A. T. Ariyaratne
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| Ahangamage Tudor Ariyaratne | |
|---|---|
 Dr.A.T. Ariyaratne | |
| Born | 5 November 1931 Unawatuna, Galle District |
| Nationality | Sri Lankan |
| Alma mater | Mahinda College, Galle Vidyodaya University |
| Known for | Founder of the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement |
| Religion | Buddhism |
it] Biography
A.T. Ariyaratne was born on November 5, 1931 in Unawatuna village in Galle DistrictSri Lanka. He had his school education at Mahinda College, Galle. Then he attended a teachers college, after which he was a high school teacher until 1972 at Nalanda College Colombo. Ariyaratne started his work on Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement in 1958. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Vidyodaya University of Sri Lanka and later received an honorary doctorate of D.Litt.Emilio Aguinaldo College in the Philippines. Ariyaratne is a devout Buddhist of from the same university. He also received an honorary doctorate of humanities from and continues to be active in Sri Lankan politics and community development.He received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership in 1969, the Gandhi Peace Prize from the government of India in 1996, the Niwano Peace PrizeKing Beaudoin Award and other international honors for his work in peace making and village development. In 2006, he received the Acharya Sushil Kumar International Peace Award for the year 2005. Other recipients of this award include John Polanyi and then in 2004, his Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama. In 2007 Ariyaratne received the Sri Lankabhimanya, the highest National Honour of Sri Lanka.[1] in 1992, the
Ariyaratne, a strong believer in Gandhian principles of non-violence, rural development and self-sacrifice, has shaped the Sarvodaya Movement in ways that forged a significant link between secular principles of development and Buddhist ideals of selflessness and compassion. As a devout Buddhist, he has led tens of thousands of “family gatherings” and meditations with millions of people throughout Sri Lanka and other parts of the world.
