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S.B.Dissanayake
The Peoples Man
His identity is the Incomparable personality which is congenital. He is also known as the ‘Silver Voice in Upcountry’. There is no such voice to compete with ‘Udarata Sinhaya’ (Lion of Upcountry) who has shown his ability to ‘Work Hard’. His achievements are made through ceaseless efforts. Humanity is his religion fed by the Buddhism. He speaks the ‘Voice of People’. He is none other than Hon.S.B.Dissanayake popularly known as S.B.
Born on 18th September 1951 in the hamlet of Hanguranketha of the Nuwara Eliya District, obtained his school education from the Poramadulla Madya Maha Vidyalaya, where he excelled in his education with merits and was a brilliant and popular athlete of the School. He was the champion sprinter both in school and the University. He entered the University of Sri Jayawardenepura in 1972 and obtained his degree in Public Administration with Honours. He led the Students’ Union in the Jayawardenepura University and was the First President of the Inter University Students’ Federation from 1973-75.
S.B. Dissanayake popularly known as S.B, married Thamara Abeysiridara Samarakoon, a Graduate Teacher in Aesthetic Studies and they were blessed with two children, both boys.At the age of 25, he started his career in politics. He joined the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (S.L.F.P) and took over as the President of the Nuwara Eliya District Youth Front. By 1982 he had become the Youth Students’ Organizer of the SLFP and in 1989 succeeded in entering Parliament from Nuwara Eliya District.
He was the driving force behind the formation of the broader coalition of political parties called People’s Alliance with the leadership of S.L.F.P as well as coining its name. At the 1994 election, it was S.B. who was tasked with the organizing of the whole campaign of the coalition which led to Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumarathunga being elected as Prime Minister and then President. After his own victory in the Nuwara Eliya District with a massive number of preferential votes he was appointed as the Minister of Samurdhi, Youth Affairs, Sports and Rural Development in the new Government. As the Minister responsible he has formulated a National Program to eradicate poverty by introducing the Samurdhi concept.
It is during this period that Sri Lanka won the Cricket World Cup. He introduced sports to the rural youth, helped the underprivileged youth from villages by giving them all facilities to improve their sport activities. Many rural youth won international fame during his period as the Minister responsible for Sports. Massive changes were made in the sports in Sri Lanka.