Special cover was issued on 22nd February 2024 to commemorate 100th birth anniversary of U.W. Sumathipala.
Buy online: https://stamps.slpost.gov.lk/product/6093
U.W. Sumathipala; The Indelible Mark of the Business World Humanitarian U.W. Sumathipala was born on 24 February 1924. Starting as a young entrepreneur with a humble start, he eventually rose to the level of an immensely successful business in Colombo, expanding and establishing it as Sumathi Holdings, thanks to his skill in business and great courage.
The marriage between U.W. Sumathipala and young Milina took place in 1956. Together they performed many national and religious services in Sri Lanka. In 2001, Milina Sumathipala became the first and only female – president of the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress, which was a result of the great national and religious services she performed.
U. W. Sumathipala, who was interested in business affairs as well as art and politics, founded the Sumathi Film Company because of his great love and interest in cinematography. Sumathi Films produced the film ‘Unnath Dahai Malath Dahai’ directed by Lenin Moraes as its maiden production. The second movie produced by Sumathi Films was the award-winning acclaimed Sinhala film, ‘Ahasin Polowata’, which is the 397th Sinhala film. The film was a unique creation that won many national as well as international awards. In 1978 the film Ahasin Polowata won the Agnet Award as the Best Film in the Third -World held in Cairo. The film also won 6 Presidential Awards and 5 OCIC Awards in Sri Lanka. Films such as Ganga Addara, Duwata Mawaka Misa, Uthpalawanna, and Pattini, were popular award-winning Sinhala films produced by
Sumathi films. It is Sumathi Films that has won the most number of awards among the film companies in Sri Lanka.
It is an indisputable fact that U.W. Sumathipalayan has contributed greatly to the development of the sports sector in Sri Lanka. He was a great billiards fan as well as he had acquired a good skill in the game. He was also the sponsor of M.J.M.Lafeer, who won the World Billiards Championship in 1973 and brought
fame to our country.
He was an active member as well as a supporter of the Ceylon Samasamaja Party and was closely associated with the left-wing political leaders. He believed in socialism and was closely associated with the common man. Apart from his mother tongue Sinhala, U.W. Sumathipala could speak Tamil, English, and Hindi; thus he socialized with various communities in the Sri Lankan society. He was a full-fledged citizen and a great human being to his family as well as to the society.
U.W. Sumathipala who greatly contributed to religion, society, and the business world in Sri Lanka, bid goodbye to the world on 13 July, 1979.
