John Kotelawala
Encyclopedia
General
Sir John Lionel Kotelawala, KBE
, CH
, KStJ, CLI (Sinhala:ශ්රිමත් ජොන් ලයනල් කොතලාවල) (April 4, 1897 - October 2, 1980) was a Sri Lanka
n soldier and politician, most notable for serving as the 3rd Prime Minister of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) from 1953 to 1956.
John Kotelawala was born into a wealthy family, his father John Kotelawala Snr. was an Inspector in the Ceylon Police Force and his mother was Alice Attygalle. Following accusations of murder John Kotelawala Snr committed suicide when his son was 11. Following this their family was ruined, Alice Attygalle who was originally a Buddhist
converted to Christianity after this. Through careful management of their land loadings and plumbago
mines she made her family prosperous. Young Kotelawala attended the prestigious Royal College, Colombo, but had to leave after he became involved in pro-independence activities during the riots in 1915.
Thereafter he embarked on a trip to Europe
after leaving school, which was very dangerous because World War I
was being fought there. He remained in Europe for five years, spending most of that time in England and France and attended Christ's College
, Cambridge University
to study agriculture.
Kotelawala was known as an aggressive and outspoken man who loved sports, horseback riding and cricket
and, particularly as a young man, got into physical fights when he was insulted. He was fluent in Sinhala, English
and French
. After returning to Ceylon, he took up managing his family plantation estates and mines.
without enlisting, since he was under age at the time. However after returning from Europe he was commissioned in to the Ceylon Light Infantry as a Second Lieutenant
in 1922 being promoted to the ranks of Lieutenant
in 1924, Captain
in 1929 and Major
in 1933. He went on to serve 23 years mostly as a reservist
since the Ceylon Defence Force was a volunteer unit
of the British Army
. In 1939 he became the commanding officer of the Ceylon Light Infantry and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
in 1940. With the start of World War II
he became a member of the Ceylon's War Cabinet and was made a Colonel
in 1942, the highest rank that a Ceylonese could achieve.
A strong supporter of the military, he was the first Chairman of the Ceylon Light Infantry Association in 1974. He was promoted to the rank of general
on his deathbed, the night before he died by President J. R. Jayawardene in recognition for his long service to the country.
He bequeathed his home and estate Kandawala
to the government to establish a national defence academy.
and his brother F.R. Senanayake
, who was married to Kotelawala's mother's sister. They criticized many of the actions of the British
colonial officials.
He entered mainstream politics by being elected to the Legislative Council
as the member of Kurunegala
. Thereafter he entered the State Council
as a backbencher and was re-elected in 1936. In his second term he was appointed Minister of Communications and Works and later as the Minister of Agriculture.
When Ceylon received independence and dominion
status in 1948, Kotelawala, was appointed to the Senate
,he had become an important member of D. S. Senanayake's United National Party
and served in several important positions in the cabinet, during Senanayake's tenure as prime minister (1948–1952), including being Minister of Communications, Minister of Public Works and Minister of Transport. When the prime minister died in 1952, many expected Kotelawala to succeed him, but D. S. Senanayake's son and Kotelawala's younger cousin, Dudley Senanayake
was appointed instead by the Governor-general. By the following year, Kotelawala was elected to parliament was the Leader of the House
in parliament
, and was chosen as prime minister when Dudley resigned after the Hartal 1953
.
and contributed to Sri Lanka's expanding foreign relations, particularly with other Asian countries. He was appointed to the Privy Council
in 1954. In 1955 he led his country's delegation to the Bandung conference in Indonesia
, where his performance earned him the epithet Bandung Booruwa (Bandung Donkey) in Sri Lanka. At the conference he stated his belief that fashionably Marxist anti-colonialist rhetoric ignored Communist atrocities. In a private conversation with the prime ministers of Pakistan, India, Burma, and China, he asked Chinese premier Zhou Enlai
if he wanted to bring Communism to Tibet. Zhou replied that it was impractical and undesirable, and that the PRC had gone to Tibet because it was "an integral part of the Chinese state" and because it had been threatened by "imperialist intrigues" from the British
and Russian
empires.
His government had to deal with economic problems and ethnic conflicts, and he and his party were defeated in the 1956 elections by a group of more radically chauvinistic Sinhalese
parties under the leadership of Solomon Bandaranaike
.
. He eventually returned to Ceylon. When the post of Governor-General
appeared vacant with completion of William Gopallawa
's first term, he was hopeful that he would be nominated to the post by the United National Party which was in the government at the time. However Dudley Senanayake
in his second term as Prime Minister did not name a successor for Gopallawa and allowed to have a second term.
