Origins & Early Life

William Gopallawa (Sinhala: විලියම් ගොපල්ලව, Tamil: வில்லியம் கோப்பல்லாவ; 17 September 1896 – 31 January 1981) was a Sri Lankan politician and statesman who served as the last Governor-General of Ceylon from 1962 to 1972. That year, Ceylon became a republic, and changed its name to Sri Lanka; he would serve as the first and only non-executive President of Sri Lanka until 1978. Gopallawa served as Governor-General during the tenure of three different governments, two headed by Sirimavo Bandaranaike of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and one headed by Dudley Senanayake of the United National Party. Gopallawa has been described as a reformist.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

William Gopallawa was born on 17 September 1896 at the Dullewe Maha Walauwa, Dullewe, Aluvihare, a suburb of Matale. He was related to Dullewe Dissava, a signatory on behalf of the Sinhalese to the Kandiyan Convention of 1815, by his mother Tikiri Kumarihamy Dullewe. His father, Tikiri Bandara Gopallawa, died when he was three years old. Gopallawa received his primary education at the Dullewe village school and at St. John's College, Kandy.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

He continued his secondary education at Dharmaraja College, Kandy where he was...

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