D.S. Senanayake, with brother-in-law F.H. Dias-Bandaranaike, brothers Don Charles and Don Stephen, sister Maria Frances, father Mudaliyar Don Spater, and mother Dona Catherina Elizabeth Perera. (circa. 1902)
Mudaliyar Don Spater Senanayake was a Ceylonese, an entrepreneur and philanthropist. He was a successful graphite mine owner and was given the titular title of Mudaliyar for social service by the British colonial administration. He is the father of D. S. Senanayake, the firstPrime Minister of Sri Lanka.[1]
Born in the village of Botale in 1847 to Don Bartholomew, he had his schooling at St Thomas’ College, Matale. He went into business and gained success in graphite mining, owning several mines. He also owned several plantations and investments in the arrack renting franchise.[2] He married Dona Catherina Elizabeth Perera Gunasekera Senanayake, daughter of Baron Senanayake of Kehelella, Badalagama. They had three sons; Don Charles "D.C." Senanayake, Fredric Richard "F. R." Senanayake, Don Stephen "D.S." Senanayake and a daughter Maria Francess "Mary Jane" Senanayake.[3]
He was awarded the title of Mudaliyar by Governor Sir Joseph West Ridgeway for being "a worthy citizen". He died on November 7, 1907. His politically active sons started a political lineage that extended several generations, lasting to this day. His son D. S. Senanayake became the first Prime Minister of Ceylon having led it to its independence, his grandson Dudley Shelton Senanayake succeeded his father as the second Prime Minister and held the post on three occasions. His eldest son Fredrick Richard Senanayake was elected to the Legislative Council and his son Richard Gotabhaya Senanayake went on to become a Cabinet minister. His descendants include Rukman Senanayake (great grandson), Vasantha Senanayake and Ruwan Wijewardene (great great grandsons) who are active in current Sri Lankan politics.
Don Stephen Senanayake was a Ceylonese statesman. He was the first Prime Minister of Ceylon having emerged as the leader of the Sri Lankan independence movement that led to the establishment of self-rule in Ceylon. He is considered as the "Father of the Nation".
Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike, known by the Sri Lankan people as "The Silver Bell of Asia", was the fourth Prime Minister of the Dominion of Ceylon, serving from 1956 until his assassination in 1959, causing him to die in office. The founder of the left-wing and Sinhalese nationalist Sri Lanka Freedom Party, his tenure saw the country's first left-wing reforms.
Dudley Shelton Senanayake, was a Sri Lankan statesman who served as Prime Minister of Ceylon from 1952 to 1953, in 1960, and from 1965 to 1970 and Leader of the Opposition from 1960 to 1964. Senanayake's tenures as prime minister were associated with democratic policies focused on agricultural and educational reforms with a pro-western alignment.
General Sir John Lionel Kotelawala was a Sri Lankan statesman, who served as the 3rd Prime Minister of Ceylon from 1953 to 1956.
Fredrick Richard Senanayake was a Ceylonesen lawyer and independence activist. A leading member of the Sri Lankan independence movement, he was an elected member of the Colombo Municipal Council. F.R Senanayake, who would go on to lead Sri Lanka's independence movement, becoming a Barrister of independent Sri Lanka in 1947.
Sir Solomon Dias Abeywickrema Jayatilleke Senewiratna Rajakumaruna Kadukeralu Bandaranaike, was a Ceylonese colonial-era headmen. He was appointed as Head Mudaliyar and the aide-de-camp to the British Governor of Ceylon, therefore he was one of the most powerful personalities in British colonial Ceylon.
Rukman Senanayake is a Sri Lankan politician. A former Cabinet Minister of Environment and Natural Resources from 2002 to 2004 and Member of Parliament for Kegalle District, he was a Vice Leader of the United National Party.
Don Richard Wijewardena was a Sri Lankan press baron who was involved in the Sri Lankan independence movement. A successful entrepreneur, he established Lake House newspapers and played a significant role in the independence movement.
Richard Gotabhaya Senanayake was a Sri Lankan politician. He was Minister of Trade and Commerce during the period 1952-56 and 1956-60. He was elected a Member of Parliament from Dambadeniya in 1952 and in 1956 from Kelaniya, thus holding concurrent seats from two constituencies, while he retained his seat from Dambadeniya in 1960 and 1965. He was the eldest son of the freedom fighter Fredrick Richard Senanayake and was educated at the Royal College, Colombo and at Downing College, Cambridge and had become a barrister.
Mohottalage Dingiri Banda was a former Divisional Revenue Officer (DRO) and subsequently a Cabinet Minister and Member of Parliament in Ceylon.
Justin Kotelawala, CBE, JP was a Sri Lankan businessman and Senator. He was the former Chairman of the Ceylinco Group.
Deshamanya Edward Lionel Senanayake was a Sri Lankan politician belonging to the United National Party. He was the 12th Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament. Senanayake was the Governor of North Central Province and Central Province of Sri Lanka. He was elected to the Sri Lankan Parliament from Mahanuwara in Kandy.
Bothale Walauwa is a large bungalow in Bothale Ihalagama, Western Province, Sri Lanka.
The Senanayake family is a Sri Lankan family that is prominent in enterprise and politics. Along with many members who have been successful politician across generations, the family includes two Prime Ministers of Sri Lanka.
Mudaliyar Don Charles Gemoris Attygalle was a Ceylonese entrepreneur and mine owner. He was a successful graphite mine owner and was given the titular title of Mudaliyar for social service by the British Governor of Ceylon. Through the marriage of his daughters, the Senanayake family and the Jayewardene family were connected and played a major part in the Sri Lankan independence movement and in post-independence politics, due in part to the wealth he had accumulated.
The Jayewardene family is a Sri Lankan family that is prominent in law and politics. Along with many members who have been successful politician across generations, the family includes Presidents and Prime Ministers of Sri Lanka.
The murder of Francis Dixon Attygalle took place on 5 December 1906, after he was shot in the abdomen and later succumbed to his injuries in hospital. The murder became Ceylon's first sensational trial, which lay blame on Attygalle's brother-in-law John Kotelawala Sr, who committed suicide in jail before the verdict was given.
Mollie Dunuwila Senanayake, was a Sri Lankan public figure, she was the wife of Don Stephen Senanyake, who became Prime Minister of newly independent dominion in 1948. Her son Dudley was the second Prime Minister of Ceylon, in 1952.
Alice Elisabeth Kotelawala, CBE was a Ceylonese businesswoman and philanthropist. She was the mother of Sir John Kotelawala, third Prime Minister of Ceylon.
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