Lalith Athulathmudali
Encyclopedia
Lalith William Samarasekera Athulathmudali (Sinhala:ලලිත් ඇතුලත්මුදලි), PC
(November 26, 1936 – April 23, 1993) (known as Lalith Athulathmudali) was a Sri Lanka
n politician of the United National Party
and former Cabinet Minister of Trade, National Security, Agriculture, Education and deputy minister of defence.
. Athulathmudali was educated at St. John's College Panadura
before moving to Royal College, Colombo. He then went on to read Jurisprudence
at Jesus College
, University of Oxford
from 1955, President of the Oxford Union
in 1958 and won the Lord Sanky Prize. He was the first Sri Lankan to be elected as the President of the Oxford Union. Thereafter he became a Barrister
at Grays Inn, and went on to gain a Law Degree from the Harvard University
on scholarship.
After that he went to teach law as a lecturer at the University of Singapore, the Hebrew University in Israel
, the University of Edinburgh
and the University of Allahabad , and finally became a lecturer in Jurisprudence in the Ceylon Law College. In 1985 he was appointed a President's Counsel
.
J.R. Jayewardene
during the 1980s. During this time, he organized several offensives against territories held by the LTTE
including Vadamarachchi Operation
. He was seriously injured in an 1987 grenade attack in the Sri Lankan Parliament
inside the Parliament complex in 1987. Upon Jayewardene's retirement in 1988, Athulathmudali tried to obtain the UNP's nomination for the presidential election
, but was defeated by Ranasinghe Premadasa
who went on to win the presidency.
Premadasa demoted Athulathmudali to Minister of Agriculture, then Minister of Education
. He also tried to have Athulathmudali removed from his UNP party positions. Athulathmudali became disenchanted with Premadasa's leadership.
Athulathmudali and several UNP MPs brought forth a motion to impeach Premadasa. When that failed, he was expelled from the UNP, and began forming a new party, the Democratic United National Front
. He announced his candidacy for the presidency, but was assassinated by a gunman
on April 23, 1993 after an election rally . Initially, the government blamed the LTTE and produced the body of a Tamil youth named Ragunathan was found near the scene of the shooting the following day. He had apparently died from taking a cyanide
capsule. However, these claims were later proved to be false.
A Presidential Commission carried out by the Sri Lankan Government concluded that Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa
was directly responsible for the assassination. It also concluded that the Tamil youth Ragunathan, was murdered by the same people who killed Athulathmudali, by forcibly administering him with cyanide.
and the Lalith Athulathmudali Memorial Prize
which is one of the prestigious prizes awarded annually at Royal College, Colombo (his alma mater) (awarded for the Most Outstanding Royalist (Student of Royal College
) of the Year) are named in his honor.
President's Counsel (Sri Lanka)
President's Counsel is a professional rank, as their status is conferred by the president, recognised by the courts and wear silk gowns of a special design...
(November 26, 1936 – April 23, 1993) (known as Lalith Athulathmudali) 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 politician of the 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 former Cabinet Minister of Trade, National Security, Agriculture, Education and deputy minister of defence.
Early life and teaching career
Born to a family of Lawyers, his father was a Member of the State Council of CeylonState 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...
. Athulathmudali was educated at St. John's College Panadura
St. John's College Panadura
St John’s College is a prominent school in Panadura, Sri Lanka, that was founded in 1876. The school has a proud history of more than 100 years and celebrated the 125th anniversary during the year 2000. Even though there were only few girls and boys at the beginning, the number has increased up to...
before moving to Royal College, Colombo. He then went on to read Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence is the theory and philosophy of law. Scholars of jurisprudence, or legal theorists , hope to obtain a deeper understanding of the nature of law, of legal reasoning, legal systems and of legal institutions...
at Jesus College
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
, University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
from 1955, President of the Oxford Union
Oxford Union
The Oxford Union Society, commonly referred to simply as the Oxford Union, is a debating society in the city of Oxford, Britain, whose membership is drawn primarily but not exclusively from the University of Oxford...
in 1958 and won the Lord Sanky Prize. He was the first Sri Lankan to be elected as the President of the Oxford Union. Thereafter he became a Barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
at Grays Inn, and went on to gain a Law Degree from the Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
on scholarship.
