Ananda W. P. Guruge facts for kids
Ananda Wahihana Palliya Guruge (born December 28, 1928 – died August 6, 2014) was a very important person from Sri Lanka. He was a diplomat, a wise Buddhist scholar, and a talented writer. Mr. Guruge served as Sri Lanka's Ambassador to several countries, including France (for UNESCO), and the United States. He held these important roles from 1985 to 1994. He also taught about religion at Cal State Fullerton and was a leader at the University of the West.
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Early Life and Learning
Ananda Guruge went to school at Dharmaraja College. He then studied at the University of Ceylon, graduating in 1947. He earned top honors in Sanskrit, an ancient language. Later, he received a special scholarship from the government. This allowed him to get his PhD (a very high university degree) from the University of London.
Working for the Government
At 23, Mr. Guruge joined the Ceylon Civil Service. This was a group of people who worked for the government in Sri Lanka (then called Ceylon). His first job was in Jaffna. He later managed the Dehiwala Zoo and worked in the main office in Colombo.
He moved to the Treasury, which handles government money. After that, he worked in the Prime Minister's Office. From 1952, he was a senior assistant to Prime Ministers Dudley Senanayake and Sir John Kotelawela. He helped lead a big government project to celebrate the 2500 Buddha Jayanti. This was a special event marking 2500 years since the Buddha's passing. Later, in 1965, he became a top official in the Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs.
Leading in Buddhism
Professor Guruge was very active in Buddhist leadership around the world. He was the Vice President of the World Fellowship of Buddhists. This is a global group that connects Buddhists from many countries. He was also a patron of the European Buddhist Union.
He was the Dean of Academic Affairs at the International Academy of Buddhism. This academy is part of the University of the West in California. He also taught about Buddhism, Hinduism, and peace studies at California State University, Fullerton. Dr. Guruge also worked as a link between the World Fellowship of Buddhists and important organizations like the United Nations and UNESCO. He was also the Chairman of the World Buddhist University Council.
His Books and Writings
Ananda Guruge wrote many books, 53 in total, in both Sinhala and English. Some of his well-known books include What In Brief Is Buddhism and Free At Last in Paradise. He also wrote over 175 research papers. These papers covered topics like Asian history, Buddhism, and education. In 1989, he translated the Mahavamsa into English. The Mahavamsa is a very old and important historical book about Sri Lanka.
Passing Away
Ananda Guruge passed away in Rosemead, California, when he was 85 years old. He reportedly died on a flight back to the United States. He had been helping with school accreditation in Australia.
See also
- List of Sri Lankan non-career diplomats
- List of Sri Lankan academics
- Notable members of the Ceylon Civil Service
