Mudaliyar Don Spater Senanayake (1847–1907) was a

Ceylon Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

ese, an entrepreneur and philanthropist. He was a successful graphite mine owner and was given the titular title of

Mudaliyar Thuluva Vellalar (Thondamandala Tuluva Vellalar), also known as Agamudaya Mudaliars and Arcot Mudaliars, is a caste found in northern Tamil Nadu, southern Andhra Pradesh and southern Karnataka, India. They were originally significant lando ...

for social service by the British colonial administration. He is the father of

D. S. Senanayake Don Stephen Senanayake ( si, දොන් ස්ටීවන් සේනානායක,; ta, டி. எஸ். சேனநாயக்கா; 21 October 1884 – 22 March 1952) was a Ceylonese statesman. He was the first Prime Mi ...

, the

first First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...

Prime Minister of Sri Lanka The Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the head and most senior member of parliament in the cabinet of ministers. It is the second-most powerful position in Sri Lanka's executive branch behind the president, wh ...

. Born in the village of Botale in 1847 to Don Bartholomew, he had his schooling at St Thomas’ College, Matale. He went into business and gained success in graphite mining, owning several mines. He also owned several plantations and investments in the

arrack Arrack is a distilled alcoholic drink typically produced in India, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, made from the fermented sap of coconut flowers or sugarcane, and also with grain (e.g. red rice) or fruit depending upon the country of origin. It ...

renting franchise.Nobodies to Somebodies: The Rise of the Colonial Bourgeoisie in Sri Lanka
Kumari Jayawardena, pp. 192-3 & 267 (Zed) He married Dona Catherina Elizabeth Perera Gunasekera Senanayake, daughter of Baron Senanayake of Kehelella, Badalagama. They had three sons; Don Charles "D.C." Senanayake, Fredric Richard "F. R." Senanayake, Don Stephen "D.S." Senanayake and a daughter Maria Francess "Mary Jane" Senanayake.Senanayakes of Botale
/ref> He was awarded the title of

by Governor Sir Joseph West Ridgeway for being "a worthy citizen". He died on November 7, 1907. His politically active sons started a political lineage that extended several generations, lasting to this day. His son

became the first Prime Minister of Ceylon having led it to its independence, his grandson

Dudley Shelton Senanayake Dudley Shelton Senanayake ( Sinhala: ඩඩ්ලි ශෙල්ටන් සේනානායක: ta, டட்லி சேனநாயக்கா; 19 June 1911 – 13 April 1973), was a Sri Lankan statesman who served as Prime M ...

succeeded his father as the second Prime Minister and held the post on three occasions. His eldest son Fredrick Richard Senanayake was elected to the Legislative Council and his son

Richard Gotabhaya Senanayake Richard Gotabhaya Senanayake (4 November 1911 – 22 December 1970; popularly known as R.G. Senanayake) was a Sri Lankan politician. He was Minister of Trade and Commerce during the period 1952-56 and 1956-60. He was elected a Member of Parliame ...

went on to become a Cabinet minister. His descendants include

Rukman Senanayake Rukman Senanayake (born 21 June 1948), is a Sri Lankan politician. A former Cabinet Minister of Environment and Natural Resources from 2002 to 2004 and Member of Parliament for Kegalle District, he was a Vice Leader of the United National Party. ...

(great grandson), Vasantha Senanayake and Ruwan Wijewardene (great great grandsons) who are active in current Sri Lankan politics.

External links and references

{{DEFAULTSORT:Senanayake, Don Spater Mudaliyars of Ceylon Sri Lankan Buddhists Sinhalese businesspeople Don Spater Sri Lankan mining businesspeople

See also

External links and references