High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Sir Ernest de Silva (26 November 1887 – 9 May 1957) was a Sri Lankan business magnate, banker, barrister and public figure, considered to be the most prominent Sri Lankan philanthropist of the 20th century. A wealthy and influential polymath, he was the founder-chairman of the largest bank in Sri Lanka, the Bank of Ceylon, governor of the State Mortgage Bank and chairman of the Ceylon All-Party committee. He made many contributions to Sri Lankan society and is also considered to be the preeminent philatelist in the history of Sri Lanka. Upon Sri Lanka`s independence, he was asked to become the first Ceylonese Governor General (representative of the King in Ceylon, i.e. de-facto head of state), an honour he declined for personal reasons. De Silva was at the pinnacle of upper-class society and, as the wealthiest Sri Lankan of his generation, he defined the island`s ruling class. His memorials describe him as highly respected for his integrity and honesty.