Anuruddha Ratwatte
Encyclopedia
General
Anuruddha Leuke Ratwatte (14 July 1938 – 24 November 2011) (known as Anuruddha Ratwatte) was a Sri Lankan politician and Cabinet Minister. He had also served as the Acting Diyawadana Nilame
(Chief lay Custodian) of the Temple of the Tooth
Kandy and was educated at Trinity College, Kandy
. He was a cousin of the Sirimavo Bandaranaike
.
He is the son of Harris Leuke Ratwatte who was former Diyawadana Nilame of Sri Dalada Maligawa, Kandy
, He was a member of the State Council
in 1936 to 1947 for Kegalle
and United National Party
Member of Parliament for Mawanella
1947 to 1952.
Anuruddha Ratwatte had been a Councillor in the Kandy Municipal Council
representing the United National Party
In the late 1960s later in 1980s Leader of the Opposition in the Kandy Municipal Council representing the Sri Lanka Freedom Party
. Ratwatte entered national politics in the late 1960s as the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Chief Organizer for the Sengkadagala Electorate. In the 1970 and 1977
General Elections, he contested Sengkadagala Electorate from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party but was defeated.
He entered the Sri Lanka Parliament in February 1989 as a nominated Member on the National List
, In 1994, he was elected to parliament from the Kandy District
representing the Sri Lanka Freedom Party
and was appointed by Chandrika Kumaratunga
, his niece as Cabinet Minister for Power and Energy and Deputy Defense Minister. While Kumaratunga held the portfolio of Minister of Defense.
Ratwatte had served in the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force
reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
. On the successful completion of the Operation Riviresa
which resulted in the recapture of the Jaffna peninsula
, which Ratwatte oversaw as deputy defense minister; he was promoted to the rank of General
by President Chandrika Kumaratunga in 1995. He fell out of favor when Operation Jayasikurui
failed to achieve its primary objective of gaining a land route to the Jaffna peninsula and was called off by President Kumaratunga in 1999.
His eldest son Lohan Ratwatte
is the Member of Parliament representing the Kandy District and second son Mahendra Ratwatte is the current Mayor of Kandy
.
General (Sri Lanka)
General is currently the highest rank in the Sri Lankan Army and is a four-star rank. The rank is held by a Chief of the Defence Staff or is mostly awarded as a ceremonial rank to retiring Commanders of the Army. The serving Commander of the Army since the 1970s have head the rank of...
Anuruddha Leuke Ratwatte (14 July 1938 – 24 November 2011) (known as Anuruddha Ratwatte) was a Sri Lankan politician and Cabinet Minister. He had also served as the Acting Diyawadana Nilame
Diyawadana Nilame
Diyawadana Nilame is the office of chief lay custodian of Temple of the Tooth, Kandy, Sri Lanka. Formerly an office of the Royal household, today it remains a prestigious position, enriched with over two thousand years of history to safeguard and carry out ancient rituals for the most sacred Relic...
(Chief lay Custodian) of the Temple of the Tooth
Temple of the Tooth
Sri Dalada Maligawa or The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a Buddhist temple in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex which houses the Relic of the tooth of Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is...
Kandy and was educated at Trinity College, Kandy
Trinity College, Kandy
Trinity College, Kandy founded in 1872 by Anglican missionaries, is an Independent elite private boys’ school providing primary and secondary education in Sri Lanka...
. He was a cousin of the Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike was a Sri Lankan politician and the world's first female head of government...
.
He is the son of Harris Leuke Ratwatte who was former Diyawadana Nilame of Sri Dalada Maligawa, Kandy
Temple of the Tooth
Sri Dalada Maligawa or The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a Buddhist temple in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex which houses the Relic of the tooth of Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is...
, He was a member of 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...
in 1936 to 1947 for Kegalle
Kegalle
Kegalle is a town in Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka. It is located on the Colombo - Kandy road. Its 48 miles/78 km away from Colombo and 24 Miles/40 km away from Kandy. It is the Capital City of the Kegalle District which is one of the two districts belonging to Sabaragamuwa province...
and 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...
Member of Parliament for Mawanella
Mawanella
Mawanella is a small town which belongs to the Kegalle district in the Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka. It lies between Kegalle and Kadugannawa along the Colombo-Kandy road. The area consists of four administrative areas, namely Mawanella, Aranayake, Rambukkana and Hemmathagama.-People:There is...
1947 to 1952.
Anuruddha Ratwatte had been a Councillor in the Kandy Municipal Council
Kandy Municipal Council
The Kandy Municipal Council is the local council for Kandy, the second largest city and hill capital of Sri Lanka. The council was formed under the Municipalities Ordinance of 1865 and first met in 1866. The municipal council is the second oldest and largest local government authority in Sri Lanka...
representing 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...
