Former Minister and Leader of the New Lanka Freedom Party, Kumara Welgama, 74, passed away on Saturday (28) at a private hospital in Colombo.
Welgama represented the Kalutara District in Parliament from 1994 to 2024. Having served the SLFP for many years, Welgama switched his allegiance to the Samagi Jana Balawegaya ahead of the 2020 general election due to his opposition to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Welgama entered politics in 1982 after having received appointment as the SLFP organiser for the Agalawatta electorate from the then SLFP leader Sirimavo Bandaranaike. At the time he entered politics he was a planter and businessman.
Kumara Welgama received the appointment as Deputy Transport Minister in 2000, Deputy Minister of Power in 2001, Industries and Armed Forces Welfare Minister in 2005 and as Transport Minister in 2010, during the SLFP-led governments.
A son of well-known businessman S.A. Welgama and Beatrice Welgama, Kumara Welgama, an old boy of S. Thomas College, Mount Lavinia, represented the Kalutara District, undefeated for 30 years. During his 42-year-old political career, Kumara Welgama served the SLFP (1989), Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (1994), Eksath Janatha Nidahas Sandhanaya (2005) and the SJB in 2020.
His siblings are Mahinda Welgama, Nimal Welgama, the late Melvin Welgama, Nalin Welgama Sriyani, Kanthi, Ramani and Pradeepika. Kumara Welgama was married to Theja Welgama and had four children. They are, Senal, Sujan, Tarini and Yuwani Welgama.
During the Aragalaya in 2022, he was severely wounded in a mob attack. Although he recovered from the injuries, the late parliamentarian didn’t activity engage in politics.
His remains were taken to his residence at Deniston Estate, Horawala, Matugama, yesterday (Sept. 29) and the funeral will be held today (Sept. 30) at the Matugama Cemetery Crematorium, at 4 pm.
