Sri Lanka was a country which was ruled by different European nations from 1505. British
administration was the final European nation which ruled Sri Lanka before its independence. In 1948, ending the colonial era which lasted over 400 years, there was a switch of powers. Though there were battles in the initial stages of getting freedom from the Europeans finally there was a peaceful transfer of power from the British administration to Ceylon representatives. There were number of people who involved directly as indirectly with this independence movement. Veera Puran Appu, Kepppatipola Adikaram, Gongalegoda Banda, Kudhapola Hamuduruwo, S. Mahinda Thero were the pioneers of this movement at the initial phases. They kindled the flame of the battle to free mother Sri Lanka from the British empire. This battle was continued with the support of patriots like Anagarika Dharmapala, Walisingha Harshichandra, Sir D.B.Jayathilaka , F.R.Senanayake, D.R. Wijewardena , D.S. Senanyake etc. This movement of freedom was not only supported by the Sinhalese nationality but flag wavers of other nationality such as Ponnambalam Arunachalam, Ponnambalam Ramanadhan,Siddhi Lebbe also gave an immense backing to this.

With all these contribution mother Sri Lanka was freed from British Empire on 1948 February 04th. In the initial phase it was a semi – independent ‘dominion status’and on 22 May, 1972 Sri Lanka became full republic. This independent status of the country helped to save its cultural heritage and natural resources for its future children.They were the pillars of independent Sri Lanka and hence it is the utmost duty of all the Sri Lankans to pay their gratitude for the national heroes who dedicated their lives to make ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean’ a free country.