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Former ANCL director dies
Mr. Lal Chandra Gooneratne, a former Director of Associated Newspapers of Ceylon passed away yesterday. He was 83 years old. Mr. Gooneratne, joined the Associated Newspapers Ceylon Ltd (ANCL) in the early 1950s as a Director and overlooked the crucial Production and Distribution departments as well as the trade arm of ANCL until the government take over in 1973.

Mr. Gooneratne, was educated at S. Thomas, Mt. Lavinia and was an all round sportsman excelling in boxing and athletics having represented Sri Lanka at the Indian Games in the 1940s . He held a national putt shot record until the 1980s. He was also a keen horseman and a golf player and was a former President of the Hill Club, Nuwara-Eliya from 1985 to 1990.

He was the son of the late Gilbert and Mary Gooneratne of Panadura . Mr. Gooneratne married Kusuma, the youngest daughter of the late Mr. D. R. Wijewardene in 1948 while serving as an advocate.

He leaves his sons, Arjun and Amitha, Managing Director, Commercial Bank and daughters, Ayoma Wijesundere and Arushi Wadugodapitiya. He is the brother of the late Tissa Gooneratne, PC, senior member of the Panadura Bar who passed away earlier this year.

Mr. Gooneratne also served as a former Working Director at Lake House Investment (Pvt.) Ltd., Lake House Printers and Publishers (Pvt.) Ltd. And , L.H. Plantations (Pvt.) Ltd until his retirement in 2002.

His remains are lying at his residence 30/1, Bagatalle Road, Colombo 3 and would be cremated at the General Cemetery Borella today at 5 p.m.

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