Mano Wijeyeratne
Encyclopedia
Nissanka Manodha Wijeyeratne (Sinhala:නිශ්ශංක මනෝද විජයරත්න) (28 July 1957 – 29 October 2011) (known as Mano Wijeyeratne) was Coordinating Secretary
to the President
, Chairman of Road Accidents Prevention Authority and Sri Lanka Freedom Party
chief organiser for the Dedigama Electorate in Kegalle District he was former Member of Parliament
from Kegalle District
.
Wijeyeratne had also served as Non-Cabinet Minister of Enterprise Development in President Mahinda Rajapakse's Government
and Minister of Plantation Services under President D B Wijetunga's Government.
& Nita Dullewe Wijeyeratne and he had three brothers and a sister. They are Neranjan
, Anuradha
, Lankesh & Nishangani. Mano Wijeyeratne's father Nissanka and grandfather, Sir Edwin Wijeyeratne
were prominent politicians who had become cabinet ministers. He was educated at the prestigious Royal College Colombo
.
for 17 years and had been elected to the parliament from Kegalle District
four times in the years 1989
, 1994
, 2000
and 2004
. He had also served as Non-Cabinet Minister of Enterprise Development and Plantation Services. At the time of his death he was serving as the Sri Lanka Freedom Party
chief organiser for the Dedigama Electorate.
Stanley Wegodapola (ex ADC
to President of Sri Lanka) and Mrs Prema Wegodapola of Ratwatte Walauwa
, Ukuwela. Mano Wijeyeratne had three children Subodhana (a MA graduate in History from Cambridge University and Japanese Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies
, UK), Varanusha (died at an early age), and Hasitha (a BSc
graduate in Diagnostic Radiography from the University of Hertfordshire
, UK). His second spouse was Barathi Wijeratne.
Coordinating secretary
In Sri Lankan government, a Coordinating Secretary is a senior member of the personal staff of a President, Prime Minister, Cabinet Minister or Deputy Minister...
to the President
President 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...
, Chairman of Road Accidents Prevention Authority and 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...
chief organiser for the Dedigama Electorate in Kegalle District he was former Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
from Kegalle District
Kegalle District
Kegalle is a district in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 1,663 km². It was a former Dissavani of Sri Lanka. Has a population of 785,524 according to census 2001.-Physical Information:...
.
Wijeyeratne had also served as Non-Cabinet Minister of Enterprise Development in President Mahinda Rajapakse's Government
and Minister of Plantation Services under President D B Wijetunga's Government.
Early life
Born to a political dynasty in Sri Lanka, he was the second son of Dr Nissanka WijeyeratneNissanka Wijeyeratne
Deshamanya Nissanka Parakrama Wijeyeratne was a Sri Lankan politician, civil servant and diplomat. He was also the Diyawadana Nilame of the Temple of the Tooth from 1975 to 1985...
& Nita Dullewe Wijeyeratne and he had three brothers and a sister. They are Neranjan
Neranjan Wijeyeratne
Neranjan Priyadarshana Dullewe Wijeyeratne is a Sri Lankan politician...
, Anuradha
Anuradha Dullewe Wijeyeratne
Anuradha Dullewe Wijeyeratne is a Sri Lankan politician, being a former Member of the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council and former member of the United National Party National Executive Committee...
, Lankesh & Nishangani. Mano Wijeyeratne's father Nissanka and grandfather, Sir Edwin Wijeyeratne
Edwin Wijeyeratne
Sir Edwin Aloysius Perera Wijeyeratne, KBE was a Sri Lankan politician, diplomat, and one of the founding members of United National Party. He was a Senator and Cabinet Minister of Home Affairs and Rural Development in the government of DS Senanayake...
were prominent politicians who had become cabinet ministers. He was educated at the prestigious Royal College Colombo
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...
.
Political career
Mano Wijeyeratne served as Member of ParliamentParliament 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...
for 17 years and had been elected to the parliament from Kegalle District
Kegalle District
Kegalle is a district in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 1,663 km². It was a former Dissavani of Sri Lanka. Has a population of 785,524 according to census 2001.-Physical Information:...
four times in the years 1989
Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 1989
Sri Lanka had not had a parliamentary election since 1977. The elections that should normally have been held by 1983 had been cancelled by the 1982 referendum.President Ranasinghe Premadasa called the election for February 15.-Electoral District:...
, 1994
Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 1994
The Sri Lankan parliamentary election of 1994 marked the decisive end of 17 years of UNP rule and a revival of Sri Lankan democracy.-Background:Democracy in Sri Lanka had seemed doomed as the presidencies of J.R...
, 2000
Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 2000
The elections were called by President Chandrika Kumaratunga for October 24, 2000.The People's Alliance government Kumaratunga had led for six years was facing increasing criticism on two fronts: a series of military defeats at the hands of the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in the...
and 2004
Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 2004
Parliamentary elections were held in Sri Lanka on 2 April 2004. The ruling United National Party of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was defeated, winning only eighty two seats in the 225-member Sri Lankan parliament. The opposition United People's Freedom Alliance won 105 seats...
. He had also served as Non-Cabinet Minister of Enterprise Development and Plantation Services. At the time of his death he was serving as 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...
chief organiser for the Dedigama Electorate.
Family
He was first married to Dushyanthi Wegodapola Daughter of ColonelColonel
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...
Stanley Wegodapola (ex ADC
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to President of Sri Lanka) and Mrs Prema Wegodapola of Ratwatte Walauwa
Walauwa
Walauwa is the name given to a feudal/colonial manor house in Ceylon built by native headmen. It is also reference to the feudal social systems that existed during the colonial era.-Kandyan Walauwas:...
, Ukuwela. Mano Wijeyeratne had three children Subodhana (a MA graduate in History from Cambridge University and Japanese Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies
School of Oriental and African Studies
The School of Oriental and African Studies is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the University of London...
, UK), Varanusha (died at an early age), and Hasitha (a BSc
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
graduate in Diagnostic Radiography from the University of Hertfordshire
University of Hertfordshire
The University of Hertfordshire is a new university based largely in Hatfield, in the county of Hertfordshire, England, from which the university takes its name. It has more than 27,500 students, over 2500 staff, with a turnover of over £181m...
, UK). His second spouse was Barathi Wijeratne.