D. S. Senanayake

@First Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Birthday and Personal Life ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Don Stephen Senanayake respected as the ‘Father of the Nation’, was the first Prime Minister of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) Sri Lankan Leaders Political Leaders Prime Ministers Libra Celebrities Don Stephen Senanayake respected as the ‘Father of the Nation’, was the first Prime Minister of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) post independence. He is remembered for his leadership in the peaceful political movement aimed at achieving independence from the British. On February 4, 1948, the nation was granted self-rule as the Dominion of Ceylon. Senanayake became the first Prime Minister of independent Ceylon in 1948 and held the office till his death. Prior to premiership, he was elected to the Legislative Council of Ceylon. He represented the ‘Ceylon National Congress’ in the newly created ‘State Council of Ceylon’ and later served as the Minister of Agriculture and Lands. He initiated ‘Land Development Ordinance’ that aided at cultivation of barren lands by implementing various irrigation schemes. He made efforts to modernise agriculture and also stressed on developing cooperatives. He played an instrumental role in effecting many leading hydro-power and irrigation projects such as ‘Gal-Oya’, ‘Inginiyagala’ and ‘Udawalawa’. He later left ‘Ceylon National Congress’ and founded the ‘Union National Party’ (‘UNP’). He was respected as a Prime Minister by all communities including the Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims.

Personal Details

Birthday: October 20, 1883 Died on: March 22, 1952 Nationality: Sri Lankan Famous: First Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Leaders, Political Leaders, Prime Ministers Spouses: Molly Dunuwila Siblings: Fredrick Richard Senanayake Childrens: Dudley Senanayake Information Detail Birthday October 20, 1883 Died on March 22, 1952 Nationality Sri Lankan Famous First Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Leaders, Political Leaders, Prime Ministers Spouses Molly Dunuwila Siblings Fredrick Richard Senanayake Childrens Dudley Senanayake Universities S. Thomas' College Mount Lavinia Founder / Co-Founder United National Party Birth Place Mirigama Religion Buddhism, Catholicism, Anglicanism Gender Male Sun Sign Libra Born in Mirigama Famous as First Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Died at Age 68

Mirigama

D. S. Senanayake born at Unsplash Birth Place

He married Molly Dunuwila and the couple had two sons. Unsplash Personal Life

Their elder son Dudley Shelton Senanayake, born on June 19, 1911, followed his father’s footsteps and succeeded his father to become the second Prime Minister of Ceylon on March 26, 1952. Dudley Shelton later held premiership for two more terms. Unsplash Personal Life

The couple’s second son Robert Parakrama Senanayake was born on April 8, 1913. Unsplash Personal Life

He was born on October 20, 1884, in a village called Botale in the Western Province, Sri Lanka. He belonged to a devoted Buddhist family of Mudaliyar Don Spater Senanayake and Dona Catherina Elizabeth Perera Gunasekera Senanayake as one of their four children. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

He had two brothers, Fredric Richard Senanayake and Don Charles Senanayake and one sister, Maria Frances Senanayake. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

He completed his education from the renowned private Anglican boys school ‘S. Thomas' College’ in Mutwal. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

Thereafter he joined the Surveyor General's Department as a clerk. Later he left the job to join his father’s rubber plantation. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

He and his two brothers were associated with the ‘Temperance Movement’ which was formed in 1912, inspired by Buddhism and anti-colonialism. The movement had a leading role in the ‘National Independence Movement’ in Ceylon. Unsplash Career

In 1914, at the outset of the ‘First World War’, the three brothers joined ‘Colombo Town Guard’, a regiment linked with ‘Ceylon Defence Force’ (predecessor of Sri Lanka Army). Unsplash Career

During the 1915 riots, the brothers faced confinement without any charges as Sir Robert Chalmers, the then British Governor held the ‘Temperance Movement’ as rebellious. As the British resorted to remorseless brutal actions to suppress the riots, the educated middle class of the country emerged to initiate the modern independence movement. Unsplash Career

In 1919, his brother Fredric Richard formed ‘Lanka Mahajana Sabha’ party and he along with Don Charles became leading members of the party that played a significant role in the independence of Ceylon. Unsplash Career

He was elected from Negambo in the Western Province of Ceylon, as a member of the ‘Legislative Council of Ceylon’ in 1924. Unsplash Career

Information	Detail
Birthday	October 20, 1883
Died on	March 22, 1952
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Famous	First Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Leaders, Political Leaders, Prime Ministers
Spouses	Molly Dunuwila
Siblings	Fredrick Richard Senanayake
Childrens	Dudley Senanayake
Universities	S. Thomas' College Mount Lavinia
Founder / Co-Founder	United National Party
Birth Place	Mirigama
Religion	Buddhism, Catholicism, Anglicanism
Gender	Male
Sun Sign	Libra
Born in	Mirigama
Famous as	First Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
Died at Age	68

D. S. Senanayake

Sri Lankan

Oct 20, 1883

Biography

Personal Details

Mirigama