List of St. Thomas' College alumni

This is a list of alumni of S. Thomas' College, Mt. Lavinia Sri Lanka.

It also includes without distinction the alumni from its affiliated schools S. Thomas' College, Bandarawela, S. Thomas' College, Guruthalawa, and S. Thomas' Preparatory School.

Prime ministers of Sri Lanka

Rt. Hon. Don Stephen Senanayake - first Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
Hon. Dudley Senanayake
Hon. Solomon Bandaranaike
Hon. Wijeyananda Dahanayake

Members of the Independence Movement

Politicians

Dr. Chanaka Amaratunga - founder of the Liberal Party of Sri Lanka
Hon. Chula Bandara - attorney at law; MP; former Sri Lanka Ambassador to Poland
Hon. S.J.V. Chelvanayagam, QC - founder and former leader of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Katchi and T.U.L.F.
Hon. K. N. Choksy - former Minister of Finance
Sir Henry De Mel - member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon
Hon. Ronnie De Mel - former Minister of Finance
Hon. C. P. de Silva - former Minister of Finance; former Leader of the House
Hon. A. J. R. de Soysa - member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon
Hon. Naveen Dissanayake
Hon Gamini Fonseka - Member of Parliament for Matara; Deputy Speaker of Parliament of Sri Lanka; Governor of the (former) North-East Province
K. Ganeshalingam - former Mayor of Colombo
Hon. Cholomondeley Goonewardene - former Minister of Public Works, member, Lanka Sama Samaja Party, former Deputy President, Sri Lanka Mahajana Party
Hon. Leslie Goonewardene - former Minister of Transport and co-founder of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party
Hon. Themiya L. B. Hurulle, J.P. Former Project Minister of Science & Technology
Hon. Thilak Marapana - former Minister of Transport, Highways & Civil Aviation
Sir Francis Molamure - first speaker of the House of Representatives (1947–1951)
Professor G. L. Peiris - Minister of Export Development & International Trade
Dr N. M. Perera - former Minister of Finance; co-founder of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party
Hon. Sajith Premadasa
Namal Rajapaksa - politician
Hon. Shashindra Rajapaksa - former Chief Minister of Uva Province; former Basnayaka Nilame (Lay Custodian) of the Ruhunu Maha Kataragama Devalaya
Hon. Keheliya Rambukwella - Minister of Science and Technology
Hon. Shelton Ranaraja - attorney at law; NP; MP (1960-1965-SLFP) and (1978-1988-UNP); Deputy Minister of Justice and Acting Minister of Justice, 1978 government (also won colours for athletics, boxing and cricket)
Sir R. Saravanamuttu - former Mayor of Colombo
Hon. Rukman Senanayake - former Minister of Environment & Natural Resources
Hon. Wasantha Senanayake
Hon. Murugeysen Tiruchelvam, QC - former Minister, Solicitor General; founder of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Katchi and T.U.L.F.
Hon. Kumara Welgama - Minister of Transport
Hon. Eric Bird Wickramanayake - former Minister of Justice
General Ranjan Wijeratne - former Minister of Foreign Affairs & Minister of State for Defense
Rajiva Wijesinha - former Chairman of the Liberal Party of Sri Lanka

Civil servants

Desamanya, Felix Dias Abeyesinghe - former Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Australia; member of the Board of Governors of the College; former Commissioner of Parliamentary Elections; Commissioner of Local Government; Secretary to the All Party Conference; Director of CIC Colombo Ltd.; Chairman, Yellow Pages, Sri Lanka; Consultant to the Urban Development Authority; member of the Hotels Classification Board
Eardley Goonewardene - former Chief of Ceylon Customs, Permanent Secretary, and Secretary to the Prime Minister - Ceylon Civil Service
Dr. Uthum Herat - Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and Alternate Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund (school prefect, colours in chess)
C. Romesh Jayasinghe - former Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Dr Palitha Kohona - Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN; former Chief of the UN Treaty Section; former Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu - Tea and Rubber Controller
P.T. Shanthikumar
Bernard Tilakaratna - former diplomat and Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Bradman Weerakoon - former Secretary to the Prime Minister
Prof Rajiva Wijesinha - Secretary General Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP); Secretary to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights (served as sub-warden of the college, school prefect, co-editor of college magazine)
Sam Wijesinha - former General Secretary of Parliament; former chancellor of the Open University of Sri Lanka
Arittha R Wikramanayake - Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka; member of the Public Enterprises Reform Commission of Sri Lanka; Sri Lanka Accounting and Auditing Standards Board; Committee on Corporate Law Government of Sri Lanka and the National Review Committee Ministry of Finance (to review performance of state-owned enterprises (school prefect, 1st XI cricket team; captain second XI cricket)
Elanga Wikramanayake - Solicitor General

