A. Ekanayake Gunasinha
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The Honourable A. E. Gunasinha ඒ. ඊ. ගුණසිංහ |
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A. E. Gunasinha
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| 6th Mayor of Colombo | |
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In office 1940–1943 |
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| Preceded by | Dr. V.R. Schockman |
| Succeeded by | George R. De Silva |
| Minister without Portfolio | |
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In office 17 May 1948 – 30 April 1952 |
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| Minister of State | |
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In office 26 July 1948 – 30 April 1952 |
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| Member of the Ceylon Parliament for Colombo Central |
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In office 20 September 1947 – 30 May 1952 |
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| Succeeded by | Razik Fareed |
| Former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Burma and Indonesia | |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
1 May 1891 Kandy, Sri Lanka |
| Died | 1 August 1967 (aged 76) Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| Nationality | Sri Lankan |
| Political party | Ceylon Labour Party |
| Alma mater |
Dharmaraja College, Kandy St. Joseph's College, Colombo |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Sri Lanka's "Father of the Labour Movement" | |
Alexander Ekanayake Gunasinha (1 May 1891 – 1 August 1967) was a pioneering trade union leader known as the "Father of the Labour Movement" in Sri Lanka. He was the founder of the Ceylon Labour Party, Sri Lanka's first labour organisation and former Mayor of Colombo. A. E. Gunasinha also served as the Minister without portfolio, Minister of State and Chief Government Whip in the First Parliament of Sri Lanka (House of Representatives of Ceylon). He was an alumnus of Dharmaraja College, Kandy and St. Joseph's College, Colombo.
A. E. Gunasinha was born 1 May 1891 in Kandy as the son of a tea estate Superintendent George Ekanayake Gunasinha. He first attended Dharmaraja College and completed his education at St. Joseph's College, Colombo. Upon graduation, he sought employment as a clerk in the Sri Lankan railway department but later turned his attention to journalism.
The young man was prominent in forming the "Young Lanka League" on 2 March 1915 along with Victor Corea, a lawyer from Chilaw in the fight against colonialism. He also formed the Gandhi Association – inspired by the Indian independence movement – and the Lanka Workers' Association.
The 1915 riots resulted in the imprisonment of Gunasinha in May 1915, along with leaders with the likes of F.R. Senanayake, D.B. Jayatilaka, D. S. Senanayake, and many others including C. A. Hewavitharana and Henry Pedris, who were shot under martial law for crimes they did not commit. After being released from prison on 15 August, Gunasinha started the Journal The Nation to support the national freedom fight.
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