“Kay Bee”or “Hathy”as he was popularly known in the Scout World
was born on 23rd January 1900, at Hurikaduwa, Manikhina.
His father Raja Wadiya Weda Waidiya Wasala Mudiyanselage Ran
Banda Alahakone was an Ayurvedic Physician and his mother vernacular teacher.
He received his entire education at Dharmaraja College,
Kandy. He left the school after obtaining his English School Leaving
Certificate (ESLC).
He began his scout life at 13 years of age when he joined
the 1st Kandy Dharmaraja Scout Group under Mr. J.H. De Saram. Some of his contemporaries were the Hon.
William Gopallawa, B. K. Billimoria Esq. etc.
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Attended the “Coming of Age” Jamboree,
Birkenhead, England, UK in 1929
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Deputy Camp Chief , Boy Scouts trained at
Gilwell Park, London in 1929 where he also obtained the Wood Badge
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Member of the Scout Headquarters staff
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Served in the Scouter’s Colony founded by Mr.
J.H. De Saram during 1931 to 1933
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Awarded the Medal of Merit in 1945
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Awarded the Silver Lotus in 1960
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Was Sub-Camp Chief Grenier Sub-Camp at the
Golden Jubilee Jamboree, held in Colombo from 28th February to 3rd
March 1952
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Completed 50 years of scouting in 1962
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Member of Training Team for scouters Kandy 1961
to 1963
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Awarded Silver Lion 1973
Service Particulars
After leaving the school he served as a teacher at Sri
Rahula College, Katugastota and then joined the clerical service at the
Agriculture Department in Colombo. Then he joined Government Audit department.
In 1933 he joined Prison Department as a Jailor Class II. He
was attached to Prison in Jaffna during 1942 to 1945. He became the Chief
Jailor of Bogambara Prison in 1945 and continued there until 1950. Then he served as the House Officer, H. M.
Training school for youthful offenders in Watupitiwala for two years. In 1952 became the Assistant Superintendent of Pallakele, Open
Prison Camp. Mr. Alahakone went on to become Acting Superintendent of Bogambara
Prison in 1959 and continued until his retirement on 23rd January
1960.
As Assistant Superintendent, Open Prison Camp Pallekelle he
set up the Open Prison Camp on a Scout model, using the patrol system. It was
like other scouters colony. This novel experiment was so successful that the
Japanese Government made arrangement to copy this model in Japan and the then Commissioner of Prisons. Mr. V. N. Pillai
was invited to Japan to prepare this model.
Mr. Alahakone was married to Miss Gina Swarnawathy
Girihagama, at Handessa on 14th June 1935. He has one son and a
daughter.
Source : President Scout - Mr. Jagath Alahakoon (Grand son of Mr. K. B. Alahakoon)
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