T. B. Tennekoon

Tikiri Banda Tennekoon (12 March 1912 – 22 May 1980) was a Ceylonese politician.[1] He served as a member of Parliament, representing the Dambulla electorate for five consecutive terms (1956–1977).[2]

Hon. Tikiri Banda Tennekoon
Minister of Social Services
In office May 1970 – 1971
Preceded by	Asoka Karunaratne
Succeeded by	Semage Salman Kulatileke
Minister of Cultural Affairs
In office 1971–1977
Preceded by	Semage Salman Kulatileke
Succeeded by	E. L. B. Hurulle
Member of the Ceylon Parliament for Dambulla
In office 1956–1977
Preceded by	H. B. Tenne
Succeeded by	K. W. R. M. Ekanayake
Personal details
Born	12 March 1912 Pathadumbara, Ceylon
Died	22 May 1980 (aged 67)
Political party	Sri Lanka Freedom Party
Relations	L. M. Tennekoon (father)
Children	Janka Bandara
Alma mater	Gunnepana Vidyalaya, Pushpadana Vidyalaya
Occupation	printer, politician

Tikiri Banda Tennekoon was born 12 March 1912 in the village of Pathadumbara, his father, L. M. Tennekoon, was a popular local poet who practised Indigenous Medicine and Astrology. Tennekoon received his education at the Gunnepana Vidyalaya and then the Pushpadana Vidyalaya, before the death of parents. He joined the Railway Department before taking a job at the Printing Press, 'Sirisara', in Kandy. In 1934, he started his own printing press, writing poems and verses, and publishing short poetry books, such as Ruwanweli Maha Sea Varnanaya (Narration of Ruwanweli Maha Seya), Sri Gouthama Vama Dalada Vandanava (Pilgrimage of Sri Gouthama left tooth Relic), Ruwanveli Vandanava (Ruwanweli Pilgrimage) and Vessanthara Sinduwa (Vessanthara Songs).

He was elected to the Kandy Municipal Council in 1946, representing the Deiyannewela Ward.

In 1956 Tennekoon contested the seat of Dambulla at the 3rd parliamentary election, held between 5 and 10 April, representing the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (People's United Front). He was successful polling 14,688 votes (71.4% of the total vote) defeating the sitting member and United National Party candidate, H. B. Tenne, by 9,155 votes.[3] He sat as a backbencher on the Government side until June 1959 when he was appointed, by Prime Minister S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Cultural Affairs and Social Services.[4]

Tennekoon retained the Dambulla seat at both the March and July 1960 general elections, winning both contests by 6,840 votes[5] and 6,316 votes respectively.[6] He was subsequently appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport and Works in the Sirimavo Bandaranaike cabinet.[4] In 1963 when he was appointed,Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Education & Cultural Affairs in the Sirimavo Bandaranaike cabinet first re-shuffle.

At the 6th parliamentary election, held on 22 March 1965, Teenekoon received 12,482 votes (51.4% of the total vote) defeating his United National Party rival by 1,174 votes.[7] For the next five years he sat on the opposition benches.

In 1970 at the 7th parliamentary election, held on 27 May, he was successful again, polling 17,010 votes (56.2% of the total vote).[8] Tennekoon was given the portfolio of Minister of Social Services[9] and subsequently appointed the Minister of Cultural Affairs in the Second Sirimavo Bandaranaike cabinet.[10] He was a major contributor to the development of Dambulla, where he inaugurated a special Economic Centre.

He was unable to win the seat a sixth successive time at the 8th parliamentary election, held on 21 July 1977, where he was defeated by the United National Party candidate, K. W. R. M. Ekanayake, 24,793 votes to Tennekoon's 15,964 votes.[11]

References

1. "Hon. (Dr.) Tennekoon, Tikiri Banda, M.P." Parliament of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
2. Abeyesekera, Kirthie (14 August 2007). "The unsung politicians". The Daily News. Archived from the original on 14 August 2007. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
3. "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1956" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
4. Parliaments of Ceylon. Associated Newspapers of Ceylon. 1960. p. 62.
5. "Result of Parliamentary General Election 19 March 1960" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
6. "Result of Parliamentary General Election 20 July 1960" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
7. "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1965" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
8. "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1970" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
9. Paxton, J. (Ed) (2016). The Statesman's Year-Book 1971-72: The Businessman's Encyclopaedia of all Nations. Springer. p. 401. ISBN 9780230271005.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
10. Sri Lanka Year Book 1975 (PDF). Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka. pp. 18–19.
11. "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1977" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 18 September 2017.