Vote For Your Favourite Sri Lankan Personality

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 1 

Muttiah Muralitharan

(Sri Lankan Cricket Coach and Former Professional Cricketer)

Birthdate: April 17, 1972

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Kandy

 2 

Kumar Sangakkara

(Sri Lankan Former Professional Cricketer)

Birthdate: October 27, 1977

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Matale

Height: 5'10" (178 cm)

 3 

Lasith Malinga

(Sri Lankan Former Cricketer and One of the Greatest Limited Overs Bowlers of All Time)

Birthdate: August 28, 1983

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Galle

Height: 5'8" (173 cm)

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 4 

Sanath Jayasuriya

(Sri Lankan Former Cricketer)

Birthdate: June 30, 1969

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Matara

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 5 

Jacqueline Fernandez

(Miss Universe Sri Lanka 2006 and an Established Actress in Hindi Film Industry)

Birthdate: June 2, 1985

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Manama

Talent knows no geographical boundaries and Sri Lankan actress and model, Jacqueline Fernandez, showed it with her success in Bollywood and the numerous awards she won. Raised in a multi-ethnic family, she is known for glamour and found a place in Forbes’ India list of 100 celebrities. Fernandez is also noted for her concern for animals as acknowledged by PETA.

 6 

Yohani

(Singer-songwriter)

Birthdate: July 30, 1993

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Colombo

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 7 

Radhika Sarathkumar

(Actress)

Birthdate: August 21, 1963

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Colombo

 8 

Dhee

(Singer)

Birthdate: June 26, 1998

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Colombo

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Birthdate: September 12, 1943

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Colombo

Michael Ondaatje is a Sri Lankan-born Canadian poet, writer, and filmmaker. Born in Sri Lanka, he eventually migrated to Canada. He studied at Bishop's University and embarked on a teaching career. His literary works include poems, novels, and essays. He is the recipient of multiple prestigious awards, including the Giller Prize and the Booker Prize. 

 10 

Pooja Umashankar

(Actress)

Birthdate: June 25, 1981

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Colombo

Height: 5'3" (160 cm)

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Birthdate: April 17, 1916

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Mahawalathenna

Died: October 10, 2000

Sirimavo Bandaranaike served as the prime minister of Sri Lanka and was the world's first female prime minister. She was initially married to prime minister S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike and participated in charitable work for rural women. She joined the Sri Lanka Freedom Party after her husband’s assassination.

 12 

Aravinda de Silva

(Former Sri Lankan Cricketer and Captain)

Birthdate: October 17, 1965

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Colombo

Height: 5'3" (160 cm)

 13 

Tillakaratne Dilshan

(Sri Lankan Former Cricketer and One of the Most Innovative Players of All Time)

Birthdate: October 14, 1976

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Kalutara

Height: 5'8" (173 cm)

Birthdate: March 24, 1949

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Colombo

Former Sri Lankan prime minister Ranil Wickremasinghe was born into a family of print media moguls and grew up to become an advocate. The United National Party leader had also been in the news for his rounds of peace talks with the LTTE. He is married to academic Maitree Wickremasinghe.

 15 

Sujatha

(Actor)

Birthdate: December 10, 1952

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Galle

Died: April 6, 2011

 16 

Sonali Deraniyagala

(Memoirist, Economist)

Birthdate: 1964 AD

Birthplace: Colombo

 17 

Angelo Mathews

(Sri Lankan Professional Cricketer)

Birthdate: June 2, 1987

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Colombo

Height: 6'0" (183 cm)

Birthdate: June 23, 1924

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Colombo

Died: May 1, 1993

Ranasinghe Premadasa was a Sri Lankan politician who served as the third president of Sri Lanka from 1989 to 1993. Before serving as the president, Premadasa served as the prime minister of Sri Lanka from 1978 to 1989. In 1986, he became the first Sri Lankan to receive the prestigious Sri Lankabhimanya, the country's highest civilian award.

