Shirley Corea

When Mahatma Gandhi, the 'Father of India' visited Ceylon in 1927, he travelled to Chilaw and was the Chief Guest at a banquet in a Corea home called 'Sigiriya.'

He practiced in Chilaw and extended his much sought legal carrier in Kuliyapitiya, Puttalam, Anuradhapura, Mannar, Vavuniya and Maho; once he was retained in a case to defend the late Mr. Eddie Jayamanne husband of the famous Sri Lankan actress, Rukmani Devi and personalities from the world of Sri Lankan cinema in a Madras Court, in India.

Corea entered mainstream politics when he contested the seat of Chilaw in the 1952 parliamentary election from the United National Party, which he won by a slim majority of 54 votes against W. J. C. Munasinha.

Chilaw Bauddha Mandiraya would not have been, if not for Mr. Corea’s afforts [sic], there were a lot of obstructions from Judges, lawyers and many others as this building is just adjacent to the District Court of Chilaw, but Mr. Corea was successful and laid the foundation by the late William Gopallawa, Governor General of Ceylon; for this act Dr. A. D. V. Premaratne; Messrs. Sirisena Weerasuriya, Sirisoma and N. M. Gnanalankara gave their utmost support to him to make this venture a success; it is also unforgetable [sic] the services he rendered to the Ananda College of Chilaw.

Mr. Corea was a very close associate of Asia Foundation representative in Sri Lanka Mr. James H. Nayes and obtained much assistance to his electorate.

As a devoted Christian, Mr. Corea served as a Diocesan Council member, of the Church of Ceylon, for a long period.