Osmund Jayaratne
Encyclopedia
Vidya Jyothi
Osmund Jayaratne (died September 2006) was Sri Lanka
n academic and politician. He was the President of the Colombo Campus, University of Sri Lanka
(now the University of Colombo
), Emeritus Professor of Physics.. As a left wing politician he was a member of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party
playing major role in the Hartal 1953
.
Educated at the prestigious Royal College Colombo
where he won the Turnour Prize
and came second in the island in both the Cambridge Senior Certificate Examination and the London Matriculation Examination. He entered the University of Ceylon
in 1942 and graduated with a BSc
special in Physics. After spending time in active politics including a snit as a member of the Colombo Municipal Council
, he joined the faculty of University of Ceylon at the Peradeniya Campus. Thereafter he did his PhD
in Atmospheric Electricity and Cloud Physics at the Imperial College of the University of London
. He is theses supervisor was Prof. Basil John Mason
who later became the Director General of Meteorological Office.
Heading the committee to reform higher education in the 1970s, he was instrumental in the formation of the University of Sri Lanka
centralizing the administration by bring under it the semi independent campuses that existed under the University of Ceylon
.
He was awarded the title Vidya Jyothi
from the Government of Sri Lanka and the University of Sri Jayewardenepura
awarded a Doctor of Science
, honoris causa to him in 1991. He was also the President of the Federation of University Teachers Association.
Sri Lankan honours system
The Sri Lankan national honours system is a fully indigenous honours system of titles, decorations and medals which are awarded to recognize achievements of, or service by, Sri Lankans or others in connection with Sri Lanka...
Osmund Jayaratne (died September 2006) was Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n academic and politician. He was the President of the Colombo Campus, University of Sri Lanka
University of Sri Lanka
The University of Sri Lanka was the only university in Sri Lanka from 1972 until 1978. It had several constituent campuses at various locations around Sri Lanka. The University of Ceylon Act No. 1 of 1972, replaced the University of Ceylon with the University of Sri Lanka. In 1978 it was separated...
(now the University of Colombo
University of Colombo
The University of Colombo is a public research university located primarily in Colombo, Sri Lanka...
), Emeritus Professor of Physics.. As a left wing politician he was a member of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party
Lanka Sama Samaja Party
The Lanka Sama Samaja Party is a Trotskyist political party in Sri Lanka....
playing major role in the Hartal 1953
Hartal 1953
Hartal 1953 was a country-wide demonstration, commonly known as a hartal, held in Ceylon on August 12, 1953. It was organized to protest of the policies and actions of the incumbent United National Party government, and resulted in the resignation of the Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake...
.
Educated at the prestigious Royal College Colombo
Royal College Colombo
The Royal College of Colombo was founded in January 1835 in Colombo. It is considered to be the leading Public School in Sri Lanka...
where he won the Turnour Prize
Turnour Prize
The Turnour Prize is the oldest of the panel prizes at Royal College Colombo. It is one of the most prestigious prizes and honour awarded to a student of Royal College, the oldest public school in the country. Awarded annually to the best student in performance in academics. First awarded in 1846...
and came second in the island in both the Cambridge Senior Certificate Examination and the London Matriculation Examination. He entered the University of Ceylon
University of Ceylon
The University of Ceylon was the only university in Sri Lanka from 1942 until 1972. It had several constituent campuses at various locations around Sri Lanka. The University of Ceylon Act No. 1 of 1972, replaced it with the University of Sri Lanka which existed from 1973 to 1978. In 1978 it was...
in 1942 and graduated with a BSc
BSC
BSC is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to:Science and technology* Bachelor of Science , an undergraduate degree* Base Station Controller, part of a mobile phone network; see: Base Station subsystem...
special in Physics. After spending time in active politics including a snit as a member of the Colombo Municipal Council
Colombo Municipal Council
The Colombo Municipal Council is the local council for Colombo, the largest city and financial centre in Sri Lanka. The council was formed in 1865 and first met in 1866. The municipal council is the oldest and the largest local government authority in Sri Lanka and, as of 2001, covers a resident...
, he joined the faculty of University of Ceylon at the Peradeniya Campus. Thereafter he did his PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Atmospheric Electricity and Cloud Physics at the Imperial College of the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. He is theses supervisor was Prof. Basil John Mason
Basil John Mason
Sir John Mason, CB, FRCP, FRCPEd, FRFPS, FRS is an expert on cloud physics and former Director of the UK Meteorological Office.His work includes the Mason Equation, giving the growth or evaporation of small water droplets...
who later became the Director General of Meteorological Office.
Heading the committee to reform higher education in the 1970s, he was instrumental in the formation of the University of Sri Lanka
University of Sri Lanka
The University of Sri Lanka was the only university in Sri Lanka from 1972 until 1978. It had several constituent campuses at various locations around Sri Lanka. The University of Ceylon Act No. 1 of 1972, replaced the University of Ceylon with the University of Sri Lanka. In 1978 it was separated...
centralizing the administration by bring under it the semi independent campuses that existed under the University of Ceylon
University of Ceylon
The University of Ceylon was the only university in Sri Lanka from 1942 until 1972. It had several constituent campuses at various locations around Sri Lanka. The University of Ceylon Act No. 1 of 1972, replaced it with the University of Sri Lanka which existed from 1973 to 1978. In 1978 it was...
.
He was awarded the title Vidya Jyothi
Sri Lankan honours system
The Sri Lankan national honours system is a fully indigenous honours system of titles, decorations and medals which are awarded to recognize achievements of, or service by, Sri Lankans or others in connection with Sri Lanka...
from the Government of Sri Lanka and the University of Sri Jayewardenepura
University of Sri Jayewardenepura
The University of Sri Jayewardenepura is one of the Universities in Sri Lanka. It is located in Gangodawila, Nugegoda, near Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, the capital city of Sri Lanka...
awarded a Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science , usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D. or Dr.Sc., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries Doctor of Science is the name used for the standard doctorate in the sciences, elsewhere the Sc.D...
, honoris causa to him in 1991. He was also the President of the Federation of University Teachers Association.