# List of Nalanda College Colombo alumni

This is a list of Old Nalandians, alumni of Nalanda College Colombo, Sri Lanka.

## Politicians
### National

| Name | Notability |
| Mahinda Rajapaksa | President of Sri Lanka (2005-2015), Prime Minister of Sri Lanka (2004-2005, 2018, 2019-2022) |
| Nimal Siripala de Silva | Member of Parliament - Badulla (1994–present), Leader of the Opposition (Sri Lanka) (2015), Leader of the House (2005-2015), Cabinet Minister of Justice, Human Rights and Legal Reforms (2015-2020), Cabinet Minister of Labour (2020-current) |
| Sarath Weerasekara | Member of Parliament - Colombo (2020-current), Member of Parliament - Ampara (2010-2015), State Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government (2020-current) |
| Sisira Jayakody | Member of Parliament - Gampaha (2015–present), State Minister of Indigenous Medicine, Rural and Ayurveda Hospital Development and Community Health (2020-current) |
| Rajitha Senaratne | Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine (2015–2020) Member of Parliament - Kalutara (1994–present) |
| Anura Priyadharshana Yapa | Member of Parliament - Kurunegala (1994–present), State Minister for Trade and Consumer Affairs (2015-2020) |
| Chandima Weerakkody | Deputy speaker and chairman of committees of the Parliament of Sri Lanka (2010-2015), Member of Parliament - Galle (2009–present) |
| Sujith Sanjaya Perera | Member of Parliament - Kegalle (2015–present) |
| Gamini Jayawickrama Perera | Member of Parliament - Kurunegala (2015–2020), Cabinet Minister of Sustainable Development and Wildlife and Minister of Buddha Sasana (2015-2020), Chief Minister of North Western Province, Sri Lanka (1987-1993) |
| Thilanga Sumathipala | Deputy speaker and chairman of committees of the Parliament of Sri Lanka (2010-2015) Member of Parliament - Colombo (2010 to 2015) National List (2015-2020), Vice-chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom party, State Minister for Technology and Innovation (2015-2020) |
| I. M. R. A. Iriyagolla | Minister of Education (1965-1970) |
| M. D. Banda | Minister of Food, Commerce and Trade (1965-1970), Member of Parliament - Maturata (1947-1960), |
| Dharmasena Attygalle | Minister of Indigenous Medicine (1980-1982), Member of Parliament - Kesbewa (1972-1982); High Commissioner to Pakistan |
| M. A. Adikari | Member of Parliament - Wariyapola (1956-1964) |
| Lal Dharmapriya Gamage | Member of Parliament - Anuradhapura (1989-1994) |
| Weerasinghe de Silva | Member of Parliament - Balapitiya (1970-1977) Member of Parliament - Galle District (1994–2000) |
| Indradasa Hettiarachchi | Member of Parliament - Horana (1977-1989) |
| Kamal Karunanayake | Member of Parliament - National List (1989-1994) |
| Chandra Gunasekera | Member of Parliament - Kottawa (1970-1977) |
| C. A. Dharmapala | Member of Parliament - Hakmana (1952-1960) |
| Tissa Karalliyadde | Member of Parliament - Anuradhapura (1994–present) |
| Asoka Karunaratne | Member of Parliament - Rambukkana (1960-1970, 1977–1989) |
| Rupa Karunathilake | Member of Parliament - Bentara-Elpitiya (1977-1989); Minister of Plantations; Ambassador to Netherlands |
| Nirmala Kotalawala | Member of Parliament - Kalutara (2004–2020) |
| H. R. Piyasiri | Member of Parliament - Matara (1989-1994); Ambassador to Myanmar |
| Sarath Ranawaka | Member of Parliament - Kalutara (1989-2009) |
| Maithripala Senanayake | Member of Parliament - Medawachchiya (1947-1989); Leader of the House (1970-1977); Governor of North Central Province (1994-1998) |
| Wilfred Senanayake | Member of Parliament - Homagama (1970-1977) |
| C. V. Velupillai | Member of Parliament - Talawakelle (1947-1953) |
| Dingiri Bandara Welagedara | Member of Parliament - Kurunegala (1952-1956, 1965–1970, 1977–1988), Governor of North Central Province (1988-1989) |
| Athula Wijesinghe | Chief Minister North Western Province (2002-2013) |
| H. R. Wimalasiri | Member of Parliament - Matara (1994-2000) |

### Provincial

| Name | Notability | Reference |
| Prasanna Shamal Senarath | Provincial Councilor and Opposition Leader of North Western Province, Sri Lanka Council | |
| Udena Wijerathna | Provincial Councilor, Western Province | |

