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Hon. Sirisena, Doolwala Galapitage Hemachandra, M.P.

The founder, Late DOOLWALA GALAPITAGE HEMACHANDRA SIRISENA, began producing fireworks in 1927 in the Central Hills of the country then known as Ceylon. He met with resounding success and, by 1935, founded THE KANDYAN FIREWORKS COMPANY under the renowned brand of ALIDON FIREWORKS in Halloluwa, Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Late Mr. HEMACHANDRA SIRISENA was subsequently elected by the people to lead and represent them on the national stage by becoming a Member of Parliament for Akurana (Presently known as Harispattuwa) in the District of Kandy in 1962 and served the people for the next 17 years.

He rose in the ranks to become a Junior Minister and gained the opportunity to tour Germany, Soviet Russia, Switzerland, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, the Peoples Republic of China, Korea & India.

On his travels, he took every opportunity to learn from the traditions and expertise of those nations famed for the manufacture of fireworks, particularly China. This accumulated store of knowledge led to the enhancing the "ALIDON" brand to be leading brand of fireworks and crackers in Sri Lanka.

Elected to ' Gam Sabha ' in 1957. Afterwards nominated MEP ( Mahajana Eksath Peramuna) candidate to contest for Harispattuwa seat in March 1960,  though defeated, was courageous to be nominated as the SLFP candidate for the same seat, congested at General Election in July 1960 and won the seat of Harispattuwa to represent the Parliament. Had the privilege of winning all the elections held since then, and even becoming the Deputy Labour Minister during the period 1970 to 1977. He retired undefeated from politics in 1977.

Highlights in international forums : Toured in official forum held in India, China, Sorviet Russia, Singapore, Finland, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

Represented Sri Lanka at the World Youth Summit held Moscow Russia in 1957, World Youth Summit held in Finland in 1961 and International Labour Organization summit held in Geneva Switzerland in 1976.

Hemachandra Sirisena was a well known entrepreneur in the island having founded Kandyan Fireworks Company for Alidon  Brand Crackers and Fireworks and  Kandy Beedi Company for Visaka Beedi.