D.S.Senanayake (The First Prime Minister in Sri Lanka)

Don Stephen Senanayake respected as the ‘Father of the Nation’, was the first Prime Minister of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) post independence. He is remembered for his leadership in the peaceful political movement aimed at achieving independence from the British. On February 4, 1948, the nation was granted self-rule as the Dominion of Ceylon. Senanayake became the first Prime Minister of independent Ceylon in 1948 and held the office till his death. Prior to premiership, he was elected to the Legislative Council of Ceylon. He represented the ‘Ceylon National Congress’ in the newly created ‘State Council of Ceylon’ and later served as the Minister of Agriculture and Lands. He initiated ‘Land Development Ordinance’ that aided at cultivation of barren lands by implementing various irrigation schemes. He made efforts to modernise agriculture and also stressed on developing cooperatives. He played an instrumental role in effecting many leading hydro-power and irrigation projects such as ‘Gal-Oya’, ‘Inginiyagala’ and ‘Udawalawa’. He later left ‘Ceylon National Congress’ and founded the ‘Union National Party’ (‘UNP’). He was respected as a Prime Minister by all communities including the Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims.