Panini Ilangakoon

Panini Ilangakoon
Member of Parliament for Weligama
In office 1970–1977
Preceded by	Montague Jayawickrama
Succeeded by	Montague Jayawickrama
In office 1956–1960
Preceded by	Montague Jayawickrama
Succeeded by	Montague Jayawickrama
Personal details
Born	(1919-11-26)26 November 1919 Weligama, British Ceylon
Died	10 February 1989(1989-02-10) (aged 69) Sri Lanka
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Political party	Sri Lanka Freedom Party
Spouse(s)	Effie Samarakkody Lilly Goonasekere
Relations	S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike (cousin)
Children	2
Alma mater	S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia
Profession	politician

Christophel Panini Illangakoon (Sinhala: ක්‍රිස්ටෝෆෙල් පනිනි ඉල්ලන්ගකූන්) (10 November 1919 – 10 February 1989) was a Sri Lankan politician. He was a member of parliament from Weligama in Matara and a first cousin of S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, former Prime Minister of Ceylon.^[1][2]

Early life and education

Main article: Bandaranaike family

Ilangakoon was born on 26 November 1919 at Weligama to Gate Mudaliyar Simon William Ilangakoon and Liliyan Augusta Obeysekera, daughter of Sir Solomon Christoffel Obeyesekere, a member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon.^[2]

He received his primary and secondary education at S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia and completed his studies in agriculture in Bangalore and in the United Kingdom.^[2]

Political career

Ilangakoon entered politics in 1947 being elected member of the Weligama Urban Council.^[2] He became a member of the newly formed Sri Lanka Freedom Party in 1952 and contested the Weligama seat unsuccessfully, losing to Montague Jayawickrama. In 1956, he elected in the general election defeating Jayawickrama.^[3] He was defeated by Jayawickrama in 1960, but was able to defeat Jayawickrama and was elected in 1970, to be defeated again in 1977 by Jayawickrama.^[4]

Family

Ilangakoon was married twice, firstly to Effie née Samarakkody with whom he had a son, Panini (Jr); then to Lilly née Goonasekere with whom he had Gamini.^[5]

His first wife Effie remarried Robert Edward Jayatilaka and was later elected as the Chairman of the Nawalapitiya Urban Council. She was the first woman in the country to head an Urban Council. ^[6]

Ilangakoon died on 10 February 1989, aged 69.

See also

• List of political families in Sri Lanka
• Bandaranaike family

References

1. "Sri Lankan Sinhalese Family Genealogy". www.ancestry.com. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
2. Rajapaksa, Chamal (10 February 2010). ""Commemorating Panini Ilangakoon"". The Island (Sri Lanka).
3. ""RESULTS OF PARLIAMENTARY GENERAL ELECTION - 1956"" (PDF). Election Commission of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 21 February 2016.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
4. ""RESULTS OF PARLIAMENTARY GENERAL ELECTION - May 27, 1970"" (PDF). Election Commission of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 21 February 2016.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
5. "Sri Lankan Sinhalese Family Genealogy". www.ancestry.com. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
6. Jayatilleke, Rohan (11 July 2012). ""Name Nawalapitiya Sports Complex as R. E. Jayatilaka Sports Complex Letter"". The Island (Sri Lanka).

External links

• Illangakone Family
• Commemorating Panini Illangakoon
• Ilangakoon, Christoffel Panini