Sri Lanka Since 1948 – The Journey of a Nation – By Bhanuka – eLanka On February 4th, 1948, the island nation of Ceylon officially gained independence from British colonial rule, marking the beginning of a new chapter in its long and complex history. No longer governed by imperial powers, the people of Ceylon stood at the threshold of self-determination. The journey since then—filled with progress, setbacks, innovation, and conflict—has shaped the modern identity of the country now known as Sri Lanka. At the dawn of independence, Ceylon inherited a parliamentary system from the British and chose to remain within the Commonwealth of Nations. The first Prime Minister, D. S. Senanayake, guided the newly sovereign state with a vision of gradual development, unity, and modernization. Under his leadership, agriculture was prioritized, infrastructure was expanded, and the groundwork was laid for a national identity. However, ethnic and language divisions, long present ...
