Harischandra Wijayatunga

Harischandra Wijayatunga
Wijayatunga at his home library
Born (1931-10-25) 25 October 1931 (age 93)
Minuwangoda, Sri Lanka
Other namesWijayatunga Mudalige Harischandra Wijayatunga
EducationNalanda College, Colombo
University of Ceylon
University of Kelaniya
Occupation(s)Writer (Sinhala), author in Sri Lanka, lawyer, politician
SpouseKalukapuge Karuna Perera
ChildrenWidyasagara
Chakrapani
Chandrakeerthi
Shyama Kumari

Wijayatunga Mudalige Harischandra Wijayatunga (Sinhala: විජයතුංග මුදලිගේ හරිශ්චන්ද්‍ර විජයතුංග; born 25 October 1931) is a Sri Lankan author, translator, lexicographer, teacher, lawyer and politician. He held various offices in different institutions of the Government of Sri Lanka. At present he is the leader of Sinhalaye Mahasammatha Bhoomiputra Party. During the presidential elections of 1994 and 1999, he was the candidate of that party for this high office.

He is the compiler of the Practical Sinhala Dictionary (1982) and Gunasena Great Sinhala Dictionary, which are considered as the most comprehensive Sinhala-Sinhala dictionaries to date. Besides compiling these voluminous works of over 2000 pages, he also proposed scientific ideas to standardise Sinhala script.

His political philosophy is Mahasammatavada ('Great Consensus' or comprehensive consultation): consulting all people which he described "as going beyond democracy".