On September 29, 1980 he suffered a stroke at his home Kandawala
. Sir John Kotelawala died at the Colombo General Hospital on October 2, 1980, and his remains were cremated at Independence Square
on October 5 with full military honours.
, which he gifted. It has been named General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University
(KDU) is a defence university offering undergraduate and post graduate study courses to officers of Defence services in Sri Lanka in various disciplines.
Though he strongly criticized the racist attitudes of many westerners, particularly British colonial officials, he did support the continued military presence of the British in Ceylon. He advocated the adoption of some western customs in Sri Lanka. He was knighted and received several other honors from the Ceylonese/British monarch as well as other foreign governments.
.
Appointments Member of the Privy Council
(1954) Knight of the Order of the British Empire
(Civil Division) (1948) Order of the Companions of Honour
(1956)
Medals King George V Silver Jubilee Medal
(1935) King George VI Coronation Medal
(1937) Defence Medal
(1946) War Medal 1939–1945
(1946) Efficiency Medal
(Ceylon) (1949) Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
(1953) Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal
(1956) Ceylon Armed Services Inauguration Medal
(1968) Republic of Sri Lanka Armed Services Medal
(1972) Sri Lanka Army 25th Anniversary Medal (1974)
Foreign honours Légion d´honneur (1954) Order of Merit
(1954) Order of Merit
(1955) Order of the White Elephant
(1956) Order of the Netherlands Lion Order of the Rising Sun
, 1st Class (1954) Knights of Justice of the Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (1965)
Educational LLD
(honorary) - University of Ceylon
Honorary military appointments Honorary General
of the Sri Lanka Army (1980)
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Sir John Lionel Kotelawala, KBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, CH
Order of the Companions of Honour
The Order of the Companions of Honour is an order of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded by King George V in June 1917, as a reward for outstanding achievements in the arts, literature, music, science, politics, industry or religion....
, KStJ, CLI (Sinhala:ශ්රිමත් ජොන් ලයනල් කොතලාවල) (April 4, 1897 - October 2, 1980) was a Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n soldier and politician, most notable for serving as the 3rd Prime Minister of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) from 1953 to 1956.
Family and early life
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
converted to Christianity after this. Through careful management of their land loadings and plumbago
Graphite
The mineral graphite is one of the allotropes of carbon. It was named by Abraham Gottlob Werner in 1789 from the Ancient Greek γράφω , "to draw/write", for its use in pencils, where it is commonly called lead . Unlike diamond , graphite is an electrical conductor, a semimetal...
mines she made her family prosperous. Young Kotelawala attended the prestigious Royal College, Colombo, but had to leave after he became involved in pro-independence activities during the riots in 1915.
Thereafter he embarked on a trip to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
after leaving school, which was very dangerous because World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
was being fought there. He remained in Europe for five years, spending most of that time in England and France and attended Christ's College
Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...
, Cambridge University
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
to study agriculture.
Kotelawala was known as an aggressive and outspoken man who loved sports, horseback riding and cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and, particularly as a young man, got into physical fights when he was insulted. He was fluent in Sinhala, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. After returning to Ceylon, he took up managing his family plantation estates and mines.
Military career
Kotelawala briefly served with the mounted section of the Colombo Town GuardColombo Town Guard
Colombo Town Guard was regiment attached to the Ceylon Defence Force which was the predecessor to the Sri Lanka Army prior to 1949 when the Ceylon Army was formed. It was a volunteer regiment was based in Colombo.-History:...
without enlisting, since he was under age at the time. However after returning from Europe he was commissioned in to the Ceylon Light Infantry as a Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in 1922 being promoted to the ranks of Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in 1924, Captain
Captain (OF-2)
The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
in 1929 and Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in 1933. He went on to serve 23 years mostly as a reservist
Reservist
A reservist is a person who is a member of a military reserve force. They are otherwise civilians, and in peacetime have careers outside the military. Reservists usually go for training on an annual basis to refresh their skills. This person is usually a former active-duty member of the armed...
since the Ceylon Defence Force was a volunteer unit
Military reserve
A military reserve, tactical reserve, or strategic reserve is a group of military personnel or units which are initially not committed to a battle by their commander so that they are available to address unforeseen situations or exploit suddenly developing...
of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. In 1939 he became the commanding officer of the Ceylon Light Infantry and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
in 1940. With the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he became a member of the Ceylon's War Cabinet and was made a Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in 1942, the highest rank that a Ceylonese could achieve.