Inspector Generals of Police

Aleric Abeygunawardena
Osmand de Silva
T. P. Frank de Silva

Commanders of the Sri Lanka Air Force

Air Chief Marshal Paddy Mendis
Air Marshal G. Donald Perera

Commanders of the Sri Lanka Army

General Shantha Kottegoda, WWV, RWP, RSP, USP, ndc
General Srilal Weerasooriya, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, ndc, IG

Commanders of the Sri Lanka Navy

Rear Admiral D. V. Hunter
Admiral H. A. Silva

Senior academics

Professor Mohan Edirisinghe Bonfield - Chair of Biomaterials, University College London^[1]
Professor Arjuna P. de Silva - Head of Department of Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya^[2] - Chairman of Sri Lanka Anti-Doping Agency (SLADA)^[3]
Professor M.V. Chandu de Silva - Chair and Professor of Pathology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo^[4] ^[5]
Professor Dias WPS - Head of the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Moratuwa
Professor Dayasiri Fernando - Foundation Professor of Surgery, University of Sri Jayawardanapura; Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences; Chairman of the Public Services Commission
Professor Devaka Fernando - Foundation Professor of Medicine, University of Sri Jayawardanapura; Honorary Professor Sheffield Hallam University, Visiting Professor University of Newcastle upon Tyne 1999-2002; Visiting Professor University of Sheffield 2002-2004 (school prefect; colours in 1st XV rugby and athletics; played junior tennis and basketball, Head Prefect of De Saram House, member of English debating team)
Professor J.N.O. Fernando - Senior Professor of Chemistry, Open University of Sri Lanka
R. D. Gunaratne - Director, National Science and Technology Commission, Department of Chemistry, University of Colombo (former national chess champion, co-editor of college magazine, Head Prefect 1975/76, winner Victoria Gold Medal 1975, English debating team, colours in chess, Head Prefect of Wood House)^[6]
Professor S.S.L. Hettiarachchi - former Head of The Department Civil Engineering, University of Moratuwa (Head Prefect)
Dr. Michael Ratnarajan R. Hool , National University of Singapore, University of Jaffna (also see Human Rights Activist list)
Professor Stanley Kalpage - Secretary of Higher Education and first Chairman of University Grants Commission
Dr. Chulantha Kulasekere - Head of the Department of Electronic & Telecommunication Engineering, University of Moratuwa (2009-2012); Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research at Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology
Professor Paul R. Mather - Professor of Accounting and Finance, School of Accounting, La Trobe University, Australia (school prefect, captain of swimming, vice captain of basketball, captain of water polo, colours in 1st XV rugby, swimming, water polo, basketball)
Professor G. L Pieris
Professor P.P.G.L Siriwardene - former Vice Chancellor of the University of Sri Lanka
Dr. Sujit Sivasunderam - lecturer in history at Cambridge University ^[7]
Professor B.L. Tennekoon - former Head of the Department Civil Engineering of the University of Moratuwa
Dr. A. R. Weerasinghe - senior lecturer; former Director, University of Colombo School of Computing^[8]
Professor D.S. Wijeyesekera - former Vice Chancellor of the University of Moratuwa
Professor Athula Wikramanayake (1st XV rugby, school prefect)
Dr Eric Wikramanayake (2nd XI cricket, school prefect)