 19 

Nirosha Radha

(Actress)

Birthdate: January 30, 1971

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Colombo

 20 

Sukumari

(Actress)

Birthdate: October 6, 1940

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Nagercoil

Died: March 26, 2013

Sukumari was an Indian actress known for her contribution to Tamil and Malayalam films. One of the most acclaimed actresses of her generation, Sukumari acted in over 2,500 films in a career that spanned over 50 years. In 2003, she was honored with the Padma Shri. In 2011, she won the National Film Award for her performance in Namma Gramam. 

 21 

Arjuna Ranatunga

(Sri Lankan Former Cricketer and Politician)

Birthdate: December 1, 1963

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Gampaha

Height: 5'8" (173 cm)

 22 

Ananda Coomaraswamy

(Metaphysician, Historian and a Celebrated Philosopher of Indian art)

Birthdate: August 22, 1877

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Colombo

Died: September 9, 1947

Ananda Coomaraswamy was a Ceylonese Tamil philosopher of Indian art, metaphysician, and pioneering historian. He is credited for being one of the earliest interpreters of Indian culture to the West. He is also held responsible for introducing ancient Indian art to the West. Apart from bridging the gap between East and West, Coomaraswamy's works also aimed at rehabilitating original Buddhism.

Birthdate: June 29, 1945

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Colombo

Chandrika Kumaratunga is a Sri Lankan politician who became the first female president when she was elected as the president of Sri Lanka in 1994. Having served as the president from 1994 to 2005, Kumaratunga is the only female Sri Lankan president to date. She also served as the head of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party from 1994 to 2006. 

 24 

Arul Pragasam

(Sri Lankan Tamil Activist and Revolutionary)

Birthdate: April 13, 1948

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Jaffna

Died: December 3, 2019

Arul Pragasam was a Sri Lankan Tamil activist and revolutionary. He played an important role in the formation of the Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students during the Tamil independence movements in England. The movement, which originated in Sri Lanka, aimed at securing an independent Tamil state in the island country due to the oppression of Sri Lankan-Tamils by the government.

 25 

Mahela Jayawardene

(First Sri Lankan in the History of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup to Score a Century)

Birthdate: May 27, 1977

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Colombo

Height: 5'6" (168 cm)

 26 

Ajantha Mendis

(Sri Lankan Former International Cricketer)

Birthdate: March 11, 1985

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Moratuwa

Height: 5'11" (180 cm)

 27 

J. R. Jayewardene

(2nd President of Sri Lanka (1978-1989), 7th Prime Minister of Sri Lanka (1977-1978))

Birthdate: September 17, 1906

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Colombo

Died: November 1, 1996

J. R. Jayewardene was a Sri Lankan politician and leader. He served as the prime minister of Sri Lanka from 1977 to 1978 and then went on to serve as the country's second president from 1978 to 1989. A controversial figure, Jayewardene's actions have been recognized as a contributing factor to the commencement of the Sri Lankan Civil War.

 28 

Anagarika Dharmapala

(Writer)

Birthdate: September 17, 1864

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Matara

Died: April 29, 1933

Birthdate: October 20, 1883

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Mirigama

Died: March 22, 1952

Sri Lanka’s first prime minister, D. S. Senanayake, was the son of a plantation owner and graphite miner and was raised as a devout Buddhist. An amateur cricketer in school, he later took to rubber planting and formed the cooperative-society movement. He rejected the honor of a knighthood.

 30 

S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike

(Diplomat, Politician, Lawyer)

Birthdate: January 8, 1899

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Colombo

Died: September 26, 1959

 31 

C. W. W. Kannangara

(Sri Lankan Politician Who Played an Important Role in the Sri Lankan Independence Movement)

Birthdate: October 13, 1884

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Sri Lanka

Died: September 23, 1969

C. W. W. Kannangara was a Sri Lankan politician and lawyer. He played an important role in the Sri Lankan independence movement, a peaceful political movement aimed at achieving freedom from the British Empire. As a lawyer, C. W. W. Kannangara defended many political prisoners during the Riots of 1915 and later served as the President of Ceylon National Congress.

