Ranjit Atapattu

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Hon. Dr
Ranjit Atapattu
Minister of Health
In office
1982–1989
Preceded bySiva Obeyesekere
Succeeded byRenuka Herath
Minister of Labour and Social Welfare
In office
18 February 1989 – 5 January 1990
Preceded byC. P. J. Seneviratne
Succeeded byDingiri Banda Wijetunga
Member of Parliament
for Beliatta
In office
1977–1989
Preceded byMahinda Rajapaksa
Succeeded byseat abolished
Member of Parliament
for Hambantota
In office
9 March 1989 – 24 June 1994
Personal details
Born
Ranjit Kanishka Parakrama Atapattu

(1933-04-29)29 April 1933
Tangalle, Sri Lanka
Died8 January 2018(2018-01-08) (aged 84)
Colombo
Political partyUnited National Party
SpouseDreda
RelationsD. P. Atapattu (father)
Alma materRoyal College, Colombo, University of Ceylon
OccupationPolitics
ProfessionPhysician

Ranjith Kanishka Parakrama Atapattu (29 April 1933 – 8 January 2018) was a Sri Lankan physician and politician.[1] He was the Minister of Health in Sri Lanka from 1982 to 1989 and Minister of Labour and Social Welfare from 1989 to 1990.

Biography

Ranjith Kanishka Parakrama Atapattu was born 29 April 1933[2] in Tangalle, the son of Don Peter (Member of Parliament for Beliatta and Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Minister of State).[3] He was educated at Royal College Colombo[4] and the University of Ceylon, between 1954 and 1960, where he obtained a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery. Atapattu was employed as Medical Officer between 1960 and 1966, before establishing his own general medical practice.

Atapattu was first elected to parliament at the 8th parliamentary elections in July 1977,[5] representing the United National Party in the Beliatta electorate, where he defeated the sitting member, Mahinda Rajapaksa, by over 6,000 votes. President J. R. Jayewardene, reluctant to give up the massive majority his party secured in 1977, held a referendum to cancel the 1983 parliamentary elections, and extend the life of the 1977 parliament until 1989. Jayewardene also decreed that all United National Party parliamentarians, whose electoral districts had not supported the referendum, would have to run in a by-election. Atapattu resigned from his seat 10 February 1983[6] but was subsequently successful in the May 1983 by-elections, defeating Rajapaska by nearly 3,000 votes.[7]

Atapattu was appointed the Minister for Colombo Group of Hospitals (a project Ministry under the Ministry of Health) in August 1978.[8] He was then appointed the Minister of Health in the Jayewardene cabinet in 1982[9] and held the position until 1989. At the 1989 parliamentary elections he ran as the United National Party candidate in the Hambantota electorate and was duly elected with 10,381 preference votes (18.35%), behind Rajapkasa's 13,073 preference votes (23.11%).[10] In 18 February 1989 Atapattu was appointed Minister of Labour and Social Welfare as part of the Premadasa cabinet and held the position until 5 January 1990.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Death of former Health Minister Dr. Ranjith Atapattu". Daily News. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  2. ^ "Hon. (Dr.) Atapattu, Ranjith Kaniska Parakrama, M.P." Directory of Past Members. Parliament of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  3. ^ Wijesinha, Sam (26 September 1999). "DP: A man who was one with the people". Sunday Times. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  4. ^ "Right Royal rally of old Royalists in the Sri Lanka Parliament". 11 February 2002. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  5. ^ "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1977" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  6. ^ Wickramasinghe, Wimal. "Saga of crossovers, expulsions and resignations etc. Referendum for extension of Parliament". The Island. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  7. ^ "Rajapaksa's backward somersault". Daily News. 13 October 2016. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  8. ^ Sri Lanka Year Book. Department of Census and Statistics. 1978. p. 82.
  9. ^ "Tribune". 26 (29–40). Ceylon News Service. 1982: 3. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  10. ^ "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1989" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  11. ^ Paxton, J, ed. (2016). The Statesman's Year-Book 1990-91. Springer. p. 1128. ISBN 9780230271197.