Tudor Gunasekara
Encyclopedia
Tudor Gunasekara (born 23 January 1935) is a former Sri Lanka
n politician and diplomat. He was former Member of Parliament
, District
Minister
for Gampaha
in President
JR Jayawardene's government. Later, he served as the first Sri Lanka
Ambassador
to Poland
, Bulgaria
, Rumania and Hungary
.
. He had his early education at Ananda College
, Colombo
. Tudor Gunasekara was the second son of William Gunasekara (also known as 'Heiyantuduwa Ralahami') and Eugine Seneviratne. William Gunasekara was a wealthy landed proprietor and owned fourteen elephants. One of his elephants was 'Heiyantuduwa Raja', which carried the Relic of the tooth of the Buddha
casket in the Dalada Perahera for several years after the demise of 'Maligawa Raja'. Tudor Gunasekara has two brothers, Donald and Henry, as well as three elder sisters, Adeline, Chandra and Chithra.
Chief Organizer for the Mahara Electorate. In the 1970 General Elections, he contested from the United National Party but was defeated. He contested again in the 1977 General Elections and was elected as Member of Parliament
for Mahara Electorate. In 1978, he was appointed as District
Minister
to Gampaha
in President
JR Jayawardene's government. Later, he was appointed as United National Party Chief Organizer for the Gampaha
and Attanagalla
Electorates too. Consequently, Tudor Gunasekara held the position of chief organizer for the United National Party in three electorates at the same time.
's government, Tudor Gunasekara was appointed as the first Sri Lanka
Ambassador
to Poland
, Bulgaria
, Rumania and Hungary
. During this time, he played an important role in promoting Ceylon tea, tourism and strengthening diplomatic relations with Eastern European countries. Tudor Gunasekara has been a member of several Sri Lanka Parliamentary Delegations to India, Indonesia, Japan
and UK.
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 and diplomat. 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,...
, District
District
Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...
Minister
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
for Gampaha
Gampaha
Gampaha is an urban city in Sri Lanka and is the capital of the Gampaha District in Western Province, north of Colombo. Gampaha District is separated from Colombo mainly by the Kelani River.-Namesake:...
in President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
JR Jayawardene's government. Later, he served as the first 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...
Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, Rumania and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
.
Background
Tudor Gunasekara was born on 23 January 1935 to a well known family in Heiyantuduwa, BiyagamaBiyagama
Biyagama is an electorate in Gampaha District, situated in the Western Province of Sri Lanka....
. He had his early education at Ananda College
Ananda College
Ananda College , Colombo which is considered as the leading National school in Sri Lanka, was established on November 1, 1886, by the Buddhist Theosophical Society led by Colonel Henry Steel Olcott...
, Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
. Tudor Gunasekara was the second son of William Gunasekara (also known as 'Heiyantuduwa Ralahami') and Eugine Seneviratne. William Gunasekara was a wealthy landed proprietor and owned fourteen elephants. One of his elephants was 'Heiyantuduwa Raja', which carried the Relic of the tooth of the Buddha
Relic of the tooth of the Buddha
The Sacred Relic of the tooth of Buddha is venerated in Sri Lanka as a relic of the founder of Buddhism.-The relic in India:...
casket in the Dalada Perahera for several years after the demise of 'Maligawa Raja'. Tudor Gunasekara has two brothers, Donald and Henry, as well as three elder sisters, Adeline, Chandra and Chithra.
Political career
Tudor Gunasekara entered active politics in the late 1960s as the United National PartyUnited 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...
Chief Organizer for the Mahara Electorate. In the 1970 General Elections, he contested from the United National Party but was defeated. He contested again in the 1977 General Elections and was elected as 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,...
for Mahara Electorate. In 1978, he was appointed as District
District
Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...
Minister
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
to Gampaha
Gampaha
Gampaha is an urban city in Sri Lanka and is the capital of the Gampaha District in Western Province, north of Colombo. Gampaha District is separated from Colombo mainly by the Kelani River.-Namesake:...
in President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
JR Jayawardene's government. Later, he was appointed as United National Party Chief Organizer for the Gampaha
Gampaha
Gampaha is an urban city in Sri Lanka and is the capital of the Gampaha District in Western Province, north of Colombo. Gampaha District is separated from Colombo mainly by the Kelani River.-Namesake:...
and Attanagalla
Attanagalla
Attanagalla is an electorate in Gampaha District, situated in the Western Province of Sri Lanka....
Electorates too. Consequently, Tudor Gunasekara held the position of chief organizer for the United National Party in three electorates at the same time.
Family life
Tudor Gunasekara married Chandra Perera, daughter of Albert and Karuna Perera. Albert Perera was the Chairman and Managing Director of City Cabs, one of the leading taxi companies in Sri Lanka in the early 1950 to 1970s. Tudor and Chandra Gunasekara have two children, Dayanganie and Hiran.Diplomatic career
In President Chandrika KumaratungaChandrika 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...
's government, Tudor Gunasekara was appointed as the first 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...
Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, Rumania and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. During this time, he played an important role in promoting Ceylon tea, tourism and strengthening diplomatic relations with Eastern European countries. Tudor Gunasekara has been a member of several Sri Lanka Parliamentary Delegations to India, Indonesia, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and UK.