Razik Fareed
diplomat · politician · lawyer · justice of the peace
- December 29, 1893
- August 23, 1984
- 90 years
About Razik Fareed
Razik Fareed, 90, Sri Lankan landed proprietor, politician and philanthropist
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Full Biography
|Sir Razik Fareed, OBE, JP, UM (29 December 1893 – 23 August 1984), also known as A. R. A. Razik, was a Ceylonese (Sri Lankan) landed proprietor, politician and philanthropist. He was a former Cabinet Minister of Trade, Senator, member of parliament and the state council. He also served as Ceylon's High Commissioner to Pakistan.
Early life and education
Born Abdul Rahman Abdul Razik at the Layards Broadway, Colombo to Wapchi Marikar Abdul Rahuman and Hajara Umma, his mother died when he was three years old. His grandfather was Arasi Marikar Wappichi Marikar, a leading building contractor. His father Wapchie Marikar Abdul Rahman was appointed as the Moore member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon in 1900 and served till 1915. Razik was educated at Bernadet School, Bambalapitiya; Madrasathul Zahira, Maradana and at the Royal College, Colombo. Following his schooling he became a landed proprietor. In 1915, he joined the Moorish Section of the Colombo Town Guard as a corporal and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in 1916, having served during the 1915 Riots.
Political career
Entering politics in 1930, A. R. A. Razik was elected to the Colombo Municipal Council as a Municipal Councillor from the New Bazaar Ward. He was appointed to the State Council of Ceylon on 12 March 1936 representing the Moors (Muslims). In the State Council, he served in the Local Administration Committee, chaired by S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike from 1936 to 1942 and in 1942 he was appointed to the Education Committee, chaired by C.W.W. Kannangara.
In 1947, with Ceylon gaining self rule, A. R. A. Razik became a founding member of the United National Party. He was denied nominations from the Colombo Central electorate by the United National Party and instead contested from the Pottuvil electorate for the House of Representatives of Ceylon which replaced the State Council in the 1947 general election, where he lost to Mudaliar M. M. Ebrahim. He was then elected to the Senate of Ceylon by the House of Representatives by the United National Party. Resigning from the Senate in 1952, he contested the 1952 general elections and was elected to the House of Representatives from the Colombo Central electorate and was re-elected in the 1956 general elections. He served as Cabinet Minister of Trade in the caretaker government of Prime Minister W. Dahanayake in 1959. He lost his seat in the March 1960 general elections, but regained it in the July 1960 general elections having contested form the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. He was one of thirteen SLFP parliamentarians who crossed over to the opposition with C. P. de Silva on 3 December 1964 resulting in the defeat of the SLFP government under Prime Minister Sirima Bandaranaike. In 1965, he was appointed to the House of Representatives to represent the Moor community as one of six members appointed by the Governor General. From May 1967 to September 1967 he served as Deputy Chairman of Committees and from September 1967 to February 1968, he was the Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees of the Parliament. Retiring from parliament in 1968, he was appointed Ceylon's High Commissioner to Pakistan and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Iraq and Iran. He served till 1970.
Philanthropy
Razik is remembered for his work with T. B. Jayah to increase the education standards among the Muslim community. He established the Muslim Ladies College on his own land. He initiated the teacher training colleges in Aluthgama and Addalachchenai to train Tamil language teachers. He founded the All Ceylon Moors Association and the Moors Islamic Cultural Home and served as its president.
Honors
He was appointed a Justice of Peace and Unofficial Magistrate in 1932. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1948 New Year Honours and was knighted in the 1951 Birthday Honours. Bristol Street in Colombo was renamed as Sir Razik Fareed Mawatha and the Sir Razik Fareed Muslim Maha Vidiyalaya in Benthara has been named after him. Sri Lanka commomrated him with a postage stamp on 22 May 1988.
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Razik_Fareed
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- October 28, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 15 questions
Questions drawn from Razik Fareed's archived record and the sources above.
1.Which political party did Sir Razik Fareed represent when he regained his seat in the July 1960 general elections?
- A.Moorish League
- B.United National Party
- C.Sri Lanka Freedom Partycorrect
- D.Ceylon National Congress
Sir Razik Fareed regained his seat in the July 1960 general elections after contesting for the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.
