Semasinghe Navaratne Wanninaake Hulugalle (known as S. N. W. Hulugalle Adigar until 1915) was a Ceylonese colonial-era legislator and a headmen. He was representative of the Kandyans in the Legislative Council of Ceylon. He was appointed to an Adigar from which he was removed after the Riots of 1915.[1]
Born as C. Jayatilleke, he later changed his name to S. N. W. Hulugalle and was educated in at Christian College, Kotte. His uncle was John Graham Jayatilleke, first Kandyan Proctor and Notary Public.[1]
Joining the public service as a clerk in 1868, he was appointed Ratemahatmaya in 1875. In 1900, he was appointed as the unofficial member representing the Kandyan Sinhalese in the Legislative Council, while serving as Ratemahatmaya. In 1903 he was given the titular rank of Dissawe. He step down from the Legislative Council in 1906 and was awarded the titular rank of Adigar. He was succeeded by Theodore Barcroft L. Moonemalle. He retired from public service in 1913. However following the 1915 riots, he was stripped of the title of Adigar in 1915 by the British Government of Ceylon. His son-in-law P. B. Herat was the first Kandian member of the Ceylon Civil Service.[1]
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".
The Sri Lankan independence movement was a peaceful political movement which was aimed at achieving independence and self-rule for the country of Sri Lanka, then British Ceylon, from the British Empire. The switch of powers was generally known as peaceful transfer of power from the British administration to Ceylon representatives, a phrase that implies considerable continuity with a colonial era that lasted 400 years. It was initiated around the turn of the 20th century and led mostly by the educated middle class. It succeeded when, on 4 February 1948, Ceylon was granted independence as the Dominion of Ceylon. Dominion status within the British Commonwealth was retained for the next 24 years until 22 May 1972 when it became a republic and was renamed the Republic of Sri Lanka.
Sri Vikrama Rajasinha was the last of four Kings to rule the last Sinhalese monarchy of the Kingdom of Kandy in Sri Lanka. The Nayak Kings were of Telugu origin and practiced Shaivite Hinduism and were patrons of Theravada Buddhism. The Nayak rulers played a huge role in reviving Buddhism in the island. They spoke Telugu and Tamil, and used Tamil as the court language in Kandy alongside Sinhala.
Radala refers to a small minority group in Sri Lanka in the former provinces of the Kingdom of Kandy, who are either descendants of chiefs and courtiers of the King of Kandy of Nayaks of Kandy or descendants of native headmen appointed by the British colonial administration following the Uva Rebellion in 1818.
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.
Sir John D'Oyly, 1st Baronet was a British colonial administrator.
Sir Tikiri Bandara Panabokke II, First Adigar, JP, UM was a Ceylonese, prominent colonial era legislator, lawyer and diplomat. He was the first Minister of Health in the State Council and second representative of the Government of Ceylon to India. He was the last person appointed by the British Government of Ceylon to the post of Adigar.
Sir Richard Aluwihare, was a Sri Lankan civil servant. He was the first Ceylonese Inspector General of Police and Ceylon's High Commissioner to India.
The Mahâ Adigâr was a Great Officer in the Amātya Mandalaya, or Sinhalese Council of State, in the Sinhalese Kingdoms of monarchical Sri Lanka. The office was second in power and dignity to the King. Like many of the existing high offices at the time it had combined legislative and judicial powers and functioned primarily equivalent to that of a prime minister and chief justice, but also had duties in the governance of a province. During the Kandyan period there were two Adigars, who were styled Mahâ Nilames, the Pallegampahê Mahâ Nilamê and the Udagampahê Mahâ Nilamê, the former taking precedence over the latter.
The Mahâ Dissâvas was a Great Officer in the Amātya Mandalaya, or Sinhalese Council of State, in the Sinhalese Kingdoms of monarchical Sri Lanka. Like many of the existing high offices at the time it had combined legislative and judicial powers and functioned primarily equivalent to that of a Provincial governor. The office of Dissava was retained under the successive European colonial powers, namely the Portuguese Empire, the Dutch East India Company and the British Empire. A Dissava was the governor a province known as a Disavanies. With his province, the Dissava held both executive and judicial authority.
The Colebrooke–Cameron Commission was appointed in 1833 as a Royal Commission of Eastern Inquiry by the British Colonial Office to assess the administration of the island of Ceylon and to make recommendations for administrative, financial, economic, and judicial reform. According to Sir Charles Jeffries' book, Ceylon - The Path to Independence, "by the time the Commission got round to Ceylon, in 1829, most of the members had fallen by the wayside, and only one, Major Colebrooke was left."
Arachchi was an influential post in the Native Headmen System in Ceylon during the colonial era. Appointed by the Government Agent of the Province, the holder had much control over the people of the area and wielded quasi-judicial powers since he was responsible to keep the peace, carry out revenue collection and assist in judicial functions.
The 1915 Sinhalese-Muslim riots was a widespread and prolonged ethnic riot in the island of Ceylon between Sinhalese Buddhists and the Ceylon Moors. The riots were eventually suppressed by the British colonial authorities.
Barnes Ratwatte was a Ceylonese colonial-era legislator and a headman. He was a member of the State Council and the Senate of Ceylon. He was appointed to the posts of Rate Mahatmaya of Balangoda and Dissawa by the British. He was the father of Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the first female Prime Minister in the world.
Sir Don Henry Kotelawala was a Ceylonese politician. He was an elected member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon and State Council of Ceylon from the Uva and Badulla for 28 years.
Rajakaruna Senanayaka Panditha Herath Wasala Kuruppu Mudiyanse Ralahamillage Punchi Banda John Henry Meedeniya was a Ceylonese legislator and a headmen. He was the Kandyan Sinhalese member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon and elected member of the State Council of Ceylon for Ruwanwella. He was awarded the title of Adigar by the British Government of Ceylon.
Ehelapola Senevirathne Senanayake Chandrathilake Wijesundara Dissanayake Amarakoon Wasala Panditha Mudiyanse, commonly known as Ehelapola Nilame, was a courtier of the Kingdom of Kandy. He was the Pallegampahe Adigar, and held the honorary title of Maha Nilame from 1811 to 1814 under the reign of Sri Vikrama Rajasinha of Kandy. Ehelapola joined a revolt against King Rajasinha in Sabaragamuva province after he was sent to conquer it, and his entire family was executed. He helped the British launch an invasion against the Kandy Kingdom, overthrow Rajasinha, and subjugate Kandy to the British monarchy under the Kandyan Convention. Various records of Sri Lankan history suggest that he aided the British with the plan to later overthrow them. He was later convicted of treason by the British following the Great Rebellion of 1817–18, and was exiled to Mauritius.
Native headmen system was an integral part of the administration of the island of Ceylon under the successive European colonial powers, namely the Portuguese Empire, the Dutch East India Company and the British Empire. Native headmen or leaders were appointed by the European colonial administrators to function as intermediates between the Europeans and the native populous. During different periods through this system these headmen functioned in military, policing, administrative and ceremonial capacities. They served as translators, revenue collectors and wielded quasi-judicial powers. Much of the system evolved and changed over time until some of the last vestiges of it were removed in the post-independent Ceylon.
Punchi Banda Nugawela was a Ceylonese colonial-era legislator and a headmen. He was member of the State Council of Ceylon and Diyawadana Nilame from 1916–1937.
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