Jayalath Jayawardena facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jayalath Jayawardena
ජයලත් ජයවර්ධන |
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| Member of Parliament for Gampaha District |
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| In office 1994–2013 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ruban Canistus Jayalath Jayawardena
16 August 1953 Ja-Ela, Sri Lanka |
| Died | 30 May 2013 (aged 59) Singapore City, Singapore |
| Political party | United National Party |
| Spouse | Ujitha Jayawardena |
| Children | 2 (including Kavinda Jayawardena) |
| Education | De Mazenod College |
| Profession | Politician, Medical Doctor, Civil Servant |
Ruban Canistus Jayalath Jayawardena (born August 16, 1953 – died May 30, 2013), known as Jayalath Jayawardena, was a medical doctor and a MP in Sri Lanka. He was elected to the Parliament of Sri Lanka in 1994, representing the United National Party (UNP). Dr. Jayawardena was well-known for his work as a human rights activist. He was also admired for his strong dedication to his political party.
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About Jayalath Jayawardena
Jayalath Jayawardena was born on August 16, 1953, in Weligampitiya, Ja-Ela, Sri Lanka. He was the oldest son of Basil and Daisy Violet Jayawardena. His father managed a group of companies in Ja-Ela.
He went to De Mazenod College for his early education. Later, he studied medicine at the University of Colombo. He also earned master's degrees in medicine from universities in the United States and Russia.
He was married to Ujitha Jayawardena. They had a son named Kavinda and a daughter named Vindya. After his father's passing, Kavinda Jayawardena also became a politician. He was elected as a provincial councillor in 2014 and later became a Member of Parliament in 2015.
Dr. Jayawardena passed away on May 30, 2013, at the age of 59. He was receiving treatment for a heart condition in Singapore.
His Journey in Politics
Even when he was a medical student, Jayalath Jayawardena was very interested in politics and helping people. He was an active member of the Red Cross and the Health Association. Before becoming a politician, he worked as a specialist surgeon at the Colombo National Hospital. He was also the family doctor for the late President Ranasinghe Premadasa.
In 1994, he was elected to Parliament for the first time. He became a Member of Parliament from the National List of the United National Party. An MP is a person elected to represent a group of people in the country's parliament. He held important roles within the UNP party. In 1998, he became the Chief Organizer for the Ja-Ela area. He won the Ja-Ela seat for the UNP in the 2001 general election.
He also served as a member of the UNP's Working Committee and as the party's Secretary for Human Rights. He later became the President of the National Employees Union of the UNP. In this role, he worked hard to protect the rights of workers and Members of Parliament. He also attended international meetings to speak up for the rights of minority groups in Sri Lanka.
Working for People and Peace
From 2002 to 2004, when Ranil Wickremesinghe was the Prime Minister, Dr. Jayawardena was appointed as the Minister of Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Refugees. This meant he helped people who had been displaced from their homes. He was even invited by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to give a speech in Geneva about helping displaced people return home safely.
During this time, he worked tirelessly to create a peaceful environment for people in the North and East of Sri Lanka. He also focused on protecting their human rights. He made efforts to keep people safe in villages near conflict zones. He even distributed sirens to help warn people in border villages and protect religious places like Buddhist temples, Catholic churches, and Hindu temples.
As a devout Catholic, he helped build a large statue of St. Anne's Mother at St. Anne's Church in Ja-Ela. He also worked to build understanding and friendship among people of different religions, including Catholics, Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims.
Helping Through Health Programs
Dr. Jayawardena was also a very active social worker. He started a medical program called 'Neth Pahan' on the TNL television channel. He hosted this program for 14 years in a row. In 2010, this program even entered the Guinness Book of Records for being the longest-running medical TV show. He also presented other health-related TV programs like Vaidya Hamuwa and Wedihitiyanta Pamanai.
Besides TV, he wrote health articles for newspapers to educate the public. At the time of his passing, he was still a Member of Parliament for the Gampaha District. He also held important positions within the United National Party.
