Bandaranaike family

The Bandaranaike family ^[1] is a Sri Lankan family that is prominent in politics. Along with many members who have been successful politician across generations, the family includes three Prime Ministers and one President of Sri Lanka.

Horagolla Walauwa, Atthanagalla. family seat of the Bandaranaike family

History

The origins of the family in Sri Lanka is claimed to be from person known as Nilaperumal who was from India and served he was high priest of the Temple of God Saman in the Kandyan Kingdom.^[2] The family changed their name to the Sinhalese form of Bandaranaike and later moved to the Portuguese controlled territory adopting the name Dias. They came to serve the Portuguese, Dutch and British as translators and local scribes expanding their influence and power. A member of the family, Don William Dias who served as a translator for the British was present when deposed Kandyan King Sri Vikrama Rajasingha was captured while in hiding by Ekneligoda Disawa.^[3]

Family Tree

S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, Prime Minister of Ceylon

• Don Francisco Dias Wijetunga Bandaranaike (born 1720), Mudaliyar Hewagam Korale + Dona MarKumarathunga
  • Conrad Pieter Dias Wijewardena Bandaranaike, Maha Mudliyar
    • Jacabus Dias Wijewardena Bandaranaike (born 1780), Mudaliyar of Governor Gate & Translator of Supreme Court + Liyanage Catherine Philipsz Panditharatne
      • Rev Canon Samuel William Dias Bandaranaike + Cornelia Susanna Elizabeth Dias Bandaranaike
        • Felix Reginold Dias Bandaranaike (1861–1947) + Annie Lucy (Florence) de Alwis (1864–1920)
          • Reginald Felix Dias Bandaranaike (1891–1951), Judge of the Supreme Court + Freda Dias Abeysinghe
            • Felix Dias Bandaranaike (1930–1985), Government Minister, Member of Parliament
  • Don Daniel Dias Bandaranaike + Dona Clara Amarasekere
    • Don Solomon Dias Bandaranaike (-1859), Mudaliyar of Siyane Korale, 1st Udagaha Mudaliyar + Cornelia Philipsz Panditharatne de Saram
      • Don Christoffel Henricus Dias Abeywickrema Jayatilake Seneviratne Bandaranaike (born 1826), Mudaliyar Governors Gate and 2nd Udagaha Mudaliyar + Anna Florentina Philipsz Panditharatne
        • Sir Solomon Dias Bandaranaike JP (1862–1946), Maha Mudaliyar + Daisy Ezline Obeyesekere
          • S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike (1899–1959), Prime Minister of Ceylon, Government Minister, Member of Parliament, Member of State Council + Sirimavo Bandaranaike (1916–2000), Prime Minister of Ceylon, Member of Parliament, Senator
            • Sunethra Bandaranaike (born c. 1943), politician and socialite
            • Chandrika Bandaranaike (born 1945), President of Sri Lanka, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Member of Parliament, Chief Minister of Western Province, Provincial Councillor + Vijaya Kumaratunga (1945–1988), actor and politician
              • Yashodara Sirimavo Kumarathunga Walker
              • Vimukthi Kumaratunga
            • Anura Bandaranaike (1949–2008); Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, Government Minister, Member of Parliament

Other members of the family include;

• Sir Harry Dias Bandaranaike
• Sir Solomon Christoffel Obeyesekere
• Sir James Peter Obeyesekere II
• S. D. Bandaranayake
• Pandu Bandaranaike
• James de Alwis
• Donald Obeyesekere

(also related to Ratwatte family, William Gopallawa, A.R. Udugama, Hector Kobbekaduwa, Jeewan Kumaranatunga)

Horagolla Bandaranaike Samadhi

Horagolla Bandaranaike Samadhi

The Horagolla Bandaranaike Samadhi is the final resting place of Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike and his wife Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike. It is located in the grounds of the Bandaranaike property of Horagolla in Atthanagalla, Western Province, Sri Lanka.^[4]

See also

• List of political families in Sri Lanka

References