William Gopallawa (Sinhala: විලියම් ගොපල්ලව Tamil: வில்லியம் கோபள்ளவா) MBE (17 September 1897 – 31 January 1981) was the last Governor-General of Ceylon from 1962 to 1972 and became the first (non-executive) President of Sri Lanka when Ceylon declared itself a republic in 1972 and changed its name to Sri Lanka. Until 1972 Ceylon was a Commonwealth realm with Queen Elizabeth II as the head of state and Queen of Ceylon.
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active years end date
1972-05-22, 1978-02-04
active years start date
1962-03-02, 1972-05-22, 1976-08-16
alma mater
St. Anthony's College Kandy
birth date
1897-09-17
birth place
Sri Lanka, Matale, British Ceylon
death date
1981-01-31
death place
Sri Lanka, Colombo
monarch
Elizabeth II
order in office
1st, Secretary General of Non-Aligned Movement, President of Sri Lanka, Governor-General of Ceylon
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