## Religion

| Name | Notability |
| Piyadassi Thera | Former Chief Incumbent of the Vajiraramaya Temple, Bambalapitiya, Former Sinhala Editor at the Buddhist Publication Society |
| Aluthwewa Soratha Thera | Chancellor of Uva Wellassa University |
| Ananda Weerasekara | Resident of Buddhangala Forest Hermitage |

## Academia

| Name | Notability |
| Jayantha Lal Ratnasekera | Vice Chancellor of the Uva Wellassa University, Professor of Chemistry |
| Ranjith Premalal De Silva | Vice Chancellor University of Vocational Technology, former Vice Chancellor - Uva Wellassa University |
| Milinda Peiris | Vice Chancellor / Commandant - General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University |
| Rahula Anura Attalage | Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Deputy Vice Chancellor - University of Moratuwa |
| Mohan De Silva | Professor of Surgery, Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences - University of Sri Jayewardenepura |
| K. N. O. Dharmadasa | former Professor of Linguistics, Dean of Faculty of Arts - University of Peradeniya |
| Chandra Embuldeniya | former Vice Chancellor (Founder), Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka |
| H. D. Gunawardhana | former Professor of Chemistry, Acting Vice Chancellor and Head of Chemistry Department - University of Colombo |
| Abhaya Induruwa | Founder, Department of Computer Science & Engineering , University of Moratuwa, Inaugural Endowed Professor of Computing - University of Colombo School of Computing; Internet Hall of Fame Inductee - 2014 |
| S. D. Jayaratne | Professor of Medicine - University of Sri Jayewardenepura |
| Kamal Karunanayake | former Professor and Dean of Economics Department - Kelaniya University |
| Nandadasa Kodagoda | former Professor of Medicine, Vice Chancellor and Dean of Medical Faculty - University of Colombo |
| Udaya Ranawaka | Senior lecturer in Neurology, Department of Medicine - University of Kelaniya |
| Janaka Ruwanpura | Professor of Project Management Systems, Vice Provost International |
| Nalin Samarasinha | Senior Scientist - Planetary Science Institute (PSI), Arizona, USA |
| Suwanda H. J. Sugunasiri | former Professor (Adjunct) - University of Toronto Canada |
| Athula Sumathipala | Professor of Psychiatry - Keele University, Staffordshire |
| Mahinda Vilathgamuwa | Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Queensland University of Technology, Australia |
| Ranjith Laxman Wijayawardana | Senior Lecturer in Nuclear Physics - University of Peradeniya |

## Civil servants

| Name | Notability |
| P. Amarasinghe | former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, former Chairman of People's Bank |
| Tissa Devendra | former Chairman of Public Service Commission, Chairman of Salaries Commission |
| C. A. Dharmapala | former Permanent secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Security Advisor to President J. R. Jayewardene |
| Saman Ediriweera | former Secretary Ministry of Tertiary Education and Training, Secretary Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications |
| Hemasiri Fernando | Current secretary to the Ministry of Defence and chief of staff of the president, chairman of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka, former secretary to the Ministry of Postal Services, former secretary to the prime minister, former chairman of Sri Lanka Telecom, People's Bank (Sri Lanka), and the Airport and Aviation Authority, former chairman National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka, (also listed in Industry and commerce) |
| V. C. Gunatilleke | PC - former Solicitor General, Attorney General's Department |
| Abhaya Induruwa | former acting chairman and board member of the Computer and Information Technology Council (CINTEC), Board Member Natural Resources Energy and Science Authority (NARESA) |
| Lincoln Perera | former Secretary of Ministry of Plantation Industries, former Chairman of Janatha Estates Development Board (JEDB) |
| M. J. Perera | CCS – former Vice Chancellor of the University of Peradeniya, former Secretary Ministry of Education, first Ceylonese Director General of Radio Ceylon, founder Chairman of Rupavahini (TV) Corporation |
| B. D. Rampala | CCS, MBE - former General Manager of the then Ceylon Government Railway (present Sri Lanka Railways), first Ceylonese Chief Mechanical Engineer of Ceylon Government Railway |
| Ridgeway Thilakeratne | CCS - former Permanent Secretary to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, former Chairman / Director General of Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation |
| Ananda Weerasekara | former Vice Chairman of Airport and Aviation Services, former Director of Rehabilitation Services Prelates |
| Prasanna Wickramasuriya | former Chairman of Airport and Aviation Services Sri Lanka, former Special Operations Platoon Commander, Sri Lanka Army |
| Upawansa Yapa | PC - former Solicitor General, Attorney General's Department |