After that he went to teach law as a lecturer at the University of Singapore, the Hebrew University in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
and the University of Allahabad , and finally became a lecturer in Jurisprudence in the Ceylon Law College. In 1985 he was appointed a President's Counsel
President's Counsel (Sri Lanka)
President's Counsel is a professional rank, as their status is conferred by the president, recognised by the courts and wear silk gowns of a special design...
.
Political career
Lalith Athulathmudali was elected to Parliament in 1977 and went on to become the Deputy Minister of Defence and Minister of National Security under PresidentPresident of Sri Lanka
The President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the elected head of state and the head of government. The President is a dominant political figure in Sri Lanka. The office was created in 1978 but has grown so powerful there have been calls to restrict or even eliminate its power...
J.R. Jayewardene
Junius Richard Jayewardene
Junius Richard Jayewardene , famously abbreviated in Sri Lanka as JR, was the first executive President of Sri Lanka, serving from 1978 till 1989. He was a leader of the nationalist movement in Ceylon who served in a variety of cabinet positions in the decades following independence...
during the 1980s. During this time, he organized several offensives against territories held by the LTTE
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was a separatist militant organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka. Founded in May 1976 by Vellupillai Prabhakaran, it waged a violent secessionist and nationalist campaign to create an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka for Tamil...
including Vadamarachchi Operation
Vadamarachchi Operation
The Operation Liberation or Vadamarachchi Operation, the military offensive carried out by the Sri Lankan military during May to June 1987, to re-gain the territory of Vadamarachchi in Jaffna peninsula from the LTTE control...
. He was seriously injured in an 1987 grenade attack in the Sri Lankan Parliament
Attack
Attack may refer to:* Attack * The Attack , 1960s* Attack Records, label* Offensive * Charge * Attack - Titled works :* The Attack , book* Attack! , 2003...
inside the Parliament complex in 1987. Upon Jayewardene's retirement in 1988, Athulathmudali tried to obtain the UNP's nomination for the presidential election
Sri Lankan presidential election, 1988
The Sri Lankan presidential election of 1988 was the second presidential election of Sri Lanka. Nominations were accepted on 10 November 1988, and the election was held on 19 December 1988. Electoral participation was 55.32%...
, but was defeated by Ranasinghe Premadasa
Ranasinghe Premadasa
Ranasinghe Premadasa was the 3rd President of Sri Lanka from January 2, 1989 to May 1, 1993. Before that, he served as the Prime Minister in the government headed by J. R. Jayewardene from February 6, 1978 to January 1, 1989...
who went on to win the presidency.
Premadasa demoted Athulathmudali to Minister of Agriculture, then Minister of Education
Ministry of Education (Sri Lanka)
The Ministry Of Education is a ministry of the Government of Sri Lanka that directs the formulation and implementation of policies related to primary and secondary education in Sri Lanka...
. He also tried to have Athulathmudali removed from his UNP party positions. Athulathmudali became disenchanted with Premadasa's leadership.
Athulathmudali and several UNP MPs brought forth a motion to impeach Premadasa. When that failed, he was expelled from the UNP, and began forming a new party, the Democratic United National Front
Democratic United National Front
The Democratic United National Front is a political party in Sri Lanka.At the last legislative elections, held on 2 April 2004, the party was part of the United People's Freedom Alliance that won 45.6 % of the popular vote and 105 out of 225 seats....
