Our Team
The National Commission of Sri Lanka consists of two components: the Commission and the Secretariat
Chairperson
Hon Dr. Harini Amarasuriya
Prime Minister
Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education
Dr. Harini Amarasuriya is a prominent Sri Lankan academic and politician who currently serves as the Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. She has an academic background in sociology and social anthropology, having worked for many years as a senior lecturer at the Open University of Sri Lanka, where she focused on issues such as education, social justice, and human rights.
she holds degrees in sociology from the University of Delhi, a master’s degree from Macquarie University in Australia, and a PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of Edinburgh. Her career spans academia, community development, and grassroots politics, and she has been active in advocating for youth empowerment, gender equality, and educational reform.
Vice president
Mr. Nalaka Kaluwewa
Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education
Nalaka Kaluwewe is the Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education in Sri Lanka. He joined the Sri Lanka Administrative Service in 2000 and has over two decades of experience in public administration. During his career, he has held several senior positions, including Assistant Secretary at the Ministry of Defence, General Manager of ITN and the National Lotteries Board, Chairman of Rakna Lanka Ltd, Additional Secretary to the President, Director General of Government Information, Additional Election Commissioner, and Director General of SLIDA.
He holds a BSc from the University of Peradeniya, an MBA from the University of Colombo, and master’s degrees from the University of Canberra. He is currently pursuing a DBA at the University of Colombo.
Chief Executive Officer
Senior Professor Prabhath Jayasinghe
Secretary General - Sri Lanka National Commission for UNESCO
prabhath.slncu@gmail.com
Prabhath Jayasinghe is a Senior Professor in Business Economics at the Faculty of Management and Finance, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, and is currently on secondment as the Secretary General of the Sri Lanka National Commission for UNESCO.
He holds a BA and MA from the University of Colombo, an MPhil from the University of Sydney, and a PhD from the National University of Singapore (NUS). With nearly thirty years of academic experience, he has made significant contributions to the field of Business Economics.
In addition to his academic career, he is also an acclaimed and award-winning creative writer, having received six national literary awards, including the prestigious State Literary Award, for his fiction.
Ex-officio members
- Mr. Y.L. Mohomed Navavi
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Secretary, Minister of Science and Technology - Ms. Shashikala Premawardhane
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Addl. Sec. (Bilateral Policies), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism - Ms. Samanthi Senanayake
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Addl. Sec. (Vocational Education), Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational - Ms. Apsara Kaldera
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Addl. Sec. (Development) – Higher Education - Mr. R.A.D.S. Ranathunga
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Addl. Sec. (Fisheries Res. Mgt), Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources - Mrs. W.G. Kumaragama
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Addl. Sec. (Env. Proj. & Edu. Trainings), Ministry of Environment - Ms. Sujeewa Palliyaguruge
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Addl. Sec. (Admin), Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs - Mrs. Deepa Liyanage
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Addl. Sec. (Mass Media), Ministry of Health and Mass Media - Ms. H.A.H. Perera
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Addl. Sec. (Social Security), Ministry of Rural Development, Social Security, and Community Empowerment - Mr. W.W.M.P.S.C. Palamakumbura
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Conservator General of Forest, Department of Forest Conservation - Mr. M.S.L.R.P. Marasinghe
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Director General, Department of Wildlife Conservation - Dr. Nilan Cooray
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Director General, Central Cultural Fund - Mrs. Sanuja Kasthuriarachchi
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Director General, Department of National Museums - Ms. Hemantha Pubudusiri
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Director, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development
Appointed by the Members
- Mr. Waruna Sri Dhanapala
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Secretary (Actg), Ministry of Digital Economic Affairs - Dr. S.S.P. De Alwis
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Dir. Gen. (SL Anti-Doping Agency), Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports - Dr. Asha de Vos
- Mr. Chandra Wickramasinghe
- Dr. Vivimarie VanderPoorten Medawattegedara
- Mr. Saminadan Wimal
Secretary General
Senior Professor Prabhath Jayasinghe
prabhath.slncu@gmail.com
Prabhath Jayasinghe is a Senior Professor in Business Economics at the Faculty of Management and Finance, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, and is currently on secondment as the Secretary General of the Sri Lanka National Commission for UNESCO.
He holds a BA and MA from the University of Colombo, an MPhil from the University of Sydney, and a PhD from the National University of Singapore (NUS). With nearly thirty years of academic experience, he has made significant contributions to the field of Business Economics.
In addition to his academic career, he is also an acclaimed and award-winning creative writer, having received six national literary awards, including the prestigious State Literary Award, for his fiction.
Deputy Secretary General
Mr. Nalaka Rathnayake
nrathnayake.slncu@slt.lk
Nalaka Rathnayake is the Deputy Secretary General of the Sri Lanka National Commission for UNESCO. He is a Class I officer of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS), having joined in 2009. His previous appointments include serving as the Colombo Divisional Secretary and over a decade of service at the Election Commissionof Sri Lanka. Prior to entering public service, he gained five years of private sector experience and holds professional qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (UK). He holds a BSc in Biology from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura and a Master of Development Studies from the University of Melbourne.
Subject officers
Education
BA (University of Kelaniya)
B.ED ( University of Lincolin)
MA( Reading)
gkirialla.slncu@gmail.com
Culture and social science
MA Economics – University of Kelaniya,
Bsc Business Management,University of Sri Jayewardenepura
damarasekara.slncu@gmail.com
Natural Science
B.Sc( Natural science- Open University of Sri Lanka),
PGD (Climatic Change and Environment Management)
guhansini.slncu@gmail.com
Communication and Information
B,Des(Hons) (Media and communication design- University of Moratuwa),
HND in computing( Edexcel uk)
pkottepola.slncu@gmail.com
Accounts
MA (sociology) ( Univeristy of kelaniya),
BA (Hons)( University of Ruhuna)
mliyanage.slncu@slt.lk
MA Economics – University of Kelaniya,
Bsc Business Management,University of Sri Jayewardenepura
nbandara.slncu@gmail.com
Administration
BA ( University of Sri Jayawardenepura)
Service Assistance
BA ( University of Kelaniya)