A strong supporter of the military, he was the first Chairman of the Ceylon Light Infantry Association in 1974. He was promoted to the rank of general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
on his deathbed, the night before he died by President J. R. Jayawardene in recognition for his long service to the country.
He bequeathed his home and estate Kandawala
Kandawala
Kandawala was the home of General Sir John Lionel Kotelawala CH KBE LLD was a Sri Lankan politician, most notable for serving as Prime Minister of Ceylon from 1953 to 1956...
to the government to establish a national defence academy.
Political career
As early as 1915 Kotelawala had become involved with political leaders such as Don Stephen SenanayakeDon Stephen Senanayake
Don Stephen Senanayake was an independence activist who served as the first Prime Minister of Ceylon from 1947 to 1952.-Early life:...
and his brother F.R. Senanayake
Fredrick Richard Senanayake
Fredrick Richard Senanayake popularly referred to as F.R. Senanayake) was a Sri Lankan politician and independence activist.-Education:...
, who was married to Kotelawala's mother's sister. They criticized many of the actions of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
colonial officials.
He entered mainstream politics by being elected to the Legislative Council
Legislative Council of Ceylon
The Legislative Council of Ceylon was the legislative body of Ceylon established in 1833, along with the Executive Council of Ceylon, on the recommendations of the Colebrooke-Cameron Commission. It was the first form of representative government in the island...
as the member of Kurunegala
Kurunegala
Kurunegala , is the capital of the North Western Province, Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka and the Kurunegala District. Kurunegala was also an ancient royal capital for 50 years, from the end of the 13th century to the start of the 13th century. The town itself is a busy commercial and a transport hub...
. Thereafter he entered the State Council
State Council of Ceylon
The State Council of Ceylon was the unicameral legislature for Ceylon , established in 1931 by the Donoughmore Constitution. The State Council gave universal adult franchise to the people of the colony for the first time...
as a backbencher and was re-elected in 1936. In his second term he was appointed Minister of Communications and Works and later as the Minister of Agriculture.
Post independence
Dominion
A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities that were nominally under British sovereignty, constituting the British Empire and British Commonwealth, beginning in the latter part of the 19th century. They have included Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland,...
status in 1948, Kotelawala, was appointed to the Senate
Senate of Ceylon
The Senate of Ceylon was the upper chamber of the parliament of Ceylon established in 1947 by the Soulbury Commission. The Senate was appointed/indirectly elected rather than directly elected. The Senate was housed in the old Legislative Council building in Colombo Fort and met for the first time...
,he had become an important member of D. S. Senanayake's United National Party
United National Party
The United National Party, often referred to as the UNP ), , is a political party in Sri Lanka. It currently is the main opposition party in Sri Lanka and is headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe...
and served in several important positions in the cabinet, during Senanayake's tenure as prime minister (1948–1952), including being Minister of Communications, Minister of Public Works and Minister of Transport. When the prime minister died in 1952, many expected Kotelawala to succeed him, but D. S. Senanayake's son and Kotelawala's younger cousin, Dudley Senanayake
Dudley Senanayake
Dudley Shelton Senanayake was a Ceylonese politician, who became the second Prime Minister of Ceylon and went on to become prime minister on 2 more times during the 1950s and 1960s.-Early life:Dudley was born on 19 June, 1911 as the eldest son to Molly Dunuwila and Don Stephen Senanayake, who...
was appointed instead by the Governor-general. By the following year, Kotelawala was elected to parliament was the Leader of the House
Leader of the House
There are several offices titled Leader of the House:* Leader of the House in the Australian Parliament* Leader of the House in the Parliament of Singapore* Leader of the House in the Parliament of Sri Lanka...
in parliament
Parliament of Sri Lanka
The Parliament of Sri Lanka is the 225-member unicameral legislature of Sri Lanka. The members of Parliament are elected by proportional representation for six-year terms, with universal suffrage. Parliament reserves the power to make all laws...
, and was chosen as prime minister when Dudley resigned after the Hartal 1953
Hartal 1953
Hartal 1953 was a country-wide demonstration, commonly known as a hartal, held in Ceylon on August 12, 1953. It was organized to protest of the policies and actions of the incumbent United National Party government, and resulted in the resignation of the Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake...
.
