# Senerat Gunewardene

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Sri Lankan lawyer, statesmen and diplomat (1899–1981)

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Hon. Sir Senerat Gunewardene Minister without Portfolio In office 26 September 1947 – May 1948 Preceded by Post created Succeeded by A. E. Gunasinha Member of the Ceylon Parliament for Gampola In office 1947–1948 Preceded by Seat created Succeeded by R. S. Pelpola Personal details Born (1899-09-03)3 September 1899 Matara, Ceylon Died 10 August 1981(1981-08-10) (aged 81) Spouse Sumana Pemi Gunewardene Children 3 Parent Don Bentis Serasinghe Gunewardene (father) Alma mater St.Thomas' College, Matara S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia Occupation Politics, Diplomat Profession Advocate

**Sir Senerat Gunewardene** (also known as **Ratnakirti Senerat Serasinghe Gunewardene** or **R.S.S. Gunewardene**) (3 November 1899 – 10 August 1981) was a [Sri Lankan](/source/Sri_Lanka) lawyer, statesmen and diplomat. He was the first [Minister without Portfolio](/source/Minister_without_portfolio), [member of parliament](/source/Member_of_Parliament_(Sri_Lanka)) and [member of the State Council](/source/State_Council_of_Ceylon) for [Gampola](/source/Gampola_Electoral_District), before serving in several top diplomatic posts such as Ceylon's Ambassador to Italy, [Ceylon's Ambassador to the United States](/source/List_of_ambassadors_of_Sri_Lanka_to_the_United_States), where he was appointed concurrently as [Ceylon's first Permanent Representative](/source/Permanent_Representative_of_Sri_Lanka_to_the_United_Nations) to [United Nations](/source/United_Nations) and [Ceylon's High Commissioner to United Kingdom](/source/Sri_Lankan_High_Commissioner_to_the_United_Kingdom).[1]

## Early life and education

Born on 3 November 1899 in Nupe, [Matara](/source/Matara_District) as Samson Gunewardene, he later changed his name to Ratnakirthi Senerath Serasinghe Gunewardene and was known as R. S. S. Gunewardene. His father Don Bentis Serasinghe Gunewardene was an [ayurvedic practitioner](/source/Sri_Lankan_traditional_medicine), he was the eldest in a family of three brothers and one sister. Both his brothers became lawyers and one went on to become a [District Judge](/source/District_Courts_of_Sri_Lanka). Educated at [St. Thomas' College, Matara](/source/St._Thomas'_College%2C_Matara) and at [S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia](/source/S._Thomas'_College%2C_Mount_Lavinia), where he was a good friend of [S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike](/source/S._W._R._D._Bandaranaike).

## Teaching career

He had to leave school before completing his schooling due to the death of his father. Returning to Matara, in order to support himself and his family, he became a teacher at [St. Thomas' College, Matara](/source/St._Thomas'_College%2C_Matara) at the age of 16. He thereafter earned a [Bachelor of Arts](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts) degree from the [University of London](/source/University_of_London) as an [external student](/source/University_of_London_International_Programmes) and joined the teaching staff of [Royal College Colombo](/source/Royal_College_Colombo). Thereafter, he served as principal of [Sri Sumangala College, Panadura](/source/Sri_Sumangala_College%2C_Panadura) from 1921 to 1922.

## Legal career

He started following the advocate's course at the [Ceylon Law College](/source/Ceylon_Law_College) and passed his advocate's finals in 1926. He was [admitted to the bar](/source/Called_to_the_bar) as an [Advocate](/source/Advocate) in 1927. After qualifying as an advocate, Gunewardene gave up teaching and developed a successful [legal practice](/source/Legal_practice) in [criminal defense](/source/Criminal_defense) and [civil rights](/source/Civil_rights) in the [unofficial bar](/source/Unofficial_bar) in Colombo. He was also a founder member and President of the All-Ceylon Buddhist Congress and was a member of the first board of management of the Colombo Young men's Buddhist Association.[2]

