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D. P. Atapattu
Don Peter Atapattu (17 September 1899 – 14 December 1976) was a Ceylonese politician and Member of Parliament (MP) who represented the Beliatta electorate in Hambantota District from March 1960 to July 1960, and from 1965 to 1970. He was a founding member of the United National Party (UNP) and served as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Minister of State, J. R. Jayewardene.
Born in Nakulugamuwa, Tangalle, Atapattu graduated from Ananda College, Colombo, becoming one of the upper-school teachers in Mahabodhi College, Colombo. After being called to the bar as a proctor to the Supreme Court of Ceylon, Atapattu was nominated as the UNP candidate for Beliatta at the general parliamentary elections in 1947, 1952, 1956, March 1960, July 1960 and 1965 against D. A. Rajapaksa, winning the seat in two of the six elections.
Don Peter Atapattu was born on 17 September 1899, in the village of Nakulugamuwa near Tangalle in Hambantota District, to Don Johanis Atapattu and a daughter of the Wijekoon family from Matara. Don Johanis was the acting Registrar of Births and Deaths for Nakulugamuwa in 1915 and in 1938 was awarded the title of Muhandiram. Don Peter had six younger brothers and one sister, Soma, who later became the mother-in-law of Karunasena Kodituwakku.
Atapattu was first educated at Gamini Maha Vidyalaya, Nakulugamuwa, then received higher education at St. Thomas' College, Matara. He then entered the prestigious Anglican school, S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia. His classics master, T. B. Jayah, found that Atapattu did not have the discipline expected by the then Warden, William Arthur Stone, so he suggested him to move to Ananda College, Colombo. At Ananda, Atapattu was educated under the school's principal, Patrick de Silva Kularatne.
After graduating from Ananda, in 1922, Atapattu enrolled as a law student. He taught in various schools, including Mahabodhi College, Colombo, where he was an upper-school teacher and was responsible for the students' safety drills and games during the 1922–23 school year.
In 1919, Atapattu joined the pro-independence political party Ceylon National Congress (CNC), where he represented Tangalle in Southern Province, British Ceylon. He was interested by the harmony among the Sinhalese and Tamil leaders of the CNC, but became disillusioned when the Sinhalese leaders fought with the Tamil leaders over the reserving of the Colombo Town seat.
In 1927, Atapattu was called to the bar as a proctor to the Supreme Court of Ceylon. He then started his legal practice in the Unofficial Bar in Tangalle. While still in the Unofficial Bar, Atapattu married Daya Dahanayake in 1932. They had two children, Ranjit and Indrani, the latter of whom later migrated to Australia.
In 1944, following his success in enabling Tangalle to establish an Urban Council, Atapattu was nominated as a candidate for the election of members of the Urban Council. He was elected to the council and became its first Chairman in 1945. Later, he was chosen by the then Attorney General, Hema Henry Basnayake, as the Crown Proctor of Tangalle.
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D. P. Atapattu
Don Peter Atapattu (17 September 1899 – 14 December 1976) was a Ceylonese politician and Member of Parliament (MP) who represented the Beliatta electorate in Hambantota District from March 1960 to July 1960, and from 1965 to 1970. He was a founding member of the United National Party (UNP) and served as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Minister of State, J. R. Jayewardene.
Born in Nakulugamuwa, Tangalle, Atapattu graduated from Ananda College, Colombo, becoming one of the upper-school teachers in Mahabodhi College, Colombo. After being called to the bar as a proctor to the Supreme Court of Ceylon, Atapattu was nominated as the UNP candidate for Beliatta at the general parliamentary elections in 1947, 1952, 1956, March 1960, July 1960 and 1965 against D. A. Rajapaksa, winning the seat in two of the six elections.
Don Peter Atapattu was born on 17 September 1899, in the village of Nakulugamuwa near Tangalle in Hambantota District, to Don Johanis Atapattu and a daughter of the Wijekoon family from Matara. Don Johanis was the acting Registrar of Births and Deaths for Nakulugamuwa in 1915 and in 1938 was awarded the title of Muhandiram. Don Peter had six younger brothers and one sister, Soma, who later became the mother-in-law of Karunasena Kodituwakku.
Atapattu was first educated at Gamini Maha Vidyalaya, Nakulugamuwa, then received higher education at St. Thomas' College, Matara. He then entered the prestigious Anglican school, S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia. His classics master, T. B. Jayah, found that Atapattu did not have the discipline expected by the then Warden, William Arthur Stone, so he suggested him to move to Ananda College, Colombo. At Ananda, Atapattu was educated under the school's principal, Patrick de Silva Kularatne.
After graduating from Ananda, in 1922, Atapattu enrolled as a law student. He taught in various schools, including Mahabodhi College, Colombo, where he was an upper-school teacher and was responsible for the students' safety drills and games during the 1922–23 school year.
In 1919, Atapattu joined the pro-independence political party Ceylon National Congress (CNC), where he represented Tangalle in Southern Province, British Ceylon. He was interested by the harmony among the Sinhalese and Tamil leaders of the CNC, but became disillusioned when the Sinhalese leaders fought with the Tamil leaders over the reserving of the Colombo Town seat.
In 1927, Atapattu was called to the bar as a proctor to the Supreme Court of Ceylon. He then started his legal practice in the Unofficial Bar in Tangalle. While still in the Unofficial Bar, Atapattu married Daya Dahanayake in 1932. They had two children, Ranjit and Indrani, the latter of whom later migrated to Australia.
In 1944, following his success in enabling Tangalle to establish an Urban Council, Atapattu was nominated as a candidate for the election of members of the Urban Council. He was elected to the council and became its first Chairman in 1945. Later, he was chosen by the then Attorney General, Hema Henry Basnayake, as the Crown Proctor of Tangalle.