## Military
### Army

| Name | Notability |
| Piyal Abeysekera | Major-General; Deputy Chief of Staff (Sri Lanka Army) |
| Prabath Dematanpitiya | Major-General; Chief of Staff (Sri Lanka Army) (2020–present) |
| Prasad Edirisinghe | Major-General; Rector, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University |
| Donald Hewagama | Brigadier; Judge Advocate General (1967-1982) |
| Amal Karunasekara | Major-General; Chief of Staff (Sri Lanka Army) (2017–2018); Commandant of the National Defence College, Sri Lanka |
| Jeewaka Ruwan Kulatunga | Major-General; Commandant Defence Services Command and Staff College; Deputy Vice Chancellor - General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University |
| Ubaya Madawela | Major-General; Chief of Staff (Sri Lanka Army) (2016-2017) |
| Milinda Peiris | Major-General; Chief of Staff (Sri Lanka Army); Vice Chancellor / Commandant - General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University |
| Samantha Sooriyabandara | Major-General; Commander 53 Division; Defence Attaché Sri Lankan Embassy (USA) |
| Janaka Walgama | Major-General; Commander Security Forces (East); Commandant Defence Services Command and Staff College |
| Ananda Weerasekara | Major-General; Commanding Officer - North Central Province |
| Prasanna Wickramasuriya | Colonel; Commander 1st Gajaba Battalion; Chairman of Airport and Aviation Services |
| Ajith Wickramasinghe | Major-General; Director General Supply and Transport (Sri Lanka Army) |

### Navy

| Name | Notability |
| H. R. Amaraweera | Rear Admiral; Director Operations (Sri Lanka Navy) |
| Justin Jayasuriya | Rear Admiral; Commander of Eastern Naval Command |
| Vijitha Meddegoda | Rear Admiral; Director Naval Budget |
| Sarath Ratnakeerthi | Rear Admiral; Chief of Staff (Sri Lanka Navy) |
| Sarath Weerasekara | Rear Admiral; Director General Civil Security Department |
| Samantha Wimalathunga | Rear Admiral; Director Sri Lanka Coast Guard (2015–present) |

### Air Force

| Name | Notability |
| Gagan Bulathsinghala | Air Chief Marshall; Commander of the Air Force (2015-2016); Ambassador to Afghanistan |
| Kapila Jayampathy | Air Chief Marshall; Commander of the Air Force (2016–2019); High Commissioner to Malaysia |
| Sumangala Dias | Air Chief Marshall; Commander of the Air Force (2019–2020); High Commissioner to Italy |
| Ruchira Samarasinghe | Air Vice Marshall; Director Civil Engineering |
| Kapila Wanigasooriya | Air Vice Marshall; Director Welfare |
| Chandana Welikala | Air Vice Marshall; Director Administration |
| Prashantha De Silva | Air Vice Marshall; Director Inspection and Safety |
| P. D. J. Kumarasiri | Air Vice Marshall; Director Aeronautical Engineering |
| E. P. B. Liyanage | Air Vice Marshall; Director General Engineering; Director Investigation and Safety |
| Buddhi Siriwardene | Air Commodore; Base commander Sri Lanka Air Force Base Katunayake |

## Police

| Name | Notability |
| Deshabandu Tennakoon | 36th Inspector General of Police (Sri Lanka) (2024-2024) |
| Nilantha Jayawardena | Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police; Chief of State Intelligence Service (Sri Lanka) |
| Sisira Mendis | Deputy Inspector General of Police; Chief of State Intelligence Service (Sri Lanka) |
| Sumith Liyanage | Deputy Inspector General of Police (?-1996) |

## Diplomats

| Name | Notability |
| Sumangala Dias | High Commissioner to Italy |
| Kapila Jayampathy | High Commissioner to Malaysia |
| Gagan Bulathsinghala | Ambassador to Afghanistan |
| H. R. Piyasiri | former Ambassador to Myanmar |
| Rupa Karunathilake | former Ambassador to Netherlands |
| Dharmasena Attygalle | former High Commissioner to Pakistan |
| Siri Perera | former High Commissioner to India |
| A. S. P Liyanage | Ambassador for Qatar, former High Commissioner to Nigerian Republic |
| Udayanga Weeratunga | former Ambassador to Russian Federation |
| Jaliya Wickramasuriya | former Ambassador in Washington D.C., United States of America |

## Legal / Judiciary

| Name | Notability |
| Priyantha Jayawardena | President's Counsel, Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka |
| Sobitha Rajakaruna | Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka |
| V. C. Gunatilleke | President's Counsel, Solicitor General of Sri Lanka (1977-1981) |
| Upawansa Yapa | President's Counsel, Solicitor General of Sri Lanka (1996-1998) |
| H. L. de Silva | President's Counsel, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations |
| T. B. Dissanayake | President's Counsel, former Commissioner of Assize |
| Siri Perera | QC; High Commissioner to India |

