Dudley Senanayake was a Sri Lankan statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka on two occasions. He was the second Prime Minister of independent Sri Lanka and the first Prime Minister of the Second Republic. He was a prominent leader of the United National Party and is widely considered one of the most influential statesmen in Sri Lankan history. Despite his political accomplishments, there are many facts about Dudley Senanayake that are not widely known. In this article, we will explore five things you didn’t know about Dudley Senanayake and the impact he had on Sri Lankan history.
1. His Early Life
Dudley Senanayake was born on 18 June 1911 in the rural village of Botale in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. He was the fourth of five children born to Sir Don Baron Jayatilaka, a former member of the State Council of Ceylon, and Molly Senanayake, a teacher. His family was from a prominent aristocratic background, and he was related to a number of prominent figures in Sri Lankan politics. He was educated at Ananda College, Colombo, where he excelled in his studies, becoming the head prefect and winning numerous prizes. He then went on to study at the University of Ceylon, graduating in 1934 with a degree in science.
2. His Political Career
Dudley Senanayake began his political career in 1936 when he was elected to the State Council of Ceylon. He then became a member of the newly formed United National Party (UNP), and in 1947, he was elected the UNP’s Deputy Leader. He was appointed Minister of Agriculture and Lands in 1952 and served in the cabinet of Prime Minister John Kotelawala until his resignation in 1954. In 1956, he was elected Leader of the UNP and was appointed Prime Minister following the death of Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike in 1959. He was re-elected in 1965 and served as Prime Minister until his resignation in 1970.
3. His Achievements
During his time as Prime Minister, Dudley Senanayake made a number of significant contributions to the development of Sri Lanka. He was responsible for introducing the country’s first national plan, which was aimed at improving the standard of living in rural areas. He also played a key role in the introduction of the Sinhala Only Act, which made Sinhala the official language of Sri Lanka. He also established diplomatic relations with China and the United States and worked to improve the economic conditions in Sri Lanka.
4. His Later Life
After his resignation as Prime Minister in 1970, Dudley Senanayake continued to be active in politics. He was a vocal critic of the Sri Lankan government and its policies and was a leading figure in the struggle for democracy in the country. He was a strong advocate of the devolution of power to the provinces and the creation of an executive presidency. He also remained a prominent figure in the UNP, serving as its President until his death in 1973.
5. His Legacy
Dudley Senanayake is remembered as one of the most influential politicians in Sri Lankan history. He was a key figure in the struggle for independence and was responsible for introducing a number of important reforms to the country. His legacy can be seen in the fact that he is still revered by many Sri Lankans today, and he is remembered for his dedication to democracy and social justice. He is also remembered for his contribution to the development of the UNP and for his role in establishing diplomatic ties with China and the United States.
Dudley Senanayake was a prominent figure in Sri Lankan politics who made a significant contribution to the development of the country. He was a leader of the United National Party who served as Prime Minister on two occasions. Despite his political accomplishments, there are many facts about Dudley Senanayake that are not widely known. In this article, we explored five things you didn’t know about Dudley Senanayake and the impact he had on Sri Lankan history. He is remembered as a key figure in Sri Lankan politics, and his legacy is still felt today.