Prime minister
As prime minister, Kotelawala led Sri Lanka into the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and contributed to Sri Lanka's expanding foreign relations, particularly with other Asian countries. He was appointed to the Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
in 1954. In 1955 he led his country's delegation to the Bandung conference in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, where his performance earned him the epithet Bandung Booruwa (Bandung Donkey) in Sri Lanka. At the conference he stated his belief that fashionably Marxist anti-colonialist rhetoric ignored Communist atrocities. In a private conversation with the prime ministers of Pakistan, India, Burma, and China, he asked Chinese premier Zhou Enlai
Zhou Enlai
Zhou Enlai was the first Premier of the People's Republic of China, serving from October 1949 until his death in January 1976...
if he wanted to bring Communism to Tibet. Zhou replied that it was impractical and undesirable, and that the PRC had gone to Tibet because it was "an integral part of the Chinese state" and because it had been threatened by "imperialist intrigues" from the British
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
and Russian
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
empires.
His government had to deal with economic problems and ethnic conflicts, and he and his party were defeated in the 1956 elections by a group of more radically chauvinistic Sinhalese
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...
parties under the leadership of Solomon Bandaranaike
Solomon Bandaranaike
Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike (Sinhala:සොලමන් වෙස්ට් රිජ්වේ ඩයස් බන්ඩාරනායක)(Tamil:சாலமன் வெஸ்ட் ரிச்சர்ட் டயஸ் பண்டாரநாயக்கா)Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike (Sinhala:සොලමන් වෙස්ට් රිජ්වේ ඩයස් බන්ඩාරනායක)(Tamil:சாலமன் வெஸ்ட் ரிச்சர்ட் டயஸ்...
.
Later life
Kotelawala retired from politics shortly after his electoral defeat and lived for several years in KentKent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. He eventually returned to Ceylon. When the post of Governor-General
Governor-General of Ceylon
The Governor-General of Ceylon was the representative of the Ceylonese monarch, and head of state, who held the title of Queen of Ceylon from 1948 when the country became independent as a Dominion until the country became the republic of Sri Lanka in 1972.-Role:The monarch, on the advice of the...
appeared vacant with completion of William Gopallawa
William Gopallawa
William Gopallawa , MBE was the last Governor General of Ceylon from 1962 to 1972 and became the first President of Sri Lanka when Ceylon declared itself a republic in 1972 and changed its name to Sri Lanka...
's first term, he was hopeful that he would be nominated to the post by the United National Party which was in the government at the time. However Dudley Senanayake
Dudley Senanayake
Dudley Shelton Senanayake was a Ceylonese politician, who became the second Prime Minister of Ceylon and went on to become prime minister on 2 more times during the 1950s and 1960s.-Early life:Dudley was born on 19 June, 1911 as the eldest son to Molly Dunuwila and Don Stephen Senanayake, who...
in his second term as Prime Minister did not name a successor for Gopallawa and allowed to have a second term.
On September 29, 1980 he suffered a stroke at his home Kandawala
Kandawala
Kandawala was the home of General Sir John Lionel Kotelawala CH KBE LLD was a Sri Lankan politician, most notable for serving as Prime Minister of Ceylon from 1953 to 1956...
. Sir John Kotelawala died at the Colombo General Hospital on October 2, 1980, and his remains were cremated at Independence Square
Independence Square
There are many squares in the world named Independence Square, such as:*Harry S. Truman, in the center of the Independence Square, Independence, MO US* Malta's capital, Valletta contains such a square, outside St...
on October 5 with full military honours.
Legacy
In 1985 a national defence academy for training of Officers for all three Defence services in Sri Lankan was established in his estate KandawalaKandawala
Kandawala was the home of General Sir John Lionel Kotelawala CH KBE LLD was a Sri Lankan politician, most notable for serving as Prime Minister of Ceylon from 1953 to 1956...
, which he gifted. It has been named General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University
General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University
General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University located at Kandawala, Ratmalana, Colombo, is a joint services academy where cadets of the three wings Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force are trained before they go for their pre-commission training to their academies...
(KDU) is a defence university offering undergraduate and post graduate study courses to officers of Defence services in Sri Lanka in various disciplines.
Though he strongly criticized the racist attitudes of many westerners, particularly British colonial officials, he did support the continued military presence of the British in Ceylon. He advocated the adoption of some western customs in Sri Lanka. He was knighted and received several other honors from the Ceylonese/British monarch as well as other foreign governments.
Honours
His Orders, Decorations and Medals and other memorabilia are on display at the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence UniversityGeneral Sir John Kotelawala Defence University
General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University located at Kandawala, Ratmalana, Colombo, is a joint services academy where cadets of the three wings Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force are trained before they go for their pre-commission training to their academies...
.
Appointments Member of the Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
(1954) Knight of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(Civil Division) (1948) Order of the Companions of Honour
Order of the Companions of Honour
The Order of the Companions of Honour is an order of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded by King George V in June 1917, as a reward for outstanding achievements in the arts, literature, music, science, politics, industry or religion....
