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Siva Obeysekere passes away
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Siva Obeysekere passes away
Veteran politician and patron of handicrafts and the handloom industry in the country Desham-anaya Siva Obeysekere passed away last week. She was 88. Mrs.Obeysekere was a founder member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) in 1951. In 1964 she established the flagship handicraft outlet Laksala.
She served as MP for Mirigama from 1965-1977 and as Health Minister from 1970-77.
She was awarded the “Kamala Samaan” by India in 2003, India’s highest award for contributions to handicrafts and the handloom industry.
Ms. Obeysekere was conferred the title of Deshamanaya in 1991. Her funeral was held last Sunday according to her wishes.