## Political career

Joining the colonial era politics in Ceylon with the establishment of the [Ceylon National Congress](/source/Ceylon_National_Congress), in which Gunewardene served as Joint Secretary from 1926 to 1932 jointly with S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike and thereafter served as Vice President. During this time he campaigned for [universal suffrage](/source/Universal_suffrage). In 1931, he intended to contest the [first State Council election](/source/1931_Ceylonese_State_Council_election) from Dhadagamuwa, but dropped out after contracting [malaria](/source/Malaria). He then contested the [Gampola](/source/Gampola_Electoral_District) seat just two weeks prior to and lost to [T. B. Panabokke](/source/T._B._Panabokke). In 1936 he was elected to the [State Council of Ceylon](/source/State_Council_of_Ceylon) from Gampola and was a member of the Executive Committee of Local Administration, which was chaired by S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, who was the Minister of Local Administration. In November 1936, he served as acting Minister of Local Administration. He was elected to the [first parliament](/source/1st_Parliament_of_Ceylon) in the [1947 general election](/source/1947_Ceylonese_parliamentary_election) from Gampola. Gunewardene was appointed by [D. S. Senanayake](/source/D._S._Senanayake) as [Minister without Portfolio](/source/Minister_without_portfolio) in his [cabinet](/source/D._S._Senanayake_cabinet) and [chief government whip](/source/Government_whip) in parliament. However, he was unseated in parliament in May 1948 in an election petition and was succeeded by [A. E. Gunasinha](/source/A._Ekanayake_Gunasinha) as Minister and government whip. He contested the by-election that followed in Gampola and lost to [R. S. Pelpola](/source/R._S._Pelpola) from the [United National Party](/source/United_National_Party).[3]

## Diplomatic career

In 1949, he was appointed as Ceylon's Ambassador to Italy where he served until 1954. He was then appointed [Ceylon's Ambassador to the United States](/source/List_of_ambassadors_of_Sri_Lanka_to_the_United_States), serving from March 1954 to August 1961. When Ceylon became a member of the [United Nations](/source/United_Nations) in 1955, Gunewardene was appointed concurrently as the first [Permanent Representative to United Nations](/source/Permanent_Representative_of_Sri_Lanka_to_the_United_Nations), serving until 1958. In October 1961, he was appointed [Ceylon's High Commissioner to United Kingdom](/source/Sri_Lankan_High_Commissioner_to_the_United_Kingdom) serving till June 1963, when he was reappointed as Permanent Representative to United Nations, serving until 1965. During his time in Washington DC, he established the Buddhist Centre in Washington.[3]

## Honors

For his service to the government of Ceylon, he was [knighted](/source/Knight_Bachelor) in the [1956 New Year Honours](/source/1956_New_Year_Honours), the last to receive [British honors](/source/Ceylonese_recipients_of_British_titles) before S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike suspend honors in 1956.[4] In 1963, he was awarded a [Doctor of Laws](/source/Doctor_of_Law) ([honoris causa](/source/Honoris_causa)) from the [University of Ceylon](/source/University_of_Ceylon).

## Family

He married his wife Sumana Pemi Gunewardene, a close relative on 10 June 1927, they had three children.

## See also

- [Sri Lankan Non Career Diplomats](/source/Sri_Lankan_Non_Career_Diplomats)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Our Heritage"](http://sundaytimes.lk/081214/FunDay/fundaytimes_2.html). *sundaytimes.lk*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [*Chapter 399, Colombo Youngmen's Buddhist Association*](http://www.commonlii.org/lk/legis/consol_act/cymba399449.pdf) (PDF). Retrieved 20 October 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ref2_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ref2_3-1) ["Our Heritage 061022"](http://sundaytimes.lk/061105/FunDay/heritage.html). *sundaytimes.lk*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["FOURTH SUPPLEMENT TO The London Gazette OF FRIDAY, 3oth DECEMBER, 1955"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/40672/supplement/47). *thegazette.co.uk*. Retrieved 20 October 2020.

