The Honourable N. M. Perera MP, DSc |
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Leader of the Opposition | |
In office 19 April 1956 – 5 December 1959 |
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Prime Minister | S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike |
Preceded by | S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike |
Succeeded by | C. P. de Silva |
In office 14 October 1947 – 8 April 1952 |
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Prime Minister |
D. S. Senanayake Dudley Senanayake |
Succeeded by | S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike |
Minister of Finance | |
In office 10 May 1970 – 2 September 1975 |
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Prime Minister | Sirimavo Bandaranaike |
Preceded by | U. B. Wanninayake |
Succeeded by | Felix Dias Bandaranaike |
In office 11 June 1964 – 17 December 1964 |
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Prime Minister | Sirimavo Bandaranaike |
Preceded by | T. B. Ilangaratne |
Succeeded by | U. B. Wanninayake |
Member of the Ceylon Parliament for Ruwanwella |
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In office September 1947 – 1960 |
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Preceded by | seat created |
Succeeded by | H. G. Somabandu |
Personal details | |
Born |
Sri Lanka |
6 June 1905
Died | 14 August 1979 | (aged 74)
Nationality | Sri Lankan |
Political party | Lanka Sama Samaja Party |
Spouse(s) | Selina Perera |
Alma mater | St. Joseph's School , Cathedral Boys School, S. Thomas' College, Mutwal, Ananda College, University College, Colombo, London School of Economics |
Occupation | Economist |
Nanayakkarapathirage Martin Perera, better known as Dr. N. M. Perera,(Sinhala ඇන්.ඇම්.පෙරේරා [en em pe reaira]; 6 June 1905 – 14 August 1979) was one of the leaders of the Sri Lankan Trotskyist Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP). He was the first Trotskyist to become a cabinet minister.
NM Perera was born to Nanayakkarapathirage Abraham Perera who was a rent collector at No 36 St Joseph 's Street, in Grandpass, Colombo.His Mother Johana perera and He was Fifth of nine members of family of five boys and four girls.
Perera started his schooling in the vernacular section of St. Joseph's School, Grandpass and was later was admitted to the English section. From there he was sent for one year to a Branch School of S. Thomas' College, Mutwal, then known as Cathedral Boys School, Mutwal. In 1919 he entered St Thomas' prep, but left in 1922 and joined Ananda College. At Ananda he played cricket for the school.
He obtained a bachelor's degree from University of London External System at the University College, Colombo during 1922–27 and then left for the UK to join the London School of Economics and University of London, 1927–33. There he was a student of the legendary Professor Harold Laski, being awarded a PhD for his thesis on the Constitution of the German Weimar Republic. A further comparative study, of the Constitutions of the UK, United States, France and Germany, won him a DSc from the University of London. At the time Perera was the only person in Sri Lanka to hold the degree of Doctor of Science.