## Industry and commerce

| Name | Notability |
| Vinya Ariyaratne | President of Sri Lanka Medical Association, Executive Director of Sarvodaya, lecturer in Community Medicine Faculty of Medical Sciences University of Sri Jayewardenepura |
| Mohan De Silva | Chairman of University Grants Commission, Sri Lanka |
| Felix R de Zoysa | founding Chairman of Stafford Motor Ltd, Stafford International School and Atlas Hall; philanthropist |
| Chandra Embuldeniya | President, National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka, CEO Informatics Group of Companies |
| Hemasiri Fernando | Chairman of People's Bank, Sri Lanka |
| S. D. Jayaratne | Chairman of National Medicines Regulatory Authority, former chairman of Sri Jayawardenepura General Hospital, former chairman of State Pharmaceuticals Corporation of Sri Lanka and State Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Corporation (SPMC) |
| Dilan Jayawardane | co-founder and CTO of Scoopler, software engineer at Google |
| A. S. P. Liyanage | Chairman of ASP Group of Companies |
| Eastman Narangoda | Chairman of George Steuart Finance, former Chairman of Seylan Bank, former CEO and General Manager of National Savings Bank |
| Yoga Perera | Chairman and managing director of Autoland, Director Airport and Aviation Services Ltd |
| Thilanga Sumathipala | Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket |
| Chandima Weerakkody | former Chairman State Mortgage and Investment Bank |
| Ranjith Laxman Wijayawardana | Chairman of Atomic Energy Authority (AEA) of Sri Lanka |
| Mangala Yapa | Chairman of Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BOI), former Managing Director Agency for Development of the Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade in Sri Lanka, former chief executive officer and managing director of Colombo Dockyard |

## Art
### Authors

| Name | Notability |
| Gunadasa Amarasekara | dental surgeon, writer, poet |
| Anura C. Perera | science writer and author |
| Siri Perera | "Siri Aiya" of Radio Ceylon |
| Suwanda H. J. Sugunasiri | author of poetry in English |
| Asoka Weerasinghe | Deputy High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in Canada; poet, co-founder of the Gloucester Spoken Art Series in Ottawa, Canada |

### Artists

| Name | Notability |
| Hiran Abeysekera | British theatre actor |
| Kamal Deshapriya | actor, commentator |
| Senesh Dissanaike Bandara | film director, television presenter |
| Gamini Hettiarachchi | film/teledrama actor |
| Niroshan Illeperuma | film and teledrama actor |
| Dhamma Jagoda | theatre actor (English and Sinhala) |
| Henry Jayasena | playwright, actor |
| Milinda Madugalle | film actor, singer |
| Bandu Munasinghe | first stunt director of the Sri Lankan Cinema |
| G. D. L. Perera | actor, film director of the Sri Lankan Cinema |
| Ravindra Rupasena | film actor of early Sinhala cinema in the 1950s |
| Sisira Senaratne | singer |
| Dhammika Siriwardana | film/teledrama producer, director |
| Ananda Weerakoon | film actor of early Sinhala cinema in the 1950s |
| Namel Weeramuni | dramatist, play producer |
| Tissa Wijesurendra | film actor in the 1970s |

### Media

| Name | Notability |
| Denzil Peiris | Editor of The Ceylon Observer (1961-1970) |
| Chitrananda Abeysekera | poet, former Director of Sinhala Service of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation |
| Karunaratne Abeysekera | poet, songwriter, created history in the world of radio by being the first ever Sinhala cricket commentator over airwaves of Radio CeylonÄ |
| Premasara Epasinghe | cricket commentator, private secretary and media consultant to Minister of Education, former head of public relations, Bank of Ceylon |
| Rajeewa Jayaweera | Newspaper columnist |
| Srimath Indrajith Liyanage | Television and radio presenter; actor |
| Palitha Perera | former Deputy Director General (Commercial) of Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, former Director of Sinhala Service Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, cricket commentator |
| Suwanda H. J. Sugunasiri | columnist, Toronto Star, Ontario, Canada |
| Nalaka Vithanage | theatre, television and cinema director |

