Dr. Vikramabahu Karunaratne, a prominent revolutionary political figure in Sri Lanka, passed away today (25th). He had been briefly ill before his passing. Dr. Karunaratne was 81 years old at the time of his death. He became politically active early in life, joining the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) in 1962 while still an undergraduate at the University of Ceylon.
He received his primary education at Ananda Shasthralaya, Mathugama, and continued his secondary education at Ananda College, Colombo. Dr. Karunaratne then attended the University of Ceylon, where he graduated with first-class honors in electrical engineering. He later received a Commonwealth scholarship to study at the University of Cambridge, earning his doctorate in 1970. After returning to Ceylon, he embarked on an academic career.
In 1978, Dr. Karunaratne was arrested in Kandy for attempting to display protest slogans against the President’s visit to the city. He was released without charge after several months of detention. The University of Peradeniya, which had suspended him following his arrest, reinstated him after a prolonged inquiry. Despite being reinstated by a Cabinet decision in 2001, he was not allowed to resume his position at the university. The Human Rights Commission intervened, leading to the current government compensating him with back pay and restoring his status.
