W. A. de Silva
Wilmot Arthur de Silva was Ceylonese veterinary surgeon, politician and philanthropist. He was the Minister of Health in the second State Council of Ceylon and a former President of the Ceylon National Congress.
Wilmot Arthur de Silva was born on 15 March 1869 in Unawatuna, he had his early education at the Buona Vista School, and his secondary education at Richmond College in Galle. He then entered the University in Bombay and later worked as the veterinary surgeon of the Colombo Municipal Council. He was also the President of the Buddhist Theosophical Society and General Manager of the BTS Schools for fifteen years. He was also a major figure and financier of the temperance movement.
An elected member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon, in 1931 he was elected to the first State Council of Ceylon, and served in the Executive Committee of Local Administration and on re-election to the second State Council in 1936 he was made the Minister of Health and Chairman of the Executive Committee of Health. During his tenure he greatly improved the health services of the island, what Kannangara was to education, De Silva was to heath. He resigned from his post on 18 February 1942 on the grounds of health and age. He bequeathed his house Sravasti to the state in which he entertained the likes of Jawaharlal Nehru, Rabindranath Tagore and Lord Donougmore. He is considered a national hero of the island nation for his contribution to health, the revival of Buddhism, the temperance movement and the Sri Lankan independence movement
De Silva married Catherine née Sri Chandrasekera, who came from an affluent Buddhist family in Moratuwa, and inherited the estate of her millionaire father. His nephew was Sir Susantha de Fonseka, Deputy Speaker of the State Council of Ceylon, who he raised. He gifted his house Sravasti Mandiraya to the nation.