 32 

Kusal Mendis

(Sri Lankan Professional Cricketer)

Birthdate: February 2, 1995

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Moratuwa

 33 

Dinesh Kanagaratnam

(Singer)

Birthdate: August 30, 1981

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Badulla

 34 

Duṭṭhagāmaṇī

(King)

Birthplace: Hambantota

Died: 0137 AD

 35 

Marvan Atapattu

(Sri Lankan Cricket Coach and Former Cricketer)

Birthdate: November 22, 1970

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Kalutara

 36 

Susanthika Jayasinghe

(Athlete)

Birthdate: December 17, 1975

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Uduwaka

 37 

Kusal Perera

(Sri Lankan Professional Cricketer)

Birthdate: August 17, 1990

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Kalubowila

Height: 5'6" (168 cm)

 38 

Dinesh Chandimal

(Sri Lankan Professional Cricketer)

Birthdate: November 18, 1989

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Balapitiya

 39 

W. D. Amaradeva

(Singer, Composer)

Birthdate: December 5, 1927

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Moratuwa

Died: November 3, 2016

 40 

Sangamitta

(Emperor Ashoka's daughter)

Birthdate: 0282 AD

Birthplace: Ujjain

Died: 0203 AD

 41 

Dhananjaya de Silva

(Sri Lankan Professional Cricketer)

Birthdate: September 6, 1991

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Hambantota

Height: 5'8" (173 cm)

 42 

Madhumila

(Actress)

Birthdate: May 23, 1988

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Jaffna

 43 

Chandran Rutnam

(Film director and producer, Screenwriter)

Birthdate: July 22, 1948

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Sri Lanka

Birthdate: November 18, 1945

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Weeraketiya

The highlight of Mahinda Rajapaksa’s political career as the Sri Lankan president was ending the 30-year-old civil war with the Tamil Tigers. The Freedom Party member lost the 2015 election but came back to power as the leader of the Sri Lanka People's Front, becoming the country’s prime minister. 

 45 

Parākramabāhu I

(King)

Birthdate: 1123 AD

Birthplace: Punkhagama

Died: 1186 AD

 46 

Ranjan Ramanayake

(One of the Most Popular and Celebrated Sri Lankan Actors of His Generation)

Birthdate: March 11, 1963

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Negombo

Ranjan Ramanayake is a Sri Lankan former politician, film director, actor, script writer, and singer. He achieved immense popularity during the 1990s, when he appeared in many Sinhala language films. One of the most popular and celebrated Sri Lankan actors of his generation, Ranjan Ramanayake has won numerous awards, including nine Sarasaviya Awards.

 47 

Bernard White

(Actor)

Birthdate: June 8, 1959

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Colombo

 48 

Sarath Fonseka

(Former Chief of the Defence Staff of Sri Lanka)

Birthdate: December 18, 1950

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Ambalangoda

Sarath Fonseka is a Sri Lankan former politician and army officer. He served as the Commander of Sri Lanka Army during the Sri Lankan Civil War and is credited with ending the 26-year war in 2009 by defeating Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. After serving as the Commander, Sarath Fonseka briefly served as Chief of the Defence Staff in 2009.

 49 

Jackson Anthony

(Actor)

Birthdate: July 8, 1958

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Podiwee Kumbura

 50 

Mahinda

(Monk)

Birthdate: 0285 AD

Birthplace: Ujjain

Died: 0205 AD

Some of the most iconic Sri Lankan role models include CWW Kannangara, an educationist who is noted as the father of free education, Dr GP Malalasekara, an orientalist of world fame, George Keyt, a foremost painter and artist, Mahela Jayawardene a cricketer and so on. Nanda Malini, a world-class singer, is credited for starting a new chapter in Sri Lankan classical music. Her outstanding talent for music has made her the most respected and idolized singers of the country. Booker prize felicitated writer and novelist Michael Ondaatje is a Sri Lankan by birth. Find out in details about famous Sri Lankans, their life and their works through this section.