Soma Wickremanayake | |
|---|---|
සෝමා වික්රමනයක | |
| Member of theCeylonese Parliament forDehiowita | |
| In office 1960–1965 | |
| Preceded by | Edmund Samarakkody |
| Succeeded by | Dhanapala Weerasekera |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Soma Dharmawardhana (1915-04-21)21 April 1915 Deraniyagala, Ceylon |
| Died | 25 May 1989(1989-05-25) (aged 74) Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| Political party | Lanka Sama Samaja Party |
| Other political affiliations | Sri Lanka Freedom Party |
| Spouse | Arthur G. Wickremanayake |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Ananda Sastralaya, Kotte |
| Profession | teacher, politician |
Soma WickremanayakenéeDharmawardhana (Sinhala:සෝමා වික්රමනයක) (21 May 1915 – 25 May 1989) was aCeylonese educator and socialist politician.[1][2][3]
Soma Dharmawardhana was born on 21 May 1915, the eldest daughter of Dr. H. D. A. Dharmawardhana, thepharmacist on the Lakshahena Estate,Deraniyagala and Chariyaratne. She had her primary school education at the government mixed school inAluthgama and her secondary education atAnanda Sastralaya, Kotte. She taught atKegalu Vidyalaya,Ganemulla Vidyalaya andKolonnawa Vidyalaya.[4] Dharmawardhana married Arthur G. Wickramanayake, an inspector with the Department of Commerce and Trade.[3] In 1939 she joined theLanka Sama Samaja Party, becoming the secretary of the party's Women's League.[5]
At the4th parliamentary election, held on 19 March 1960, Wickramanayake ran for the seat ofDehiowita, representing theLanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP). The sitting LSSP member for Dehiowita,Edmund Samarakkody, had chosen to run from theKesbewa electorate instead. Wickramanayake was elected, polling 6,606 votes (37% of the total vote), only 546 votes ahead of theUnited National Party candidate,A. F. Wijemanne.[6] The election results however left neither of Ceylon's two major parties with a majority, with the result being the calling of another election. She was subsequently re-elected at the5th parliamentary election held on 20 July 1960. This time receiving 8,593 votes (50% of the total vote) and 603 votes ahead of Wijemanne.[7][8] She was one of only three female representatives elected to Parliament during the July 1960 election.[9]
Wickremanayake controversially switched political allegiance from the LSSP, becoming a member of theSri Lanka Freedom Party.[10] At the6th parliamentary election, held on 22 March 1965, she contested theAvissawella electorate, challenging one of the LSSP's founders and the sitting member,Philip Gunawardena. She lost by 11,327 votes to Gunawardena, only securing 33% of the total vote.[11][12]
Wickremanayake died on 25 May 1989, at the age of 74.[5]
.svg)