List of Nalanda College Colombo alumni

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

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Crest of Nalanda College, Colombo

Politicians

National

Name	Notability	Reference
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	Reference
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	Reference
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 [1], 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	Reference
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	Reference
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	Reference
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	Reference
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	Reference
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	Reference
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	Reference
Priyantha Jayawardena	President's Counsel, Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka
Sobhitha Rajakaruna	Judge of the Court of Appeal 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	Reference
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	Reference
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	Reference
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	Reference
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	Reference
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	Reference
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	Reference
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