Шрі-Ланка азаматы – инженер У.Н. Гунасекера

Sri Lankan civil engineer

U. N. Gunasekera (1922–2008), was a Sri Lankan civil engineer. He is a notable Sri Lankan civil engineer. He revolutionized engineering in Sri Lanka through his construction of high rise buildings, including Sri Lanka's first five star hotel (the Ceylon Inter Continental) and its largest five star hotel (the Cinnamon Grand), among various other projects.

He studied at the Royal College, Colombo. Having completed the University of Cambridge Higher Diploma, he graduated from the University of London with a degree in Engineering and qualifying as a Chartered Engineer.

Gunasekera was elected Fellow and President of the Institute of Engineers, Sri Lanka for five consecutive years, later serving as the chairman of its board of trustees. In 2006, he was awarded membership of the Institution of Structural Engineers and life membership of the National Construction Association (whose presidency he declined), in recognition of his professional excellence. He also received an award for 50 years of construction activity from the World Institute of Engineers. He was also the president of Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club, vice president of the Sinhalese Sports Club and vice president of the Royal College Union.

He is the grandson of Gate Mudaliyar Abraham Mendis Gunasekera Wijaya Sri Wardana, a literary figure and the founder of the Sinhala English Dictionary, and the great grandson of Mudaliyar Bastian Mendis Gunasekera. Gunasekera married Sita de Silva, daughter of Sir Ernest de Silva and Lady Evadne De Silva. They had three children, Srimani who became a doctor, son Dhammika, who became an engineer and younger daughter, Sushila, was a prominent tennis player in the early 1970s before attending university to study architecture. Gunasekera was a strong Buddhist and was one of the largest contributors to charities in Sri Lanka. He constructed the Sambodhi Vihara in Colombo.