becoming an advocate. Traveling to the United Kingdom, he qualified as a barrister and returned to Ceylon in 1946 and started his legal practice.[2]

Political career

Joining the United National Party in 1947, he was elected to parliament from the Horana electorate in the 1952 parliamentary election and was appointed parliamentary secretary to the minister of finance, serving from October 1953 to July 1954. When the minister of finance, Sir Oliver Goonetilleke, was appointed governor general, Jayawardena was succeeded him as minister of finance, serving from July 1954 to February 1956. He contested the 1956 parliamentary election from Horana, but lost to Sagara Palansuriya. In 1958, he was appointed general secretary of the United National Party, serving till 1972. He contested the Kottawa electorate in the July 1960 parliamentary election, but lost to Robert Gunawardena. He again contested from Kottawa in the 1965 parliamentary election and won defeating Robert Gunawardena and was appointed Minister of Health. During his tenure the Emergency Care Unit of the Colombo General Hospital was built. He served until 1968, when he was appointed Minister of Housing and Scientific Research and served till 1970. He lost his parliamentary seat 1970 parliamentary election to Chandra Gunasekera. He was re-elected in the 1977 parliamentary election and was appointed Minister of Plantation Industries serving till 1979.[2]

Family

He married the daughter of Benthota Hendrique Karunarathne in 1942 and they had three children.[2]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: De Silva, K. M.. J.R. Jayewardene of Sri Lanka: 1906-1956. 1994. University of Hawaii Press. 325. 9780824811839.
  2. News: Herath . Ravi Prasad . Tiger among the felines . 25 October 2020 . Daily News.