Gunapala Piyasena Malalasekera

Infobox person
honorific-prefix = Professor
name = Gunapala Piyasena Malalasekera
birth_date = 8 November, 1899
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death_date = 23 April, 1973
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nationality = Sri Lankan
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occupation = Academic, diplomat
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partner =
relations =
children =
residence =
alma_mater = University of London
profession =
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religion = Buddhists


website =
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Professor Gunapala Piyasena Malalasekera (8 November, 1899 - 23 April, 1973) was a Sri Lankan academic, scholar and diplomat. He was first Ceylon Ambassador to the Soviet Union,Ceylon High Commissioner in Canada, Ceylon High Commissioner to Britain and Ceylon Representative to the United Nations in New York.

Early life and education

Born on November 8, 1899 at Malamulla, Panadura, his father was a well-known Ayurvedic (native medicine) physician, Ayur. Dr. M. S. Pieris Malalasekera.

As a school boy, young George Pieris Malalasekera as he was known then, was sent to St. John's College, Panadura, (now the Cyril Jansz Vidyalaya) for his English education. It was a leading school in the English medium in Panadura under the principalship of Cyril Jansz, an reputed educationist of during the colonial era. After receiving his education in that school from 1907-17, he joined the Ceylon Medical College, Colombo to qualify as a doctor with a Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery (LMS).

The death of his father cut short his medical studies. Circumstances compelled him to give up his hopes of becoming a medical doctor. By following a correspondence course from England, he gained a BA from the University of London External System, 1919 with a first division. His subjects were English, Latin, Greek and French. He was the youngest candidate to obtain the Bachelor of Arts degree in the British empire in that year with a first class.

In 1923, he proceeded to join the University of London and obtained the two post-graduate degrees of a MA and a PhD simultaneously in 1925, in oriental languages majoring in Pali. His thesis was 'Pali Literature in Sri Lanka'.

Teaching career

Coming under the influence of Buddhist renaissance of Srimath Angarika Dharmapala, he changed his foreign names of George and Pieris to those of Gunapala Piyasena and henceforth came to be known as G. P. (Gunapala Piyasena) Malalasekera. After gaining his BA he took to teaching at Ananda College, Colombo, then under the principal P. de S. Kularatne. Both of them were the architects of the Sinhala national costume.Fact|date=September 2008 In quick succession Malalasekera rose up the ranks to be the Vice Principal and acting Principal of Ananda College. Thereafter he left for London for his graduate studies. On his return to the motherland in 1926, he was appointed Principal of Nalanda Vidyalaya, Colombo.

Academic career

Shortly afterwards, he succeeded Ven. Suriyagoda as lecturer in the then University College, Colombo to lecture in English on Sinhala, Pali and Sanskrit for the University of London degree examinations. When the University of Ceylon was founded in 1942, he became the Professor of languages which included Sinhala, Pali, Sanskrit and Buddhist Civilization. In course of time he became the Dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies. His research on Buddhism and Buddhist Civilisation was extensive and he was the Editor-in-Chief of the Buddhist Encylopaedia.

His contribution by way of research papers and publications to the Pali Text Society of London under the distinguished patronage of scholars like Rhys David and Miss I. B. Harner are stupendous, voluminous and highly knowledgable. From 1927 twice he was elected the Joint Secretary of the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress. Thrice he was the Vice-President and functioned as its President from 1939-1957.

During his tenure of office, he saw to it that this congress got constructed a new building for its headquarters at Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo-7. He took a delight in the activities of the Viharamahadevi Girls' Home, Biyagama and was responsible for the establishment of boys' homes at Panadura and Ja-Ela. During his presidency of the Buddhist Congress for 25 years, he addressed 20 of its annual sessions. His 'magnum opus' or great work is the famous 'Gunapala Sinhala-English Dictionary'. Of equal importance is the Pali dictionary - Sinhala-English. An ardent member of the Ceylon Asiatic Society, he was conferred honorary degrees from the reputed universities in the UK, France, Cambodia and Myanmar (Burma). He represented our country at several parleys abroad notably, Conference on Living Religions (1924 - London), Conference on World Religious (1936 - London), Association of Occidental (Western) and Oriental Philosophers (Hawaii - 1949), Association of Indian Philosophers - India, meeting of the Pakistani Philosophers (1953 - Karachi), and the Seminar on Religions for Peace, (San Francisco, USA, 1965). So numerous were the essays, write-ups, literary contributions he made and radio talks delivered over Buddhist, religious and cultural matters and Social service assignments. He was the founder president of the World Fellowship of Buddhists inaugurated within the hallowed precincts of the 'Sri Dalada Maligawa' (Temple of The Tooth Relic) Kandy in 1950 at the suggestion of the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress.

Diplomatic career

Prof. Malalasekera was appointed the first Ambassador for Sri Lanka to the USSR in 1958 by Prime Minister S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike when he established diplomatic relations with socialist countries such as Russia, China, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia.

Subsequently, he functioned as the Ceylon High Commissioner in Canada and was Ceylon UN Representative in New York. Finally, he was the Ceylon's High Commissioner in the UK.

In 1967, he returned to the island to accept the post of chairman of the National Higher Education Commission which responsible post he held till 1971. He died on April 23, 1973.

Family life

He had three children - two daughters and one son, one daughter excelled in Western music (piano) and the other daughter became a science graduate whilst his only son Vijaya studied law at the University of Cambridge and was called to the English Bar as Barrister-at-Law.

ee also

* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lankan_Non_Career_Diplomats Sri Lankan Non Career Diplomats]

External links & References

* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/menik/2118599702/in/set-72157606106272873/ Gunapala Piyasena Malalasekera]
* [http://www.wisdom-books.com/Author.asp?AUTH=Malalasekera%2C+G+P Books by Professor G P Malalasekera]