In the late 1960s later in 1980s Leader of the Opposition in the Kandy Municipal Council representing the Sri Lanka Freedom Party
Sri Lanka Freedom Party
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party is one of the major political parties in Sri Lanka. It was founded by S.W.R.D Bandaranaike in 1951 and, since then, has been one of the two largest parties in the Sri Lankan political arena. It first came to power in 1956 and since then has been the predominant party in...
. Ratwatte entered national politics in the late 1960s as the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Chief Organizer for the Sengkadagala Electorate. In the 1970 and 1977
Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 1977
The 1977 Sri Lankan election heralded the beginning of a new period of Sri Lanka's history - a period of unprecedented violence.-Background:Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike had become extraordinarily unpopular. Her economic policies had led to industrial growth and self-reliance, but was...
General Elections, he contested Sengkadagala Electorate from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party but was defeated.
He entered the Sri Lanka Parliament in February 1989 as a nominated Member on the National List
National List Member of Parliament
A National List Member of Parliament is an unelected Member of Parliament who is appointed by a political party or an independent group to the Parliament of Sri Lanka. The number of national list MPs allocated to a contending party or an independent group depends on the proportion to their share...
, In 1994, he was elected to parliament from the Kandy District
Kandy District
Kandy District is a district of the Central Province of Sri Lanka. Its area is 1906.3 km². The capital of the district is Kandy.- Demographics :...
representing the Sri Lanka Freedom Party
Sri Lanka Freedom Party
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party is one of the major political parties in Sri Lanka. It was founded by S.W.R.D Bandaranaike in 1951 and, since then, has been one of the two largest parties in the Sri Lankan political arena. It first came to power in 1956 and since then has been the predominant party in...
and was appointed by Chandrika Kumaratunga
Chandrika Kumaratunga
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga born June 29, 1945) was the 4th Executive president of Sri Lanka, serving from November 12, 1994 to November 19, 2005. The daughter of two former Prime Ministers, she was also the leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party until end of 2005...
, his niece as Cabinet Minister for Power and Energy and Deputy Defense Minister. While Kumaratunga held the portfolio of Minister of Defense.
Ratwatte had served in the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force
Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force
The Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force is the principal and Volunteer reserve force component of the Sri Lanka Army. It is a collective name for the reserve units and the Sri Lanka National Guard of the Sri Lankan Army. The SLAVF is made up of part-time Officers and soldiers paid at a similar rate,...
reaching 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...
. On the successful completion of the Operation Riviresa
Operation Riviresa
Operation Riviresa , was a combined military operation launched by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces in Jaffna. Starting on the 17 October 1995, the primary objective of the operation was the capture of the town of Jaffna and rest of the Jaffna peninsula from the LTTE...
which resulted in the recapture of the Jaffna peninsula
Jaffna Peninsula
The Jaffna Peninsula is an area in Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is home to the capital city of the province, Jaffna and comprises much of the former land mass of the ancient Tamil kingdoms of the Nagas and the medieval Jaffna kingdom. The peninsula is mostly surrounded by water, connected to...
, which Ratwatte oversaw as deputy defense minister; he was promoted to the rank of General
General (Sri Lanka)
General is currently the highest rank in the Sri Lankan Army and is a four-star rank. The rank is held by a Chief of the Defence Staff or is mostly awarded as a ceremonial rank to retiring Commanders of the Army. The serving Commander of the Army since the 1970s have head the rank of...
by President Chandrika Kumaratunga in 1995. He fell out of favor when Operation Jayasikurui
Operation Jayasikurui
Operation Jayasikurui , was a Sri Lankan military action launched on May 13, 1997; it lasted until it was called off in 1999...
failed to achieve its primary objective of gaining a land route to the Jaffna peninsula and was called off by President Kumaratunga in 1999.
His eldest son Lohan Ratwatte
Lohan Ratwatte
Evindaa Lohan Ratwatte MP is a Member of Parliament representing the Kandy District. He is the son of General Anuruddha Ratwatte, ex acting Diyawadana Nilame and former Cabinet Minister...
is the Member of Parliament representing the Kandy District and second son Mahendra Ratwatte is the current Mayor of Kandy
Kandy
Kandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...
.
See also
- List of political families in Sri Lanka
- Diyawadana NilameDiyawadana NilameDiyawadana Nilame is the office of chief lay custodian of Temple of the Tooth, Kandy, Sri Lanka. Formerly an office of the Royal household, today it remains a prestigious position, enriched with over two thousand years of history to safeguard and carry out ancient rituals for the most sacred Relic...
- RadalaRadalaThe Radala refer to an extremely small minority caste in the Kandyan Kingdom of Sri Lanka. They were the aristocracy of the Kandyan Kingdom. After capturing the Kandyan provinces in 1815 with the aid of locals from both maritime and Kandyan provinces, the British created an extensive class of loyal...
- Lohan RatwatteLohan RatwatteEvindaa Lohan Ratwatte MP is a Member of Parliament representing the Kandy District. He is the son of General Anuruddha Ratwatte, ex acting Diyawadana Nilame and former Cabinet Minister...