## External links

- [Presentation of the credentials of the Head of the Mission of Ceylon to Walter Hallstein, President of the Commission of the EEC](http://ec.europa.eu/avservices/photo/photoByReportage.cfm?ref=009382&sitelang=en)

v t e ← Members of the 2nd State Council of Ceylon (1936 (1936)–1947) → Speaker: Waithilingam Duraiswamy Chief Secretary: Graeme Tyrrell (1936-1939), Maxwell MacLagan Wedderburn (1939-1940), Guy Stanley Wodeman (1940-1942), Robert Drayton (1942-1946) Central Province (8) Abeyratne Ratnayaka E. A. Nugawela Senerat Gunewardene K. Natesa Iyer George E. de Silva Bernard Aluwihare E. W. Abeygunasekera M. D. Banda Bennet Soysa S. P. Vythilingam Eastern Province (2) S. O. Canagaratnam S. Dharmaretnam E. R. Tambimuttu V. Nalliah Northern Province (5) Arunachalam Mahadeva S. Natesan Waithilingam Duraiswamy R. Sri Pathmanathan Joseph Isaac Gnanamuttu Jaganathan Tyagaraja G. G. Ponnambalam North Central Province (1) H. R. Freeman P. B. Bulankulame North Western Province (5) Claude Corea R. S. Tennekoon John Kotelawala Siripala Samarakkody Richard Gotabhaya Senanayake J. H. Ilangantileke U. B. Wanninayake Sabaragamuwa Province (5) H. A. Goonesekera Alexander Francis Molamure N. M. Perera Robert Edward Jayatilaka Dudley Senanayake Harris Leuke Ratwatte Jayaweera Kuruppu Southern Province (7) Francis de Zoysa Patrick de Silva Kularatne H. W. Amarasuriya D. M. Rajapaksa D. A. Rajapaksa Raja Hewavitarne R. C. Kannangara S. A. Wickramasinghe Neil Hewavitarne Simon Abeywickrema David Wanigasekera Uva Province (3) Henry Kotelawala D. D. Gunasekera J. G. Rajakulendran G. C. Rambukpotha Wijeyananda Dahanayake Western Province (14) Philip Gunawardena Bernard Jayasuriya A. E. Goonesinha M. C. M. Kaleel George R. de Silva Naysum Saravanamuttu A. P. de Zoysa D. P. Jayasuriya A. P. Jayasuriya Charles Batuwantudawe Upali Batuwantudawe Don Baron Jayatilaka J. R. Jayewardene C. W. W. Kannangara D. S. Senanayake W. A. de Silva Thomas Amarasuriya A. E. Rajapakse C. E. P. de Silva H. de Z. Siriwardena Susantha de Fonseka S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike Appointed (8) Burgher George Alfred Henry Wille European John William Oldfield Maurice John Cary Evelyn Charles Villiers R. P. Gaddum Evelyn Charles Villiers Indian Tamil I. X. Pereira Muslim Razik Fareed T. B. Jayah Unknown Howard Frank Parfitt Hubert Ernest Newnham Clement Johnston Black Francis Huntly Griffith George Roland Whitby