Leading sportsmen

Saliya Ahangama - Sri Lanka Test cricketer
Kaushik Amalean - Sri Lanka Test cricketer
A. C. Amath - captained Ceylon in cricket
D. N. Chanmugam - Sri Lanka Test cricketer
Guy de Alwis - Sri Lanka Test cricketer
D. A. de Saram - captained Ceylon in cricket
Col. Fredrick de Saram - Ceylon cricket captain, Oxford Blue; alumni of Royal College Colombo, head prefect and captained Royal at the Royal-Thomian cricket match; later was conferred the status of 'Honorary Thomian', for his services rendered to S. Thomas' College; cricket coach for Royal; his son, D A de Saram, coloursman, played for St Thomas' at the Royal Thomian
Savantha De Saram - Sri Lanka rugby player
Dejan de Zoysa - Sri Lanka oarsman and Formula BMW ASIA finalist
Ekendra Edrisinghe - silver medal in yachting (Enterprise), 6th Asian Games, Pataya, Thailand
S.K. (Srinath Kalinga) Goonewardene - President of Ceylon Schools Boxing Association; President of Colombo Football League; President of Gymnastic Association of Sri Lanka; Sri Lanka boxer
Kolitha Gunatilleke - Sri Lanka rugby player
Michael Jayasekera - Sri Lanka rugby, star centre three quarter
Ashen Karthelis - Sri Lanka rugby player; former captain
Duleep Mendis - captained Sri Lanka in Test cricket
Jeevan Mendis - Sri Lanka cricketer
PL Munasinghe - Sri Lanka rugby player (Head Prefect 1976; winner of Victoria Jubilee Gold Medal 1976; captain of rugby 1975; colours in rugby and athletics; captain outstation schools and combine schools rugby, 1975)
Indrajit Perera - Sri Lanka rugby player; national ranked boxer
P. I. Pieris - Ceylon cricketer, Cambridge blue
Mano Ponniah - Ceylon cricketer, Cambridge blue
V. G. Prins - captained Ceylon in cricket
Yoshitha Rajapaksha - Sri Lanka rugby player
Gayan C. Ranatunga - former Sri Lankan diving captain and national champion
Gihan C. Ranatunga - former Sri Lankan swimming national champion and record holder
B. G. Reid - captained Ceylon in cricket and table tennis
Chaminda Rupesinghe - Sri Lanka rugby player
Ishak Sahabdeen - Sri Lanka cricketer and hockey international
Kaushal Silva - Sri Lanka Test cricketer
A. P. B. Tennekoon - captained Sri Lanka in cricket
Michael Tissera - captained Ceylon and Sri Lanka in cricket
Jehan Unantenne - Sri Lanka water polo player
Shashi Vedamanikkam - Sri Lanka rugby and water polo player
Kapila Wijegunawardene - Sri Lanka Test cricketer
Hiran Wijesuriya - Sri Lanka basketball player

Entrepreneurs

Shaktha Amaratunga - President of BAT Pacific Corporation; Finance Director of BAT Japan Group^[9]
Rajan Anandan - Managing Director of Google India
Rajan Asirwatham - former Senior Partner and Country Head of KPMG Sri Lanka
Prajeeth Balasubramaniam - co-founder of Blue Ocean Ventures and Venture Engine
Kris Canekeratne - Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder of Boston, USA based Virtusa Multinational IT Services Company^[10]
Sohli Captain - entrepreneur and philanthropist
Sathiamoorthy Chandramohan - founder of American Reprographics; Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year
Sir Charles Henry de Soysa - richest Ceylonese during the 19th century and perhaps Sri Lanka's greatest philanthropist
Sir Henry De Mel - founder of the H.L. De Mel & Company; lawyer and member of the Legislative Council
Francis Richard de Zoysa - Chairman of Code Red; President of Asia Digest International; founder of Education and Beyond
Husein Esufally - Chairman of Hemas Holdings PLC
Indrajith Fernando - CEO of Bartleet Group
Raja Gnanam - Managing Director of S. Anthonys Group
Janak Hidramani - Chairman of Hidramani Group
Cecil Jebamony
David Pieris – Chairman of David Pieris Motor Company and DPit
Ronnie Peiris - Director of John Keells Holdings
Sir Christopher Ondaatje - millionaire and philanthropist
Sanjaya Padmaperuma - CEO - South Asian Technologies (Pvt) Ltd.
R Renganathan - Deputy Chairman of Ceylinco Life (1st XV rugby)
Chandra Schaffter - founder of Janashakthi Insurance
Tony Weerasinghe - founder and Chairman of Millennium Group
Nimal Welgama - Chairman of Sri Lanka Telecom and Upali newspapers
Mano Wickramanayake - Group Director of Capital Maharaja Organization; former Vice President of the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association (CBA)
N G Wickremaratne - Chairman of Hayleys Group
S.K. Wickremasinghe - first Ceylonese Chairman of Chemical Industries Ceylon Ltd. (CIC); past Chairman of the National Development Bank of Sri Lanka (NDB), Air Lanka and Chemanex Ltd
Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya - C.E.O. of Dialog Axiata
Don Richard Wijewardene - established Lake House newspapers
Rajan Yatawara - Chairman of Hayleys Group

Musicians

Dinith Akmeemana - musician, vocalist, guitarist
Russel Bartholomeuz - organist and choral director
Joy De Alwis - finalist on Yes Super Star
Rohan de Lanerolle - Sri Lankan baritone singer
Buddhima de Mel - co-founder and frontman of the band Wagon Park
Neranjan De Silva - organist and choral director
Suresh De Silva - co-founder of the band Stigmata
Hirushka Fernando - vocalist and second runner-up of Yes Superstar 2012
Tennyson Napolean - co-founder of the band Stigmata
Lucian Nethsinghe - organist and choral director at Exeter Cathedral, UK
Harry Drew, Mus. Doc., L. Mus (Trinity, London) (1874-1880) - teacher, organist, choral director and composer; the son of Joseph Drew and the grandfather of British architect Jane Drew
Andrew Obeysekara - co-founder of the band Stigmata
Dennham Pereira - organist and choral director^[11]^[12]
David Ratnanayagam - organist and pedagogue at Durham Cathedral, UK
Javeen Soysa - co-founder of the band Tantrum
Manilal Weerakoon - conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka

