Bandaranayake was born on January 8, 1899. Mudalini Solomon Dias Bandaranayake and Dassi Asilin Obeyesekere was born on December 8, 1899. The parents did not name their son Solomon, but the then Governor of Ceylon at that time, Joseph West Royce, was the son of the late Solomon Ristaye Dias Bandaranayake.

Accordingly, WA. R. DR. Bandaranayake was nicknamed “Sunny” in his childhood. Bandaranayake received primary education from a talented British national teacher who was brought home. Bandaranayake was a renowned and well-known British “Radhard” and “Mr. Emerson” among the educated teachers. After his primary education was finished, in 1907, he was admitted to St. Thomas College, Mt. Lavinia.

Bandaranayake was felicitated in English, Latin, Greek and French in 1915 at the Cambrian-Senior Exam conducted by Cambridge University in 1915. The father of Mahameli, who was very cunning about his son’s talent, went to the governor of Nuwara Eliya to receive blessings from young Sir Bandaranayake, the then Governor of Ceylon at the time.

The Governor praised the talents of young Bandaranayake and asked if he could do anything like his father. S.S. answered directly to the Governor’s question. WA. R. DR. Bandaranayake said: “I do not want to do Dad’s grandeur, I want to serve the public”.

Bandaranayake was elected Cambridge-Senior, and was admitted to the Oxford University, Britain in 1919. Bandaranayake have always received special praise for displaying his fluency in the Oxford Union.

The Bandaranayake youth who contested in 1923 for the post of General Secretary of the University Students Union, won. He was defeated by Malcolm McDonald, the famous politician, Mr. Ramsay McDonald’s son. Bandaranayake was appointed as the President of the Students’ Association of Madishas.

Anthony Eden, who was studying at Oxford University, has told Bandaranayake that he will be Prime Minister of the country at any time. Subsequently, WA. R. DR. Mr. Bandaranayake became Prime Minister, and in the same time Anthony Eden became British Prime Minister. Bandaranayake who graduated from university education and a barrister after graduating returned to Sri Lanka on February 24, 1925.