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A. Ekanayake Gunasinha

The Honourable
A. E. Gunasinha
ඒ. ඊ. ගුණසිංහ
AEGoonesinha1.jpg
A. E. Gunasinha
6th Mayor of Colombo
In office
1940–1943
Preceded by Dr. V.R. Schockman
Succeeded by George R. De Silva
Minister without Portfolio
In office
17 May 1948 – 30 April 1952
Minister of State
In office
26 July 1948 – 30 April 1952
Member of the Ceylon Parliament
for Colombo Central
In office
20 September 1947 – 30 May 1952
Succeeded by Razik Fareed
Former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Burma and Indonesia
Personal details
Born (1891-05-01)1 May 1891
Kandy, Sri Lanka
Died 1 August 1967(1967-08-01) (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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