▁Philip ▁G una ward ena ▁joined ▁the ▁South ▁Col om bo ▁Youth ▁League . ▁She ▁was ▁active ▁in ▁the ▁S uri ya ▁M ala ▁movement , ▁which ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 3 ▁started ▁a ▁relief ▁program ▁for ▁the ▁mal aria ▁ep ide mic ▁that ▁rav age ▁the ▁island ▁leading ▁to ▁over ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0 ▁death s ▁in ▁two ▁months . ▁There ▁she ▁met ▁Dr ▁N . ▁M . ▁Per era , ▁who ▁had ▁recently ▁returned ▁from ▁London ▁having ▁completed ▁his ▁doctor ate . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 5 , ▁when ▁the ▁L anka ▁S ama ▁Sam aja ▁Party ▁was ▁formed , ▁she ▁was ▁a ▁found ing ▁member ▁and ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁its ▁central ▁committee ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁party ▁tre as urer . ▁She ▁married ▁N . ▁M . ▁Per era ▁on ▁ 6 ▁March ▁ 1 9 3 6 . ▁She ▁assist ed ▁in ▁hiding ▁Mark ▁Anthony ▁Bra ce g ird le ▁during ▁the ▁Bra ce g ird le ▁incident . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁with ▁fund ing ▁from ▁her ▁father , ▁she ▁en rolled ▁at ▁the ▁School ▁of ▁Oriental ▁and ▁African ▁Studies ▁to ▁study ▁S ansk rit ▁and ▁P ali , ▁and ▁graduated ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁with ▁a ▁B A ▁degree ▁in ▁Ind o - A ry an ▁L anguages ▁with ▁a ▁Lower ▁Second ▁Class ▁Hon ors . ▁There ▁she ▁came ▁into ▁contact ▁with ▁local ▁T rot sky ist ▁groups , ▁briefly ▁stay ing ▁with ▁Charlie ▁van ▁Gel