Panini Ilangakoon


Christophel Panini Illangakoon was a Sri Lankan politician. He was a member of parliament from Weligama in Matara and a first cousin of S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, former Prime Minister of Ceylon.

Early life and education

Ilangakoon was born on 26 November 1919 at Weligama to Gate Mudaliyar Simon William Ilangakoon and Liliyan Augusta Obeysekera, daughter of Sir Solomon Christoffel Obeyesekere, a member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon.
He received his primary and secondary education at S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia and completed his studies in agriculture in Bangalore and in the United Kingdom.

Political career

Ilangakoon entered politics in 1947 being elected member of the Weligama Urban Council. He became a member of the newly formed Sri Lanka Freedom Party in 1952 and contested the Weligama seat unsuccessfully, losing to Montague Jayawickrama. In 1956, he elected in the general election defeating Jayawickrama.. He was defeated by Jayawickrama in 1960, but was able to defeat Jayawickrama and was elected in 1970, to be defeated again in 1977 by Jayawickrama.

Family

Ilangakoon was married twice, firstly to Effie née Samarakkody with whom he had a son, Panini ; then to Lilly née Goonasekere with whom he had Gamini.
His first wife Effie remarried Robert Edward Jayatilaka and was later elected as the Chairman of the Nawalapitiya Urban Council. She was the first woman in the country to head an Urban Council
Ilangakoon died on 10 February 1989, aged 69