Muhandiram N. S. Fernando Wijesekera was a

Ceylonese Sri Lankan or Ceylonese may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Sri Lanka * A person from Sri Lanka, see Demographics of Sri Lanka ** Sinhalese people, the ethnic majority ** Sri Lankan Tamils, an ethnic minority ** Sri L ...

entrepreneur and philanthropist. Fernando developed a successful import export business and expanded into graphite mining and plantations. A devoted Buddhist, he was a notable member of the

Theosophical Society The Theosophical Society, founded in 1875, is a worldwide body with the aim to advance the ideas of Theosophy in continuation of previous Theosophists, especially the Greek and Alexandrian Neo-Platonic philosophers dating back to 3rd century CE ...

assisting Colonel

Henry Steel Olcott Colonel Henry Steel Olcott (2 August 1832 – 17 February 1907) was an American military officer, journalist, lawyer, Freemason and the co-founder and first president of the Theosophical Society. Olcott was the first well-known American of Euro ...

establish Buddhist schools around the island and served on the Colombo Committee that created the

Buddhist flag The Buddhist flag is a flag designed in the late 19th century as a universal symbol of Buddhism. It is used by Buddhists throughout the world. History The flag was originally designed in 1885 by the Colombo Committee, in Colombo, Ceylon (''no ...

. He contributed in the development on many Buddhist temples throughout the island and was the primary sponsor of the Victoria Memorial Eye Ward of the Colombo General Hospital, which became the National Eye Hospital. He was given the titular title of

Muhandiram Muhandiram ( si, මුහන්දිරම්, ta, முகாந்திரம்) was a post in the native headmen system in the lower-country (coastal districts) of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) during the colonial era. It was awarded as a title o ...

for social service by the

Governor of Ceylon {{Use dmy dates, date=November 2019 The Governor of Ceylon can refer to historical vice-regal representatives of three colonialism, colonial powers: Portuguese Ceylon * List of Captains of Portuguese Ceylon (1518–1551) * List of Captain-majors of ...

. Fernando married Caroline Pedris, the sister of the wealthy businessmen D. D. Pedris. He was the uncle of

Henry Pedris Duenuge Edward Henry Pedris ( si, හෙන්රි පේද්රිස්; 16 August 1888 – 7 July 1915) was a Ceylonese militia officer and a prominent socialite. Pedris was executed for treason by the 17th Punjab Regiment of the Britis ...

. His mansion on Kynsey Road, Borella was used as the regimental centre of the Sri Lanka Army Women's Corps before it was demolished to construct a new regimental centre.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fernando, N. S. Sri Lankan philanthropists Sinhalese businesspeople Sri Lankan educational theorists Sri Lankan Buddhists Alumni of Royal College, Colombo Muhandiram of Ceylon