Leslie Goonewardena
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Honourable Leslie Goonewardena MP |
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|---|---|
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| Minister of Transport | |
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In office 1970–1975 |
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| Preceded by | E. L. B. Hurulle |
| Succeeded by | K. B. Ratnayake |
| Member of the Ceylonese Parliament for Panadura |
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In office 1956–1977 |
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| Preceded by | D. C. W. Kannangara |
| Succeeded by | Neville Fernando |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
31 October 1909 Panadura, Ceylon |
| Died | 11 April 1983 (aged 73) |
| Political party | Lanka Sama Samaja Party |
| Spouse(s) | Vivienne Goonewardena |
| Alma mater |
St. John's College, Panadura S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia London School of Economics |
| Ethnicity | Sinhalese |
Leslie Simon Goonewardena (31 October 1909 – 11 April 1983) was a prominent Sri Lankan independence activist, politician, Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister. He was one of the founders of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party – the first Marxist party in Sri Lanka.
Goonewardena was born on 31 October 1909 in Panadura in south western Ceylon. He was the son of Dr. Andrew Simon Goonewardena, President of the Panadura Maha Jana Sabha and chairman of the Urban Council. Goonewardena was educated at St. John's College, Panadura, S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia and a public school in north Wales. He was sent to Britain with the aim of making him a Methodist priest, where he became influenced by Marxism and received a BSc degree in economics instead from the London School of Economics. He was admitted to the bar at Gray's Inn in 1933 but never practised law.
Goonewardena met Vivienne Goonatilleka, niece of leading leftist politician Philip Gunawardena, at a political meeting. They fell in love but Vivienne's father was against the relationship because Goonewardena was a Christian and from the minority Karava caste, misconstrued to be 'lower'. She was kept a virtual prisoner at home and Goonewardena was forced at file a habeas corpus writ to get her released. The couple were married on 30 January 1939.
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