REMEMBERING MULTI-FACETED T. B. ILLANGARATNE

He wrote novels like Thilaka Saha Thilaka, Nedeyo, Nayana and Lasanda which were made into films

The 27th death anniversary of distinguished politician, author, dramatist and theatre actor Tikiri Bandara Illangaratne – who’s better known as T. B. Illangaratne falls tomorrow, May 21.The Member of Parliament who entered politics in 1947 and represented the Kandy, Galaha, Hewaheta and Kolonnawa electorates, served as a Cabinet Minister holding various portfolios including Labour, Housing, Social Services, Finance, Commerce, Food, Trade and Shipping in an illustrious career spanning three decades.

Born on February 27, 1913, Ilangaratne who was also involved in the country’s literary, film and tele drama scenes, passed away on May 21, 1992. He was instrumental in setting up the Employees’ Provident Fund in 1956, the Petroleum Corporation, Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation and the People’s Bank. He also scrapped the then Gammuladeni system and introduced the current grama seva structure in 1959. He presented the first Budget speech in Sinhala on August 1, 1963. He studied at Galagedara Vidyalaya and St Anthony’s College Katugastota where he wrote plays like ‘Akeekaru Putha’, ‘Himin Himin’ and ‘Anda Nanda’ as a schoolboy. He entered films writing the dialogues for Warada Kageda and later the script for Radala Piliruwa. He was also a newspaper columnist who wrote for the then Lankadeepa newspaper. As a writer, Illangaratne wrote several novels like Thilaka Saha Thilaka, Nedeyo, Nayana and Lasanda which were made into films. He is best known for writing Amba Yahaluwo and Vilambitha, which were later made into tele dramas. As an actor he played the title role in ‘King Dhatusena’ in 1941. He retired from politics in April, 1986 after the holding the post of Sri Lanka Mahajana Party Chairman for three years.