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".
Osterley Park is a Georgian country estate in west London, which straddles the London boroughs of Ealing and Hounslow. Originally dating from the 1570s, the estate contains a number of Grade I and II listed buildings, with the park listed as Grade II*. The main building was remodelled by Robert Adam between 1761 and 1765. The National Trust took charge of Osterley in 1991, and the house and park are open to visitors.
Philip Upali Wijewardene was a Sri Lankan business magnate and entrepreneur. In 1983, Wijewardene had a net worth of US $50 million. He was the founder and chairman of Upali Group, the first multi-national business in Sri Lanka. Upali Group has businesses in the US, UK, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Hong Kong. The Upali Group diversified from confectionery to electronics, automobile manufacturing, publishing, print media, leisure, and aviation. It developed many brands, including Kandos, Delta, Unic, Upali Air, Upali Mazda and Upali Newspapers, which Insight Magazine UK said was achieved "largely through bravado and wit."
The Mount Lavinia Hotel, in Mount Lavinia, Sri Lanka, is a 275-room hotel, situated at 100 Hotel Road in Mount Lavinia. It is recognised as one of the oldest and most famous hotels in the country. It has been continuously operating as a hotel since 1947, but was initially constructed as the governor's residence in 1806.
Charles Henry de Soysa Dharmagunawardana Vipula Jayasuriya Karunaratna Disanayaka popularly known as Charles Henry de Soysa, JP was a Ceylonese entrepreneur and philanthropist. He was a pioneering planter, industrialist and was the wealthiest Ceylonese of the 19th century. He was instrumental in the establishment of the first Ceylonese bank, the Moratuwa carpenters guild, the Ceylon Agricultural and National Associations. He is widely regarded as the greatest philanthropist of the island for contributions which includes the De Soysa Maternity Hospital, the Prince and Princess of Wales Colleges, the Model Farm Experimental Station and many other institutions and acts of charity, establishing infant-maternal healthcare and secular education for girls in the country. He would have been the island's first Knight Bachelor, but having died prior, his widow was given the rare honor of the use of the style and dignity of wife of the Knight Bachelor and was known as Catherine, Lady de Soysa.
The Grand Hotel is a four-star boutique hotel in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka, that was built in the style of an Elizabethan-era manor house. The hotel has 154 rooms, including three presidential suites, four junior suites, including a governor's suite that have been maintained to preserve the traditional design. The Grand Hotel has a number of restaurants, bars and a billiards room.
Don Carolis Hewavitharane Wijeyaguneratne (Sinhala: දොන් කරෝලිස් හේවාවිතාරණ)(1833 – 18 February 1906) was a Ceylonese businessman, industrialist, philanthropist and a pioneer of the Buddhist revival movement. He was the father of Anagarika Dharmapala, and founded a family of considerable influence.
Haputale is a town of Badulla District in the Uva Province, Sri Lanka, governed by an Urban Council. The elevation is 1431 m (4695 ft) above the sea level. The area has a rich bio-diversity dense with numerous varieties of flora and fauna. Haputale is surrounded by hills covered with cloud forests and tea plantations. The town has a cooler climate than its surroundings, due to its elevation. The Haputale pass allows views across the Southern plains of Sri Lanka. The South-West boundary of Uva basin is marked by the Haputale mountain ridges, which continue on to Horton Plains and Adam's Peak to the west. CNN in 2010 named Haputale as one of Asia's most overlooked destinations.
Sir Albert Ernest de Silva was a Ceylonese business magnate, banker, barrister and public figure, considered to be the most prominent Ceylonese philanthropist of the 20th century. A wealthy and influential polymath, he was the founder-chairman of the largest bank in Ceylon, the Bank of Ceylon, the founder-governor of the State Mortgage Bank and chairman of the Ceylon All-Party committee. He made many contributions to Ceylonese society and is also considered to be the preeminent philatelist in the history of Ceylon. Upon Ceylon's independence, he was asked to become the first Ceylonese Governor General, an honour he declined for personal reasons. De Silva was at the pinnacle of upper-class society and, as the wealthiest Ceylonese of his generation, he defined the island's ruling class. His memorials describe him as highly respected for his integrity and honesty.
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.
Saifee Villa is a mansion at 102, Thurstan Road in Colombo 03, Sri Lanka, located between Thunmulla Junction and College House, Colombo.
Deshamanya Philip Revatha Wijewardene, better known as Ray Wijewardene, was a Sri Lankan engineer, aviator, inventor, and Olympic athlete. He was an expert on tropical agriculture and natural resource management, subjects that he created a logical system to study. He invented devices to assist small farmers in developing countries.
Sir Thomas Lister Villiers was a British planter in Ceylon. He was appointed the European unofficial member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon from 1924 to 1931, appointed member of the State Council of Ceylon (1932) and chairman of George Steuart Group.
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 first Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.
The Ceylonese was an English-language newspaper in Ceylon founded by P. Ramanathan and other leading figures. The newspaper started on 5 March 1913 with Americans H. H. Marcus as manager and Tom Wright as editor. The paper was based at Tichborne Hall, Tichborne Avenue in Maradana, Colombo. The paper's other directors included Hector Alfred Jayewardene and Francis de Zoysa. The paper was editorially nationalistic and was run like an American newspaper, a contrast to other Ceylonese papers which were run according to the British model.
The American Center or the former United States Chancery are currently used as the offices of USAid in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The building is located on Galle Road, Colombo.
Vimala Wijewardene was a Ceylonese politician and the country's first female cabinet minister.
Arcadia is a country house in Diyatalawa, in the Badulla District, Sri Lanka. It is known for being the country house of the press baron D.R. Wijewardene.
Themiya Loku Bandara Hurulle is a Sri Lankan politician and Honorary Secretary, Anuradhapura Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Development Fund a former project minister and a United National Party organiser for Horawupotana Electorate. He was also a provincial councillor and a member of Parliament from Anuradhapura District. He is an engineer by profession.
