Kalutara Koralalage Edward Winifred Brito Adikaram (5 March 1905 – 28 December 1985) was an educationalist, writer, social activist and a philosopher in
Sri Lanka. In 1931 he obtained an M.A degree from London School of Oriental Studies and in 1933 a PhD on the thesis "Early History of Buddhism in Ceylon".
After returning to Sri Lanka he started to teach in
Ananda Sastralaya, Kotte
Ananda Sastralaya (Sinhalese language, sinhala: ආනන්ද ශාස්ත්රාලය) is a public boys school located in Kotte, Sri Lanka. It was founded in 1890 as Kotte Buddhist English Mixed School. In 1952 a part of the school land ...
and in 1934, he became the principal of the school. He was a prominent nonviolence activist in Sri Lanka.
Early life
Adikaram was born on 5 March 1905. Educated at
Wesley College, Colombo
Wesley College, Colombo, popularly known as "Wesley" or "The Double Blues" is a school providing primary and secondary education in Sri Lanka since 1874. Wesley College is a Methodist educational institution.
History
In 1858, Rev. Joseph Ri ...
and succeeded to
Colombo University College to study Chemistry. Due to financial problems, he was unable to receive sufficient science education, then he started to follow BA (Bachelor of Arts) Degree after he completed his degree he join to Ananda Shasthralaya Kotte as a teacher . Adikaram won a Scholarship to London University to pursue MA (Master of Arts) and Phd, then he sailed to England. During the days at England he was with some other Ceylonese youths who became leading politicians like Dr.N.M.Perera and Dr. Colvin R. De Silva. He wrote several
Sinhala-language science related books, magazines and newspaper entries.
Institutions founded
*Schools:
Anula Vidyalaya
Anula Vidyalaya, is a national girls' school in Colombo
Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by po ...
, Ananda Balika Maha Vidyalaya Kotte 1971; Nugegoda;
Ananda Sastralaya, Matugama
Ananda Sastralaya National School, Matugama is a school in Sri Lanka.
History
The school was established on 22 February 1942 by Dayasena Pasqual, the founder of Matugama Ananda Sastralaya. He later became a parliamentarian and also a depu ...
; Vidyakara Vidyalaya, Maharagama; Nigrodha Vidyalaya, Gangodawila and branches of Ananda Sastralaya at Ruwanwella and Malabe, now known as Madhya Maha Vidyalayas. All of these are state-run schools at present.
*Krishnamurti Centre, Sri Lanka, belongs to the network of study centres in various parts of the world, run by people who are interested in the teachings of
Jiddu Krishnamurti.
*Taruna Sitivili Samajaya or Young Thinkers Forum, for the discussion of contemporary social, religious, ethical and ecological issues. At one time it had over 8000 members, mostly youths, drawn from all parts of Sri Lanka. Defunct since Dr. Adikaram's death.
*Sri Lanka Vegetarian Society, Colombo and Matara. The Colombo society was defunct between 1987 and 1997. It was revived and re-vamped in June 1997.
Principle Publications
*Early History of Buddhism in Ceylon, 1946
*Catalogue of Pali and Sinhalese Manuscripts at the Theosophical Society Library, Adyar
*The Pali Reader
*The Dhammapada, an English Translation
*Asoka Lipi (Sinhala translation of the Inscriptions of Asoka)
*Paramanuva (A Sinhala work on The Atom)
*Sitivili
*Dr Adikaram also edited a Sinhala magazine on science named navina vidyava, wrote a series of school texts on General Science and numerous newspaper articles on a variety of subjects such as social criticism, physical and environmental sciences etc.
References
External links
Sri Lankan Gandhi
{{DEFAULTSORT:Adikaram, E. W.
1905 births
1985 deaths
Sri Lankan educational theorists
Sinhalese writers
Sinhalese activists
Sinhala-language writers
Sri Lankan Buddhists