. ▁Joseph ' s ▁College , ▁Col om bo . ▁A ▁keen ▁sports man , ▁he ▁capt ained ▁the ▁school ' s ▁cr icket ▁team ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 0 ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁East ▁C ey lon ▁champion ▁in ▁tennis . ▁After ▁school ▁De van ay ag am ▁joined ▁C ey lon ▁Law ▁College , ▁qual ifying ▁as ▁a ▁pro ctor . ▁ ▁Career ▁De van ay ag am ▁pract ised ▁law ▁in ▁K alk ud ah , ▁Batt ical oa ▁District ▁for ▁many ▁years . ▁ ▁De van ay ag am ▁stood ▁as ▁an ▁independent ▁candidate ▁for ▁K alk ud ah ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁parliament ary ▁election ▁but ▁was ▁defeated ▁by ▁V . ▁N all iah . ▁He ▁cont ested ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁parliament ary ▁election ▁as ▁a ▁United ▁National ▁Party ▁candidate . ▁He ▁won ▁the ▁election ▁and ▁entered ▁Parliament . ▁He ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁parliament ary ▁elections . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁Minister ▁of ▁Justice ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁He ▁became ▁Minister ▁of ▁Home ▁Affairs ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁ ▁De van ay ag am ▁died ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 2 . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : 1 9 1 0 ▁birth s ▁Category : 2 0 0 2 ▁death s ▁Category : Al umn i ▁of ▁C ey lon ▁Law ▁College ▁Category : Al umn