Source: political career
2.What position did Sir Razik Fareed hold from September 1967 to February 1968?
- A.Deputy Chairman of Committees
- B.Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committeescorrect
- C.High Commissioner to Pakistan
- D.Cabinet Minister of Trade
Sir Razik Fareed served as the Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees of the Parliament from September 1967 to February 1968.
Source: political career
3.What educational institution did Sir Razik Fareed establish on his own land?
- A.All Ceylon Moors Association
- B.Madrasathul Zahira
- C.Royal College
- D.Muslim Ladies Collegecorrect
Sir Razik Fareed established the Muslim Ladies College on his own land.
Source: philanthropy
4.Where did Sir Razik Fareed initiate a teacher training college for Tamil language teachers?
- A.Bambalapitiya
- B.New Bazaar
- C.Aluthgamacorrect
- D.Colombo
Sir Razik Fareed initiated teacher training colleges in Aluthgama and Addalachchenai to train Tamil language teachers.
Source: philanthropy
5.In what year was Sir Razik Fareed appointed as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire?
- A.1951
- B.1948correct
- C.1932
- D.1968
Sir Razik Fareed was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1948 New Year Honours.
Source: honors
6.In what year was Sir Razik Fareed knighted?
- A.1932
- B.1951correct
- C.1948
- D.1988
Sir Razik Fareed was knighted in the 1951 Birthday Honours.
Source: honors
7.What was the date of death of Sir Razik Fareed?
- A.29 December 1893
- B.23 August 1984correct
- C.12 March 1936
- D.3 December 1964
Sir Razik Fareed passed away on 23 August 1984.
Source: biographical summary
8.What was the date of birth of Sir Razik Fareed?
- A.29 December 1984
- B.23 August 1893
- C.29 December 1893correct
- D.23 August 1984
Sir Razik Fareed was born on 29 December 1893.
Source: biographical summary
9.Who was the grandfather of Sir Razik Fareed?
- A.S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike
- B.Arasi Marikar Wappichi Marikarcorrect
- C.Wapchi Marikar Abdul Rahuman
- D.C.W.W. Kannangara
The grandfather of Sir Razik Fareed was Arasi Marikar Wappichi Marikar, a leading building contractor.
Source: early life and education
10.In which educational institution did Sir Razik Fareed not study?
- A.Royal College
- B.Madrasathul Zahira
- C.Bernadet School
- D.Colombo Town Guard Schoolcorrect
Sir Razik Fareed was educated at Bernadet School, Madrasathul Zahira, and Royal College, Colombo.
Source: early life and education
11.What military rank did Sir Razik Fareed hold in 1916?
- A.Lieutenantcorrect
- B.Corporal
- C.Captain
- D.Major
Sir Razik Fareed was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in 1916 while serving in the Moorish Section of the Colombo Town Guard.
Source: early life and education
12.What was the first political body to which Sir Razik Fareed was elected in 1930?
- A.House of Representatives
- B.Colombo Municipal Councilcorrect
- C.Senate of Ceylon
- D.State Council of Ceylon
Sir Razik Fareed was elected to the Colombo Municipal Council as a Municipal Councillor from the New Bazaar Ward in 1930.
Source: political career
13.Which committee did Sir Razik Fareed serve on starting in 1942 in the State Council?
- A.Local Administration Committee
- B.Trade Committee
- C.Education Committeecorrect
- D.Defense Committee
In 1942, Sir Razik Fareed was appointed to the Education Committee, which was chaired by C.W.W. Kannangara.
Source: political career
14.Against whom did Sir Razik Fareed lose during the 1947 general election?
- A.C. P. de Silva
- B.S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike
- C.W. Dahanayake
- D.Mudaliar M. M. Ebrahimcorrect
Sir Razik Fareed contested the Pottuvil electorate in the 1947 general election where he lost to Mudaliar M. M. Ebrahim.
Source: political career
15.In which year did Sir Razik Fareed serve as the Cabinet Minister of Trade?
- A.1956
- B.1959correct
- C.1947
- D.1952
Sir Razik Fareed served as Cabinet Minister of Trade in the caretaker government of Prime Minister W. Dahanayake in 1959.
Source: political career
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