List of high commissioners of Sri Lanka to the United Kingdom

The Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the United Kingdom is the Sri Lankan envoy to United Kingdom. Countries belonging to the Commonwealth of Nations typically exchange High Commissioners, rather than Ambassadors. Though there are a few technical differences (for instance, whereas Ambassadors present their diplomatic credentials to the host country's head of state, High Commissioners are accredited to the head of government), they are in practice one and the same office. The Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the United Kingdom is concurrently accredited as the Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland. The current post of High Commissioner is occupied by Saroja Sirisena.

High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to the United Kingdom
since 2 March 2020
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Reports toMinister of Foreign Affairs
SeatSri Lankan High Commission,
13 Hyde Park Gardens, London, United Kingdom
NominatorThe President of Sri Lanka
Term lengthNo fixed term
Inaugural holderSir Claude Corea
(As Representative of the Government of Ceylon)
Formation1946; 78 years ago (1946)
Websitesrilankahc.uk

List of High Commissioners

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Representatives of the Government of Ceylon

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Representative Start of Term End of Term
Claude Corea 1946 1948

High Commissioners

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High Commissioner Start of Term End of Term
Claude Corea 1948 1949
Sir Oliver Goonetilleke 1949 1952
Sir Edwin Wijeyeratne 1952 1954
Sir Claude Corea February 1954 December 1957
Gunasena de Soyza, CMG, OBE December 1957 October 1958
P. R. Gunasekera October 1958 February 1960
Gunasena de Soyza, CMG, OBE February 1960 October 1961
Sir Senerat Gunewardene, KBE October 1961 June 1963
Professor Gunapala Malalasekera, OBE June 1963 February 1967
Sir Lalitha Rajapakse, QC February 1967 October 1969
M. V. P. Peiris, OBE October 1969 December 1970
Tilak Goonaratne December 1970 1975 - Last High Commissioner from the Dominion of Ceylon (1970-72), and the first High Commissioner from Sri Lanka (1972-75).
Vernon Mendis 1975 1977
Noel Wimalasena 1977 January 1981
A. T. Moorthy January 1981 May 1984
Chandra Monerawela May 1984 March 1990
General Sepala Attygalle, LVO 1990 August 1993
General Cyril Ranatunge August 1993 February 1995
S. K. Wickremasinghe February 1995 January 1999
Dr. Lal Jayawardena January 1999 July 2000
Mangala Moonesinghe July 2000 April 2002
Faiz Mustapha, PC April 2002 February 2005
Kshenuka Senewiratne February 2005 May 2008
Justice Nihal Jayasinghe May 2008 31 December 2010
Dr Chris Nonis[1][2] 1 September 2011 20 October 2014
Sugeeshwara Gunaratna
(Acting)[3]
21 October 2014 14 November 2016
Amari Mandika Wijewardane[4] 15 November 2016 1 April 2018
Sugeeshwara Gunaratna (Acting)[5] 1 April 2018 20 February 2019
Manisha Gunasekara[6] 20 February 2019 31 January 2020
Saroja Sirisena 02 March 2020
Rohitha Bogollagama 19 November 2023

Deputy High Commissioners

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Dr. Chris Nonis assumes office as new Sri Lankan envoy to UK". ft.lk. Daily Financial Times. 5 September 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  2. ^ "Dr. Chris Nonis Resigns As SL High Commissioner In UK". asianmirror.lk. Asian Mirror. 30 September 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  3. ^ "Swire holds talks with Lanka's acting envoy to UK". colombogazette.com. Colombo Gazette. 8 January 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  4. ^ "Sri Lankan HC to UK presents credentials to Queen Elizabeth II". Government of Sri Lanka. news.lk. 17 November 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  5. ^ "SL's excellence in preserving mangroves to be felicitated at CHOGM". Retrieved 2018-05-01.
  6. ^ "Queen Elizabeth receives new SL envoy to UK". Retrieved 2019-02-22.
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