Bennet Soysa

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Sir Bennet Soysa.

Sir Bennet Soysa, CBE (30 March 1889 – 1981) was a Ceylonese politician and philanthropist. He was a member of the 2nd State Council of Ceylon and the Senate of Ceylon.[1] He was also Mayor of Kandy on five occasions and dedicated his wealth for the propagation of Buddhism.[1]

Born Warusahennidige Abraham Bastian Bennet Soysa, he was educated at St. John's College Panadura and Dharmaraja College, Kandy.[2] His father was Warusahennidige Abraham Bastian Soysa and his grandfather was a cousin of Mudaliyar Jeronis 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 the treasurer of the Mahiyangana Raja Maha Vihara Restoration Society. He was also a patron of the Sri Dalada Maligawa, the Kandy General Hospital and the Dharmaraja College.[5][6][7]

The Mahamaya Girls' College, Kandy (the first Buddhist Girls' school in Kandy) was founded by his wife Lady Sarah Soysa and Lady Chitravo Ratwatte and was greatly assisted by Soysa.[8][9][10]

He was appointed a Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1950 New Year Honours, Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1953 New Year Honours and made a Knights Bachelor in the 1954 Birthday Honours. The Sir Benet Soysa Cultural Hall and Sir Bennet Soysa Veediya in Kandy are named in recognition of his services to the Buddha Sasana and the city of Kandy.[4][11][12][13]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "The Senate Days of Ceylon" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-06. Retrieved 2013-07-07.
  2. ^ A century and quarter of St. John's College... : Its great contribution for the development of education in Sri Lanka, by L. Panditharathna Daily News (Sri Lanka), Retrieved 05 December 2014
  3. ^ With a Fistful of Rice: Buddhist Women and the Making of Mahamaya Girls' College by Indrani Meegama, p.54 (Mahamaya College) ISBN 9558904007
  4. ^ a b Senkadagala Eksath Bauddha Mandalaya (Official Website) Archived April 2, 2015, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 25 January 2015
  5. ^ Dassanayake, M. B. (2002-03-30). "113th Birth Anniversary : Sir Bennet Soysa - the philanthropist of the hills". Daily News. Retrieved 2015-01-11.
  6. ^ First ever stupa built by an Arhant BY S. B. KARALLIYADDA (Daily News) Retrieved 25 January 2015
  7. ^ Emergence of Sri Sumangala College, Panadura by OBA Panadura (Daily News) Retrieved 25 January 2015
  8. ^ Equality in the hills - the beginnings Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine - Indrani Meegama (The Sunday Leader) Retrieved 25 January 2015
  9. ^ Admirable Buddhist Women by Upali K. Salgado (The Island) Retrieved 25 January 2015
  10. ^ The Monk who shone at Heenetiyana by Upali K. Salgado (The Island) Retrieved 25 January 2015
  11. ^ Sri Lanka by Royston Ellis, p.99 (Bradt Travel Guides) ISBN 9781841623467
  12. ^ Randoli on Aug 5 by Cyril Wimalasurendre (The Island) Retrieved 25 January 2015
  13. ^ Ananda Jayasundara Sri Lanka's fastest bowler in 1964 by Hafiz Marikar (Daily News) Retrieved 25 January 2015
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