Panini Ilangakoon Explained

Panini Ilangakoon
Constituency Mp1:Weligama
Parliament1:Sri Lankan
Term Start1:1970
Term End1:1977
Predecessor1:Montague Jayawickrama
Successor1:Montague Jayawickrama
Term Start2:1956
Term End2:1960
Predecessor2:Montague Jayawickrama
Successor2:Montague Jayawickrama
Birth Date:26 November 1919
Birth Place:Weligama, British Ceylon
Death Place:Sri Lanka
Nationality:Sri Lankan
Spouse:Effie Samarakkody
Lilly Goonasekere
Relations:S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike (cousin)
Children:2
Alma Mater:S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia
Profession:politician

Christophel Panini Illangakoon (Sinhala; Sinhalese: ක්‍රිස්ටෝෆෙල් පනිනි ඉල්ලන්ගකූන්) (10 November 1919 – 10 February 1989) was a Sri Lankan politician. He was a member of parliament from Weligama in Matara and a first cousin of S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, former Prime Minister of Ceylon.[1] [2]

Early life and education

See main article: Bandaranaike family. Ilangakoon was born on 26 November 1919 at Weligama to Gate Mudaliyar Simon William Ilangakoon and Liliyan Augusta Obeysekera, daughter of Sir Solomon Christoffel Obeyesekere, a member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon.[2]

He received his primary and secondary education at S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia and completed his studies in agriculture in Bangalore and in the United Kingdom.[2]

Political career

Ilangakoon entered politics in 1947 being elected member of the Weligama Urban Council.[2] He became a member of the newly formed Sri Lanka Freedom Party in 1952 and contested the Weligama seat unsuccessfully, losing to Montague Jayawickrama. In 1956, he elected in the general election defeating Jayawickrama.[3] He was defeated by Jayawickrama in 1960, but was able to defeat Jayawickrama and was elected in 1970, to be defeated again in 1977 by Jayawickrama.[4]

Family

Ilangakoon was married twice, firstly to Effie née Samarakkody with whom he had a son, Panini (Jr); then to Lilly née Goonasekere with whom he had Gamini.[5]

His first wife Effie remarried Robert Edward Jayatilaka and was later elected as the Chairman of the Nawalapitiya Urban Council. She was the first woman in the country to head an Urban Council [6]

Ilangakoon died on 10 February 1989, aged 69

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sri Lankan Sinhalese Family Genealogy. www.ancestry.com. 21 February 2016.
  2. News: Rajapaksa. Chamal. "Commemorating Panini Ilangakoon". The Island (Sri Lanka). 10 February 2010.
  3. Web site: "RESULTS OF PARLIAMENTARY GENERAL ELECTION - 1956". Election Commission of Sri Lanka. 21 February 2016.
  4. Web site: "RESULTS OF PARLIAMENTARY GENERAL ELECTION - May 27, 1970". Election Commission of Sri Lanka. 21 February 2016.
  5. Web site: Sri Lankan Sinhalese Family Genealogy. www.ancestry.com. 21 February 2016.
  6. News: Jayatilleke. Rohan. "Name Nawalapitiya Sports Complex as R. E. Jayatilaka Sports Complex Letter". The Island (Sri Lanka). 11 July 2012.