Sir Ernest De Silva
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Sir Ernest de Silva (1887-1957) was a Cambridge-educated 20th century, Sri Lankan philanthropist, business magnate and public figure. A wealthy and powerful polymath, Sir Ernest was the Chairman of the Senate of Sri Lanka and made many contributions to Sri Lankan life, including vast amounts of philanthropy and being the Founder-Chariman of the Bank of Ceylon. He was to be named the first Sri Lankan Governor General (Head of Government, Armed Forces and Representative of the King in Ceylon, i.e. Head of State). Sir Ernest was among the pinnacle of Sri Lankan society and one of its richest and most respected. He was renowned for his high level of integrity and honesty.
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[edit] Philanthropy
Sir Ernest was one of Sri Lanka's Greatest Philanthropists of the Twentieth Century funding a vast number of projects. Among his various projects were the building of two major schools (Devapathiraja Vidyalaya and Lakshmi College) and providing free education as well as scholarships to its students. Sir Ernest and his wife Lady Evadne funded the inaugural orphanage in Ceylon; in the form of a donation of 9 acres in Katunayake. He also built a temple; The 'Veluvanaramaya'. He gave away lands, buildings and funds to numerous orphanages, hospitals, schools, social service bodies, temples and hermitages without fanfare or publicity.
[edit] Faith
Sir Ernest was a very staunch Buddhist. He has contributed much for the advancement of Buddhism. One such instance was when he purchased an island in 1905 and offered it to Ven. Nanatiloke, the Famous German Monk, to start a hermitage (Polgasduwa) for Buddhist monks. Sir Ernest was thus instrumental in putting Sri Lanka on the map of the world of philosophy and religion. He was the President of the YMBA (Young Men's Buddhist Association) and the President of the Kalutara Bodhi Trust. The Former President of Sri Lanka, The Late Hon.R.Premadasa, stated that 'if there was a Buddhist Temple or school that he (Sir Ernest) did not help, it was not in Sri Lanka'.
[edit] Wealth
Sir Ernest was one of the richest South-East Asians of the Twentieth Century. Sir Ernest inherited and purchased vast areas of tea, rubber and coconut estates as well as vast amounts of land in the prominent areas of Colombo. He owned 46 Acres (7360 Perches) of land in prominent areas of Colombo, worth an approximate Rs.40 Billion today, mainly in the Colpetty area which is now regarded as the most expensive area in Sri Lanka. One such estate was the famed 1000 acre (4 km²) Salawa estate which was used as a rubber plantation. He resided in one of the most exclusive properties in Sri Lanka: The 'Sirimathipaya' Mansion; equipped with horse stables and tennis courts.
[edit] Hobbies
Aside from public life, his central passion was stamp collecting. His Sri Lankan collection is said to have been world-class, second only to the collection of King George V. [1] He gained notoriety for owning the Penny Black; the world's first stamp. In keeping to his charitable ways, he donated the money gained from the sale of the Mauritius One Penny (1847) stamp, considered to be the most expensive stamp in the world, (valued at $3.8 million in 1993) towards the construction of the YMBA Headquarter's Building to his relative Sir Cyril de Zoysa. [2] Sir Ernest was also known to be the one of the best Sri Lankan billiards players of his time. He has played rounds with the then world champions in his mansion and club. He was also the President of the Ceylon Turf Club and maintained a high level of integrity in the sport.
[edit] Recognition
Sir Ernest was knighted in 1946 by King George V for his services to Ceylon. A road was named after him (Sir Ernest De Silva Mawatha, formerly known as Flower Road) and a stamp published in his honour. As he was perhaps the most respected and wealthiest Sri Lankan of his generation, Sir Ernest was asked to be the first Sri Lankan Governor General, equivalent to the Head of State (President), but declined it due to personal reasons. He was one of the first Asians to own a Rolls Royce. His former residence, the mansion 'Sirimathipaya', is now being used as the Prime Minister's office of Sri Lanka.
He was a very close friend of the late Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru who was a batch mate of his at University of Cambridge. Jawahar Lal Nehru came in 1930 to visit his friend in Sri Lanka.
[edit] Family life
Sir Ernest was born, in 1887 at the 'Royal Palace', to one of the most affluent families of Ceylon. His parents and grandparents were hugely wealthy and owned much land all over the country. He was married to Lady Evadne De Silva, a philantrophist herself, who later became the first female member of Senate. One of his daughters married Construction Magnate U.N.Gunasekera, whose philantrophy rivals his own, making the lineage one of the most prominent traditionally rich families in South-East Asia. The lineage is used as a standard for traditionally-rich families in Sri Lanka, as it is one of the richest, oldest, and most prominent.
[edit] Death
Sir Ernest De Silva, died on 9 May 1957, almost ten years after Sri Lanka gained independence; a cause he strived for. At his funeral, attended by many state officials and leaders, the then Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike mentioned the loss the nation has to bear with and thanked the late philatrophist for his services for Sri Lanka saying that he was a 'true gentleman in every sense of the word'.
