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Sir Bennet Soysa,CBE (30 March 1889 – 1981) was aCeylonese politician andphilanthropist. He was a member of the2nd State Council of Ceylon and theSenate of Ceylon.[1] He was alsoMayor of Kandy on five occasions and dedicated his wealth for the propagation of Buddhism.[1]
Born Warusahennidige Abraham Bastian Bennet Soysa, he was educated atSt. John's College Panadura andDharmaraja College, Kandy.[2] His father was Warusahennidige Abraham Bastian Soysa and his grandfather was a cousin of MudaliyarJeronis de Soysa. He became successful in the transportation and the urban property sector.[3]
Soysa was the founding president and patron of the Senkadagala Buddhist Cultural Society and was chiefly responsible for its Pilgrims Rest and the Cultural Hall.[4] He was a patron and thetreasurer of theMahiyangana Raja Maha Vihara Restoration Society. He was also a patron of theSri Dalada Maligawa, theKandy General Hospital and theDharmaraja College.[5][6][7]
TheMahamaya Girls' College, Kandy (the first Buddhist Girls' school inKandy) was founded by his wife Lady Sarah Soysa and Lady Chitravo Ratwatte and was greatly assisted by Soysa.[8][9][10]
He was appointed aMembers of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the1950 New Year Honours, Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the1953 New Year Honours and made aKnights Bachelor in the1954 Birthday Honours. The Sir Benet Soysa Cultural Hall and Sir Bennet Soysa Veediya inKandy are named in recognition of his services to the Buddha Sasana and the city of Kandy.[4][11][12][13]
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