## Sports

| Name | Notability |
| Ishara Amerasinghe | former Sri Lanka Test/One Day International cricketer |
| Hemantha Devapriya | former Sri Lanka "A" Cricket team coach |
| Kumar Dharmasena | former Sri Lanka Test/One Day International cricketer |
| Sriyantha Dissanayake | athlete, former Sri Lanka 100m record holder 1990, Asian Games silver medalist |
| Chamara Dunusinghe | former Sri Lanka Test/One Day International cricketer |
| Yohan Goonasekera | former Sri Lanka Test/One Day International cricketer, Best Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year (1976) |
| Kusal Goonewardena | Australian physical therapist and health lecturer |
| Roshan Guneratne | former Sri Lanka Test cricketer |
| Asanka Gurusinha | former Sri Lanka Test/One Day International cricketer, manager of Sri Lanka national cricket team |
| Milinda Jayasinghe | former Sri Lankan rugby union player |
| Stanley Jayasinghe | former all Ceylon and Leicestershire County Cricket Club cricketer |
| Sunil Jayasinghe | former One Day International cricketer |
| Mahela Jayawardena | former Sri Lanka Test cricket captain, Chairman Sri Lanka National Sports Council (NSC) |
| Shantha Kalavitigoda | former Sri Lanka Test cricketer |
| Lalith Kaluperuma | former Sri Lanka Test/One Day International cricketer; former Chairman of Selectors Sri Lanka Cricket |
| Sanath Kaluperuma | former Sri Lanka Test/One Day International cricketer |
| Sumith Liyanage | former Olympian boxer |
| Roshan Mahanama | former Sri Lanka Test/One Day International Cricket Captain, Elite Panel Referee of International Cricket Council |
| Dilshan Munaweera | Sri Lankan T20 cricketer, Sri Lanka A cricketer |
| Yoga Perera | motor car racing champion |
| Prageeth Rambukwella | Member of ICC International Panel of Umpires |
| Anura Ranasinghe | former Sri Lanka Test/One Day International cricketer |
| Keerthi Ranasinghe | former One Day International cricketer; professional Middlesex CCC cricket coach |
| Gihan Rupasinghe | Sri Lankan T20 cricketer, Sri Lanka A cricketer |
| Jayantha Seneviratne | represented the National Cricket Team from 1973 to 1980, Chairman of the Coaching Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket |
| Sachithra Serasinghe | Sri Lanka A cricketer |
| Shammi Silva | President of Sri Lanka Cricket; former president and Chairman of the Gymkhana Club; Colombo Cricket Club; former national player, manager and national coach for squash |
| Roy Silva | first Sri Lankan to play for United States national cricket team |
| Ashan Priyanjan Subasinghe | captain of Sri Lanka A cricket team, One Day International cricketer |
| P. H. D. Waidyatilleka | civil engineer; Chairman of Technical Committee Asian Masters Athletics; first Sri Lankan to be appointed as an International Technical Officer (ITO) by International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF); only Sri Lankan to qualify as an IAAF Lecturer |
| Bandula Warnapura | Sri Lanka's Inaugural Test cricket captain |
| Priyankara Wickramasinghe | former Sri Lanka A cricketer; Malaysian National Cricketer |
| Gamini Wickremasinghe | former Sri Lanka Test/One Day International cricketer |

## Architects

| Name | Notability | Reference |
| Justin Samarasekera | architect, past President of Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science | |
| Gamini Wijesuriya | architect, archaeologist, winner of ICCROM Heritage award 2021 | |

## Medicine

| Name | Notability |
| Hudson Silva | Founder President of the International Eye Bank, Tissue Bank, and the Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society |
| Vajiranath Lakshman De Silva | Founder of Saukyadana Movement of Sri Lanka |
| Mohan De Silva | Professor of Surgery at University of Sri Jayewardenepura |
| P. T. De Silva | President of Ceylon College of Physicians 1984; Physician |
| Vinya Ariyaratne | Faculty of Medical Sciences at University of Sri Jayewardenepura, General Secretary of Sarvodaya |
| Sarath Samarage | National Consultant World Health Organization, Physician, recipient of knighthood 2019 |
| Udaya Ranawaka | Professor/Senior Consultant, Lecturer Neurologist North Colombo Teaching Hospital(NCTH), Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya |
| Prasanna Gunasena | neurosurgeon Lanka Hospitals, Chairman of State Pharmaceutical Company (SPC) of Sri Lanka |
| W. D. L. Fernando | Forensic pathologist and Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) for Colombo |

## Other

| Name | Notability |
| Pradeep Nilanga Dela | Diyawadana Nilame (Chief Lay Head or Trustee) of the Kandy Temple of the Tooth |
| Sarath Gunapala | Manager Jet Propulsion Laboratory National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA |
| Indrani Iriyagolla | humanitarian activist |
| Harischandra Wijayatunga | President of Sinhalaye Mahasammatha Bhoomiputra |