E. A. Nugawela
{{Short description|Ceylonese lawyer, soldier and politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = Hon. Maj.
| name = E. A. Nugawela
| honorific-suffix = ED
| image = First Cabinet of Ceylon.jpg
| caption = E. A. Nugawela in the first Cabinet of Ministers of Ceylon
| order =
| office = Minister of Education
| term_start = 26 September 1947
| term_end = 12 October 1953
| primeminister = D. S. Senanayake, Dudley Senanayake
| predecessor = C. W. W. Kannangara
| successor = M. D. Banda
| office1 = Minister of Health
| term_start1 = 12 October 1953
| term_end1 = April 1956
| predecessor1 = Dudley Senanayake
| successor1 = Vimala Wijewardene
| primeminister1 = Sir John Kotelawala
| constituency_MP2 = Kadugannawa
| parliament2 = Sri Lankan
| majority2 =
| term_start2 = 1947
| term_end2 = 1956
| predecessor2 = Post created
| successor2 = C. A. S. Marikkar
| birth_date ={{Birth date|1898|09|21|df=yes}}
| death_date ={{Death date and age|1972|07|05|1898|09|21|df=yes}}
| nationality = Ceylonese
| party = United National Party
| spouse = Louise Gooneratna
| partner =
| relations =
| children =
| residence =
| alma_mater = Royal College, Colombo
| occupation =
| profession = Advocate
| signature =
| website =
| footnotes =
| rank = Major
| branch = Ceylon Defense Force
| unit = Ceylon Light Infantry
| allegiance =
| serviceyears = 1928-1947
}}
Major Edward "Eddie" Alexander Nugawela, ED (21 September 1898 – 5 July 1972) was a Ceylonese lawyer, soldier and politician. He was the first Cabinet Minister of Education in independent Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) (1947–1954), later Cabinet Minister of Health (1954–1956), a Member of Parliament and State Council.[http://www.dailynews.lk/2003/09/03/fea01.html A brief history of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, by Deshakeerthi Chandrasiri Weligamage (Ex. Director, State Printing Corporation)] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604140301/http://www.dailynews.lk/2003/09/03/fea01.html |date=June 4, 2011 }}
Early life and education
Born in Kandy, to the Radala Nugawela family. His father was Punchi Banda Nugawela who was the Rate Mahatmaya of Sarasiyapattuwa and the Diyawadana Nilame of the Temple of the Tooth. His mother was Mallika Dunuwila, daughter of Dunuwila Disawa.[http://www.worldgenweb.org/lkawgw/gen3158.html Sri Lanka Kandyan Sinhalese Family Genealogy, NUGAWELA - Family #3158] Nugawela was educated at Royal College, Colombo.{{cite news |title=Our educationists |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/990207/mirror4.html |access-date=7 August 2019 |publisher=Sunday Times}}
Legal career
Studying law at the Ceylon Law College, Nugawela qualified as an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Ceylon. He established his legal practice in the Unofficial Bar in Kandy.
Military service
Nugawela joined the Ceylon Light Infantry as a volunteer officer having been commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1928. Mobilized for war service during World War II in 1940, he was prompted to the rank of Major in 1942. He was awarded the Efficiency Decoration, the Defence Medal and the War Medal 1939–1945.[http://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2014/07/27/sec03.asp "Api Army’ forms new volunteer reserve:Army volunteers to beef up nation development]
Political career
=State Council of Ceylon=
Captain Nugawela entered politics in the 1936 Ceylonese State Council election, succeeding his father P. B. Nugawela Dissawe to the Galagedera seat in the second State Council of Ceylon. In the State Council he was elected a member of the Executive Committee of Health and served as a member of the Special Committee on Education setup in 1940. He on the Board of Income Tax and District Road Committee, Kandy.[http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=13620 A Fresh Look at Kannangara Reforms]
=House of Representatives=
Major Nugawela was elected to the House of Representatives of the first Parliament of Ceylon, in the 1947 general election from Kadugannawa representing the United National Party and was appointed the Minister of Education by Prime Minister D. S. Senanayake on 26 September 1947. He retain the Education portfolio in Dudley Senanayake's cabinet having been re-elected in 1952 general election. He is noted for educational reforms and increasing the number of state schools during his tenure, implementation the free education scheme started by Dr C.W.W. Kannangara.[http://www.sundaytimes.lk/990207/mirror4.html Our educationists] He was the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Ceylon. In October 1953, he was appointed Minister of Health by the newly appointed Prime Minister Sir John Kotelawala and served in this capacity till early 1956. He lost his seat in the 1956 general election to C. A. S. Marikkar.
Legacy
Family
He married Louise Gooneratna.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.moe.gov.lk/ Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090106164307/http://www.imagelanka.com/index.php/History/History/-First-cabinet.html The first cabinet of Ministers]
- [http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lkawgw/ind54.html Sri Lanka 54th Independence Anniversary]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20020208193722/http://www.atimes.com/ind-pak/CK17Df01.html SRI LANKA: THE UNTOLD STORY ]
{{Sri Lankan Education ministers}}
{{Sri Lankan health ministers}}
{{Members of the 2nd State Council of Ceylon}}
{{Members of 1st Parliament of Ceylon}}
{{Members of 2nd Parliament of Ceylon}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nugawela, E. A.}}
Category:Ministers of education of Sri Lanka
Category:Health ministers of Sri Lanka
Category:Members of the 2nd State Council of Ceylon
Category:Members of the 1st Parliament of Ceylon
Category:Members of the 2nd Parliament of Ceylon
Category:United National Party politicians
Category:Sri Lankan educational theorists
Category:20th-century Sri Lankan lawyers
Category:Ceylonese military personnel of World War II
Category:Ceylon Light Infantry officers
Category:Alumni of Royal College, Colombo