Harindra Corea
Minister of State for Ports and Telecommunication
In office
18 February 1989 – 16 August 1994
PresidentDingiri Banda Wijetunga
Ranasinghe Premadasa
Prime MinisterRanil Wickremesinghe
Dingiri Banda Wijetunga
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
2000–2001
PresidentChandrika Kumaratunga
Prime MinisterRatnasiri Wickremanayake
Deputy Minister of Public Administration
In office
1980–1989
PresidentJ. R. Jayewardene
Prime MinisterRanasinghe Premadasa
Member of Parliament
for Chilaw
In office
1977–1988
Preceded byS. D. R. Jayaratne
Succeeded byConstituency Abolished
Personal details
Born(1936-03-04)4 March 1936
Colombo, British Ceylon
Died21 October 2005(2005-10-21) (aged 69)
Colombo, Sri Lanka
NationalitySri Lankan
Political partyUnited National Party
Other political
affiliations		People's Alliance
SpouseRochelle Corea
ChildrenSheonie, Harindrini
Parent(s)Claude Corea
Lylie Corea
Alma materS. Thomas College, Preparatory School, Bandarawela,
St Paul's School, London,
University College, Oxford
Occupationpolitician
ProfessionLawyer

Harindra Jayantha Corea (4 March 1936 - 21 October 2005) was a Sri Lankan politician and Member of Parliament, who represented Chilaw. He was member of the United National Party of Sri Lanka. His parents were Sir Claude Corea who was renowned politician and diplomat and Lady Karmini Corea. Sir Claude was Minister of Labour in the State Council of Ceylon led by DS Senanayake, and was appointed the first ever Representative of Ceylon to the UK (before Independence) and was also Ceylon's first Ambassador in the United States.[1] Harindra Corea was the brother of Nihal Corea and Chandra Corea. The family home was situated in Alfred House Gardens in Colombo.

Education

Corea grew up in the UK and attended St Paul's School, London. He went on to study Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) at the University College, Oxford. He was then called to the Bar by the Honorable Society of the Inner Temple.

Political career

Harindra Mawatha in Chilaw, Sri Lanka – the road was named after Harindra Corea M.P.

He won the Chilaw seat in the 1977 General Elections on the UNP ticket, following in the footsteps of his uncle, Srikuradas Charles Shirley Corea who won the parliamentary seat of Chilaw in 1952.[2]

The Coat of Arms of the Parliament of Sri Lanka. Harindra Corea represented Chilaw in parliament – first with the United National Party and later on with the People's Alliance.

Corea was appointed Minister of Telecommunications by President Ranasinghe Premadasa in the 1990s. After a disagreement with the UNP he crossed over to the People's Alliance Government under President Chandrika Kumaratunga in 2000. The Sunday Times of Sri Lanka noted 'the parliamentary debate on the draft constitution saw cross-overs from Dixon J. Perera, Harindra Corea and Mervyn Silva.[3] He was selected as a People's Alliance national list candidate.[4]

Harindra Corea was appointed Deputy Foreign Minister by President Chandrika Kumaratunga and travelled around the world representing Sri Lanka. Among the many duties undertaken as Deputy Foreign Minister, he opened the office of the Hony. Consulate General for Cyprus in Colombo, Sri Lanka in December 2000.[5]

Descendant of King Dominicus Corea (Edirille Rala)

Harindra Corea took a keen interest in the wider Corea Family. He headed the Edirimanne Corea Family Union in Sri Lanka in 2000. He was a descendant of King Dominicus Corea, also known as Edirille Rala.

Jazz Music

Corea was an accomplished jazz musician and he was a fan of some of the 'greats' in jazz music, among them Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington (who visited Sri Lanka in 1963). Chamikara Weerasinghe writing in the Daily News in Sri Lanka, observed that 'Among those who promoted jazz music in Sri Lanka are Tommy Perera, Tita Nathaniez, Mahes Perera, former Minister Harindra Corea and Bala Namasvayam.'[6]

Death

Corea died in Colombo on 21 October 2005. Parliamentarians held a Vote of Condolence when he died, speaking about his achievements in the Parliament of Sri Lanka in Kotte.[7] The citizens of Chilaw have named a sports ground in the town, in memory of their Member of Parliament who served them since 1977.

See also

References

  1. ↑ View other Empire Stories – Empire's Children
  2. ↑ "Harindra Corea wins Chilaw for the United National Party in the 1977 General Elections in Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka Politics Portal". Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  3. ↑ "Harindra Corea crossed over to the People's Alliance Government in September 2000 – Sunday Times, Sri Lanka". Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  4. ↑ "Harindra Corea – People's Alliance National List Candidate mentioned in an article in the Daily News, Sri Lanka". Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  5. ↑ "Deputy Foreign Minister Harindra Corea with Cyprus High Commissioner to Sri Lanka (resident in New Delhi) and Mrs. Sicille P. C. Kotelawala, Hony. Consul General, opens the new Colombo office of the Consulate General for Cyprus in Sri Lanka – The Island Newspaper, Sri Lanka". Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  6. ↑ "Harindra Corea promoted jazz music in Sri Lanka – reference to Corea in an article by Chamikara Weerasinghe in the Daily News, Sri Lanka". Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  7. ↑ "Vote of Condolence on Hon. Harindra Corea, Parliament of Sri Lanka". Archived from the original on 21 October 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2011.

Bibliography

  • Handbook of the Parliament of Sri Lanka
  • Great Sinhalese Men and Women of History – Edirille Bandara (Domingos Corea) By John M. Senaveratna, (1937)
  • Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon: Its History, People, Commerce, Industries and Resources By A.W. Wright, Asian Educational Services,India; New Ed edition (15 December 2007)
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