(1956)
Medals King George V Silver Jubilee Medal
King George V Silver Jubilee Medal
The King George V Silver Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal made to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the coronation of King George V.-Issue:...
(1935) King George VI Coronation Medal
King George VI Coronation Medal
The King George VI Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal made to celebrate the coronation of King George VI.-Issue:For Coronation and Jubilee medals, the practice up until 1977 was that United Kingdom authorities decided on a total number to be produced, then allocated a proportion to each of...
(1937) Defence Medal
Defence Medal
The Defence Medal was a campaign medal of the British Commonwealth, awarded for service in World War II. It was instituted to recognise both military and some types of civilian service....
(1946) War Medal 1939–1945
War Medal 1939–1945
The War Medal 1939–1945 was a British decoration awarded to those who had served in the Armed Forces or Merchant Navy full-time for at least 28 days between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. In the Merchant Navy, the 28 days must have been served at sea...
(1946) Efficiency Medal
Efficiency Medal
The Efficiency Medal was a medal of Britain and the Commonwealth awarded for long service in the Territorial Army of the UK, the Indian Volunteer Forces and Colonial Auxiliary Forces....
(Ceylon) (1949) Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal made to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.-Issue:For Coronation and Jubilee medals, the practice up until 1977 was that United Kingdom authorities decided on a total number to be produced, then allocated a proportion to...
(1953) Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal
Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal
The Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal was a service medal of Ceylon from 1968 to 1972. It was granted to all ranks of the Regular Forces of the Ceylon Army, Royal Ceylon Navy and Royal Ceylon Air Force, who complete 12 years service as defined in the regulations of the respective warrants...
(1956) Ceylon Armed Services Inauguration Medal
Ceylon Armed Services Inauguration Medal
The Ceylon Armed Services Inauguration Medal was awarded to members of the Ceylon armed services who served during specified periods in 1949-1951 during its establishment.-External links:***-References:...
(1968) Republic of Sri Lanka Armed Services Medal
Republic of Sri Lanka Armed Services Medal
It is ordained that the medal shall be awarded to all ranks of the Regular and Volunteer Forces of the Armed Service of the Republic of Sri Lanka, including officers but excluding those in the ranks of the Ceylon Cadet Corps, who were in service on the 22nd May 1972 and who are recommended by the...
(1972) Sri Lanka Army 25th Anniversary Medal (1974)
Foreign honours Légion d´honneur (1954) Order of Merit
Order of Merit
The Order of Merit is a British dynastic order recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or for the promotion of culture...
(1954) Order of Merit
Order of Merit
The Order of Merit is a British dynastic order recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or for the promotion of culture...
(1955) Order of the White Elephant
Order of the White Elephant
The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant is the most awarded order of Thailand. It was established in 1861 by King Rama IV of the Kingdom of Siam.The Order consists of eight classes:...
(1956) Order of the Netherlands Lion Order of the Rising Sun
Order of the Rising Sun
The is a Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji of Japan. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese Government, created on April 10, 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge features rays of sunlight from the rising sun...
, 1st Class (1954) Knights of Justice of the Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (1965)
Educational LLD
LLD
LLD may refer to* Ladder logic Diagram, a graphical representation of a program written in the programming language Ladder logic* Legum Doctor, a doctorate-level academic degree in law...
(honorary) - University of Ceylon
University of Ceylon
The University of Ceylon was the only university in Sri Lanka from 1942 until 1972. It had several constituent campuses at various locations around Sri Lanka. The University of Ceylon Act No. 1 of 1972, replaced it with the University of Sri Lanka which existed from 1973 to 1978. In 1978 it was...
Honorary military appointments Honorary General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
of the Sri Lanka Army (1980)
See also
- List of political families in Sri Lanka
- General Sir John Kotelawala Defence UniversityGeneral Sir John Kotelawala Defence UniversityGeneral Sir John Kotelawala Defence University located at Kandawala, Ratmalana, Colombo, is a joint services academy where cadets of the three wings Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force are trained before they go for their pre-commission training to their academies...
- Ceylon Light Infantry
External links
- The Kotelawala Ancestry
- Attygalle Family Tree
- Website of the Parliament of Sri Lanka
- Official Website of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University
- Official Website of United National Party
- PLAYING THE GAME WITH - SIR JOHN
- Sir John Kotelawala's early years
- Amara Samara in Sinhala
- Sir John Kotelawala in Sinhala
- Sir John Kotelawala in Sinhala
- Sir John Kotelawala in Sinhala
- General The Rt.Hon. Sir John Lionel Kotelawala PC CH KBE KStJ LLD