Military servicemen

Flight Sergeant Dougald Abayasekera (1st XI cricket captain and head prefect) ^[13] † who served in the RAF and is commemorated in the Malta memorial^[14]
Commander Alfred Chandrapala Dassanaike - Royal Ceylon Navy (winner of the Victoria Gold Medal for the best all round student at S. Thomas'; 1932 Head Prefect; participated and won college colors in cricket, athletics, swimming, fives, football, boxing; accredited international swimming/diving coach)
Air Vice Marshal G.Y. de Silva, VSV USP - former Vice Chancellor and Commandant General, Sir John Kotelawala Defense University,; member of the Air Force Board of Management; Director of Aeronautical Engineering and Director of General Engineering, Sri Lanka Air Force
Major General Gamini Hettiarachchi - founder of the Sri Lankan Special Forces
Lieutenant B. A. Horsfall, VC (KIA) - recipient of the Victoria Cross
Wing-Commander Thilina Kaluarachchi, WWV, RWP and bar, RSP and bar (KIA) - recipient of the Weera Wickrama Vibhushanaya
Air Vice Marshal P.B. Premachandra RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, ndc, psc - Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Air Force
Major General M.C. Mendaka. P. Samarasinghe RWP RSP USP ndc psc - Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army

Actors

Human rights activists

Richard de Zoysa - actor and human rights activist; also see list of academics
Michael Ratnarajan Hoole R, D.Phil. Oxon. - University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna)
Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, Ph.D. - human rights activist; political commentator; Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Alternatives; the first recipient of the Citizens Peace Award, in 2010
Jeevan Thiagarajah - Executive Director of the Consortium for Humanitarian Agencies

Other prominent alumni

Nihal Dias Abeyesinghe - Director of Sri Lanka State Plantations Corporation. Chairman, State Plantation Corporation Board IV. Rtd. Major Sri Lanka Rifle Corps; member of the Committee for the Rubber Replanting Subsidy Scheme
Rohan Dias Abeyesinghe - Principal of Ceylon Hotel School
Rajpal Abeynayake - Editor-in-Chief of the Daily News; former Chief Editor of the Sunday Observer; founder and Chief Editor of Sunday Lakbima News^[15]
Nihal Sri Ameresekere - litigation support consultant; author on fraud and corruption; public interest activist
Ivan Corea - autism campaigner and journalist
Dr. Vijaya Corea - former Director General of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation
Dr. Francis Richard de Zoysa - leading activist to promote English as a common medium of instruction in Sri Lanka
Rohan Edrisinha - leading expert on constitutional law in Sri Lanka and lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Colombo
Charles Richard Hensman - student and teacher at S. Thomas'; journalist; BBC TV producer; author
Dr. Wilfred Miller Vincent Koch - member of Legislative Council of Hong Kong
Michael Ondaatje - Booker Prize-winning author
G.S. Wejewardena - Director General of Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management
Dr. Ray Wijewardene - engineer
Lakdasa Wikkramasinha - poet

References

↑ "Mohan Edirisinghe". UCL. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
↑ http://www.kln.ac.lk/medicine/index.php/departments/medicine/422
↑ http://dailynews.lk/?q=sports/slada-will-have-wider-area-work
↑ "Prov M.V. C de Silva". Retrieved 29 October 2012.
↑ M.V. Chandu de Silva
↑ Dr. Ranil D. Gunarathne
↑ http://www.hist.cam.ac.uk/directory/sps20@cam.ac.uk
↑ http://www.ucsc.cmb.ac.lk/lecturers/arw
↑ http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2006/11/26/fin16.asp
↑ http://www.forbes.com/profile/kris-canekeratne/
↑ Pereira, Denham. Daily FT http://www.ft.lk/2012/12/06/i-saw-three-ships-an-evening-of-carols-at-st-andrews/. Retrieved 11 March 2013. Missing or empty |title= (help)
↑ Pereira, Denham (21 December 2008). Sunday Observer http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2008/12/21/spi02.asp. Retrieved 11 March 2013. Missing or empty |title= (help)
↑ "Thomians remember their Men of Valour Richard Dwight - Daily News Thu Nov 7 2002". www.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved 2011-12-25.
↑ Dougald Abayasekera
↑ "Rajpal Editor-in-Chief of Daily News". The Nation. 28 October 2012. Retrieved 29 October 2012.

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