. He announced his candidacy for the presidency, but was assassinated by a gunman
Assassination of Lalith Athulathmudali
Lalith Athulathmudali, the former Cabinet Minister of Trade, National Security, Agriculture, Education and Deputy Minister of Defence of Sri Lanka was killed at 8:10 p.m. Sri Lanka Time on 23 April 1993 in Kirulapana...
on April 23, 1993 after an election rally . Initially, the government blamed the LTTE and produced the body of a Tamil youth named Ragunathan was found near the scene of the shooting the following day. He had apparently died from taking a cyanide
Cyanide
A cyanide is a chemical compound that contains the cyano group, -C≡N, which consists of a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom. Cyanides most commonly refer to salts of the anion CN−. Most cyanides are highly toxic....
capsule. However, these claims were later proved to be false.
A Presidential Commission carried out by the Sri Lankan Government concluded that Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa
Ranasinghe Premadasa
Ranasinghe Premadasa was the 3rd President of Sri Lanka from January 2, 1989 to May 1, 1993. Before that, he served as the Prime Minister in the government headed by J. R. Jayewardene from February 6, 1978 to January 1, 1989...
was directly responsible for the assassination. It also concluded that the Tamil youth Ragunathan, was murdered by the same people who killed Athulathmudali, by forcibly administering him with cyanide.
Legacy
Athulathmudali is considered as one of the most distinguished Sri Lankan statesmen in recent history. He is still remembered by many in Sri Lanka as a gentlemen and as one of the few well educated politicians of that era. In his honor a staue and memorial has been erected in Colombo. His contribution to the education of the country is eminence, the Mahapola Fund he established has greatly contributed to the development of higher education and provides scholarships for needy students annually. The Lalith Athulathmudali Auditorium at the Sri Lanka Institute of Information TechnologySri Lanka Institute of Information Technology
Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology , is a public technological university in Sri Lanka mainly focused on information technology established by the Government of Sri Lanka.The main campus is located in Malabe, 16 km from Colombo. It also has a metropolitan campus in Colombo, the...
and the Lalith Athulathmudali Memorial Prize
Lalith Athulathmudali Memorial Prize
The Lalith Athulathmudali Memorial Prize is a prestigious prize and honour awarded to a student of Royal College Colombo, the oldest public school in Sri Lanka. Awarded annually to the Most Outstanding Royalist of the Year....
which is one of the prestigious prizes awarded annually at Royal College, Colombo (his alma mater) (awarded for the Most Outstanding Royalist (Student of Royal College
Royal College Colombo
The Royal College of Colombo was founded in January 1835 in Colombo. It is considered to be the leading Public School in Sri Lanka...
) of the Year) are named in his honor.
See also
- Assassination of Lalith AthulathmudaliAssassination of Lalith AthulathmudaliLalith Athulathmudali, the former Cabinet Minister of Trade, National Security, Agriculture, Education and Deputy Minister of Defence of Sri Lanka was killed at 8:10 p.m. Sri Lanka Time on 23 April 1993 in Kirulapana...
- List of political families in Sri Lanka
- Notable assassinations of the Sri Lankan Civil War
- Sri Lankan Civil WarSri Lankan civil warThe Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
- Ranasinghe PremadasaRanasinghe PremadasaRanasinghe Premadasa was the 3rd President of Sri Lanka from January 2, 1989 to May 1, 1993. Before that, he served as the Prime Minister in the government headed by J. R. Jayewardene from February 6, 1978 to January 1, 1989...
External links
- The Athulathmudali Ancestry
- Article for Lalith Athulathmudali on Sadaharita
- Official Website of United National Party
- Sri Lanka: the Untold Story
- Obituary at Liberal International
- Lalith Athulathmudali epitome of a pragmatic politician
- He shared his views but never interfered in military matters
- Athulathmudali memorial lecture by Anura Banadaranaike
- We must not give up resolve to fight the LTTE’
- Time to revisit Athulathmudali approach
- Lalith Athulathmudali in Sinhala
- Lalith Athulathmudali in Sinhala