Gunasena de Soyza
Encyclopedia
Gunasena de Soyza CMG
OBE
(20 December 1902 – 12 October 1961) was High Commissioner
for Ceylon in Britain from 1960 until his death. He had previously been the most senior civil servant in Ceylon.
, graduating in 1923, and Jesus College, Oxford
, where he studied classics
. He joined the Ceylon Civil Service
in 1926 and worked in the Cooperative Department, during which time the cooperative movement in Ceylon developed and received considerable recognition. In 1948 he became Permanent Secretary
, serving several government departments. His final civil service position was as Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs and Defence
, from 1953 to 1960. He was then High Commissioner
for Ceylon in Britain from February 1960 until his death on 12 October 1961. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
in 1948 in recognition of his work for the cooperative movement, and he was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
in 1954.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
OBE
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...
(20 December 1902 – 12 October 1961) was High Commissioner
High Commissioner (Commonwealth)
In the Commonwealth of Nations, a High Commissioner is the senior diplomat in charge of the diplomatic mission of one Commonwealth government to another.-History:...
for Ceylon in Britain from 1960 until his death. He had previously been the most senior civil servant in Ceylon.
Life
De Soyza was born on 20 December 1902 and studied at the Ceylon University CollegeUniversity 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...
, graduating in 1923, and Jesus College, Oxford
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...
, where he studied classics
Literae Humaniores
Literae Humaniores is the name given to an undergraduate course focused on Classics at Oxford and some other universities.The Latin name means literally "more humane letters", but is perhaps better rendered as "Advanced Studies", since humaniores has the sense of "more refined" or "more learned",...
. He joined the Ceylon Civil Service
Ceylon Civil Service
The Ceylon Civil Service, popularly known by its acronym CCS, originated as the elite civil service of the Government of Ceylon under British colonial rule in 1833 and carried on after independence, until May 1, 1963 when it was abolished and the much larger Ceylon Administrative Service was...
in 1926 and worked in the Cooperative Department, during which time the cooperative movement in Ceylon developed and received considerable recognition. In 1948 he became Permanent Secretary
Permanent Secretary
The Permanent secretary, in most departments officially titled the permanent under-secretary of state , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
, serving several government departments. His final civil service position was as Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs and Defence
Ministry of External Affairs and Defence
The Ministry of External Affairs and Defence was a ministry of the Government of Ceylon that conducted and managed all of Ceylon's relations with other countries and its military matters from 1947 to 1977.-History:...
, from 1953 to 1960. He was then High Commissioner
High Commissioner (Commonwealth)
In the Commonwealth of Nations, a High Commissioner is the senior diplomat in charge of the diplomatic mission of one Commonwealth government to another.-History:...
for Ceylon in Britain from February 1960 until his death on 12 October 1961. He was appointed an Officer 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...
in 1948 in recognition of his work for the cooperative movement, and he was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
in 1954.