C. W. W. Kannangara
Sri Lankan politician
Died when: 84 years 345 days (1019 months)Star Sign: Libra
Dr.Cristopher William Wijekoon Kannangara (Sinhala ආචාර්ය ක්රිස්ටෝෆර් විලියම් විජේකෝන් කන්නන්ගර; 18 October 1894 – 23 September 1969) was a Sri Lankan Lawyer and a politician.
He rose up the ranks of Sri Lanka's movement for independence in the early part of the 20th century.As a lawyer he defended the detainees that were imprisoned during the Riots of 1915, many of whom were the emerging leaders of the independence movement.
In 1931, he became the President of Ceylon National Congress, the forerunner to the United National Party.Later, he became the first Minister of Education in the State Council of Ceylon, and was instrumental in introducing extensive reforms to the country's education system that opened up education to children from all levels of society.
Born in the Southern coastal town of Hikkaduwa, his academic progress at the free Wesleyan school enabled him to win a Foundation Scholarship to Richmond College, Galle, a prestigious secondary school at the time managed by the Methodist church.
After leaving school, he worked as a teacher in Mathematics at Wesley College, Colombo and Prince of Wales' College, Moratuwa.
He excelled as a lawyer in the Southern Province which made the public of the area to nominate him to contest at the legislative council election representing the Southern Province at which he made an easy win as a member of the legislative council.
Kannangara was first elected to the Ceylon Legislative Council in 1923 and then to the State Council.As Minister of Education in the State Council, Kannangara and the Committees of Education introduced extensive reforms to the education system of Sri Lanka throughout the 1940s.
He began a Central Colleges scheme, which established high quality secondary schools in rural areas of the country that benefitted thousands of underprivileged students in rural parts of the country.
Kannangara was also the Chairman of the Committee that submitted the Free Education Bill for a vote in the State Council, though he was initially opposed to complete free education.
Kannangara's significant achievements in areas of education have led him to being commonly referred to as the Father of Free Education in Sri Lanka.
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