v t e ← // Members of the 1st Parliament of Ceylon (1947 (1947)–1952) → Speaker: Alexander Francis Molamure/Albert Peries Prime Minister: D. S. Senanayake/Dudley Senanayake Leader of the Opposition: N. M. Perera Central Province (15) M. D. Banda George E. de Silva T. B. Ilangaratne, Tamara Kumari Ilangaratne Senerat Gunewardene R. S. Pelpola Karuppiah Kumaravelu G. R. Motha Abdul Aziz V. T. Nanayakkara E. A. Nugawela T. B. Panabokke H. R. U. Premachandra K. Rajalingam H. B. Rambukwella Abeyratne Ratnayaka H. B. Tenne Savumiamoorthy Thondaman C. V. Velupillai Eastern Province (7) A. R. A. M. Abubucker S. U. Ethirmanasingham M. M. Ebrahim M. S. Kariapper Ahamed Lebbe Sinne Lebbe V. Nalliah S. Sivapalan Northern Province (9) S. J. V. Chelvanayakam K. Kanagaratnam V. Kumaraswamy G. G. Ponnambalam T. Ramalingam C. Sittampalam C. Suntharalingam Alfred Thambiayah C. Vanniasingam North Central Province (5) P. L. Bauddhasara P. B. Bulankulame S. H. Mahadiulwewa T. B. Poholiyadde Maithripala Senanayake North Western Province (10) Ivan Dassanayake J. J. Fernando Kavisena Herath I. M. R. A. Iriyagolle Hameed Hussain Sheikh Ismail John Kotelawala Albert Peries Richard Gotabhaya Senanayake Herbert Sri Nissanka Tikiri Banda Subasinghe Sabaragamuwa Province (10) C. E. Attygalle D. F. Hettiarachchi N. H. Keerthiratne E. W. Mathew Alexander Francis Molamure Jayaweera Kuruppu N. M. Perera Reginald Perera Harris Leuke Ratwatte Dudley Senanayake Florence Senanayake Southern Province (12) H. D. Abeygoonewardane Simon Abeywickrema H. W. Amarasuriya Wijeyananda Dahanayake William de Silva Arthur de Zoysa Walwin de Silva) D. S. Goonesekera Montague Jayawickrama P. Kumarasiri D. A. Rajapaksa Lakshman Rajapaksa V. G. W. Ratnayake W. Wickremasinghe Uva Province (7) Leo Fernando J. C. T. Kotelawala K. V. Nadarajah D. Ramanujam J. A. Rambukpota S. M. Subbaiah K. D. Sugathadasa Western Province (20) S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike Somaweera Chandrasiri R. A. de Mel T. F. Jayewardene Colvin R. de Silva George R. de Silva A. Ekanayake Gunasinha Cholomondeley Goonewardene Philip Gunawardena Kusumasiri Gunawardena Robert Gunawardena T. B. Jayah M. C. M. Kaleel A. P. Jayasuriya D. P. Jayasuriya J. R. Jayewardene D. D. Karunaratne P. P. Jayawardena Pieter Keuneman Wilmot A. Perera Henry Peiris D. S. Senanayake S. A. Silva H. de Z. Siriwardena Appointed (6) E. F. N. Gratiaen Rosslyn Koch F. H. Griffith R. Singleton-Salmon J. A. Martenze J. W. Oldfield S. A. Pakeman G. R. Whitby

v t e Presidents of the United Nations Human Rights Council UNCHR Roosevelt Malik Azmi Cassin Serrano Gunewardene Amadeo Jha Hakim Pazhwak Ponce y Carbo Lopez Jiménez Nedbailo Boye Quentin-Baxter Ashraf Pahlavi Andrés Aguilar Kulaga Ramphul Ermacora Allana Benites Bozavic Mbaye Beaulne Saadi Rodrigues Garvalov Otunnu Kooijmans Chowdhury Charry-Samper Evmenov Sene Bossuyt Quisumbing Ballesteros Solt Ennaceur van Wulfften Palthe Hitam Saboia Somol Selebi Anderson Ram Despouy Jakubowski Al-Hajjaji Smith Wibisono Cuadros UNHRC de Alba Uhomoibhi Van Meeuwen Sihasak Lasserre Henczel Ella Rücker Choi Maza Martelli Šuc Seck Tichy-Fisslberger Shameen Villegas Bálek Zniber Lauber Sidharto

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Senerat Gunewardene](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senerat_Gunewardene) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senerat_Gunewardene?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.