{"id":34618,"date":"2014-11-03T22:05:22","date_gmt":"2014-11-04T03:05:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=34618"},"modified":"2014-11-04T15:15:00","modified_gmt":"2014-11-04T20:15:00","slug":"p-c-imbulanabirth-centenary-of-an-honest-and-honourable-politician","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=34618","title":{"rendered":"P.C.Imbulana:Birth Centenary of an Honest and Honourable Politician."},"content":{"rendered":"

By Dharmasiri W. Wijegoonawardena<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Prema<\/a>

Prema Chandra Imbulana<\/p><\/div>\n

Late Prema Chandra Imbulana has the rare distinction of having served the country from village level being elected Chairman of the Village Council to a Parliamentarian, Deputy Minister, a Minister and then Governor in two Provinces of Sri Lanka, in a colourful and distinguished career in politics spanning six decades. He was also the President of the D.S. Senanayaka Memorial Society a position he held and was dedicated to until his sad demise two years ago.<\/p>\n

I had the privilege of serving under him as the Public Relations Officer and in the capacity of Private Secretary during some of the time he was Minister and as Governor. I was no relative of his. He assigned me the task because he felt that I was capable for the job and the good working relationship we cultivated when I was a planter.<\/p>\n

P.C. Imbulana popularly known as P.C to his close friends hailed from an aristocratic ancestry.He is the son of the landed proprietor and the then Village Headman, of the “Thunkorale”Ruwanwellawalauwe, Kuruvitaarachchilage Martin Appuhamy Imbulama and of the “Beligal Korale” walauwe.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

His mother’s brother U. B. Dedigama was the Beligal Korale’s ‘Rate Mahaththya” in charge of the Warakapola and Galigamuwa Divisional Secretarial areas and was made a Member of the British Empire (MBE).
\nLate Prema Chandra Imbulana was a founder member of the United National Party which formed the first government after independence.<\/p>\n

Imbulana’s talents and the commitment to serve the public in general and his village in particular started as a teenager without any title or position. He was elected without party affiliation as the youngest Village Council Chairman of Ruwanwella that included both the Dehigampala Korale and Pahathe Bulathgama areas.<\/p>\n

We had heard of the then Education Minister C.W.W Kannagara who was to experience Imbulana’s determination when he paid a visit and young Imbulana told the Minister that he wouldn’t return to the village unless he got the Imbulana village school listed as a Govt. School which he subsequently argued successfully to achieve in obtaining same before he returned that same evening. This was conveyed by Kannangara to Rt. Honourable D. S. Senanayake which had prompted Senanayake to immediately invite him into party politics.<\/p>\n

Although the youthful Imbulana contested three times against the leftist giants like N. M. Perera and losing marginally, he was relentless in his pursuit for his party to win, and he was elected from Ruwanwella on his third attempt and politically broke the famous known red fort.<\/p>\n

He won in 1965 and entered parliament. He was made the Deputy Minister of Agriculture in the Dudley Senanayake Government. In the Jayewardena government he was appointed Deputy Minister Local Govt. Housing and Construction and worked well together with his Minister, Prime Minister Ranasinghe Premadasa. Upon President Premadasa forming a government, he appointed his one-time Deputy as his Labour Minister. Subsequently Imbulana was selected to be one of the first set of governors in the newly established Provincial Councils. He was then appointed Governor, Central Province by President D. B. Wjetunge.<\/p>\n

He was considered as one of the most honourable and honest politicians who was genuinely committed to serving the country and one who served as Governor above party politics. This was endorsed when President Chandrika Kumaratunge who represented a different political party retained him for the remainder of his term as Governor of the Central Province upon her appointment to the highest office recognizing his impartial stand of serving the country before party and self.<\/p>\n

Having lost his father early in life Imbulana’s mother, who reminded us of Britain’s Queen mother due to her charming majestic ways and mannerisms, was a tower of strength to him in his early life. She passed away in the peak of his career when he was Labour Minister.<\/p>\n

Imbulana was the father figure to many in his family. He shouldered this responsibility early in life. He extended this responsibility even to those who closely worked under him. He was a wonderful boss who understood each one of his employees well and regarded them more as part of his team rather than those who served him.<\/p>\n

It would not be wrong to call him a gentle giant with an iron fist. As that is how he did his day to day administration where the demand for honesty and integrity was at its highest but zero tolerance on those found corrupt.<\/p>\n

One of his marked traits was that he never got flustered or alarmed or excited for anything. His calm demeanor was the most outstanding. In the worst of crisis he was the calmest person. He was never hasty, nor in a hurry, even in his strides did he walk slowly and majestically. Imbulana was a bachelor and would jokingly say that he was married to politics. Right throughout his political career his sister, Prema Imbulana Munasinghe was his shadow, meticulously preparing in the background ensuring all what he required for a steady, dignified successful career in which his wish to serve the people was fulfilled.<\/p>\n

Imbulana was an agriculturist and loved the outdoors as well as being very house proud. His sprawling ancestral house in Ruwanwella when he lived there and the official residence at No. 19 Longden Place, Colombo 7, were well maintained at all times.<\/p>\n

Imbulana held the position of President of the D.S. Senanayaka Memorial Society a position he held until his demise two years ago, loyal to his mentor methodically arranging the programmes that felicitated the father of the nation. He was active in mind and spirit to his last and his sister, Mrs. Prema Imbulana was the one who was by his side until the end. It was she who informed me of his sad demise.<\/p>\n

He will remain etched in our memory and this centenary birth commemoration events are not only be dedicated for what it is set up to do but with the hope also that it will educate and enable the future generations for yet another century or more to emulate not only his achievements and service to the country but more of his exemplary qualities as a person.<\/p>\n

(The writer was Mr. Imbulana’s Public Relations Officer during his tenure as Minister of Labour and held the post of Private Secretary when Mr. Imbulana was Governor of the Central Province)<\/em><\/p>\n

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By Dharmasiri W. Wijegoonawardena Late Prema Chandra Imbulana has the rare distinction of having served the country from village level being elected Chairman of the Village Council to a Parliamentarian, Deputy Minister, a Minister and then Governor in two Provinces of Sri Lanka, in a colourful and distinguished career in politics spanning six decades. He …<\/p>\n

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