Famous People From Sri Lanka

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Updated August 29, 2018 33.1k views1k items

List of famous people from Sri Lanka, including photos when available. The people below are listed by their popularity, so the most recognizable names are at the top of the list. Some of the people below are celebrities born in Sri Lanka, while others are simply notable locals. If you're from Sri Lanka you might already know that these prominent figures are also from your hometown, but some of the names below may really surprise you. This list includes people who were born and raised in Sri Lanka, as well as those who were born there but moved away at a young age.

List features people like Ivan Corea, Vivimarie Vanderpoorten and more!

If you want to answer the questions, "Which famous people are from Sri Lanka?" or "Which celebrities were born in Sri Lanka?" then this list is a great resource for you.
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  • Gamini Dissanayake

    Gamini Dissanayake

    Dec. at 52 (1942-1994)
    • Birthplace: Kandy, Sri Lanka
    Dissanayake Mudiyanse Ralahamilage Lionel Gamini Dissanayake (known as Gamini Dissanayake; Sinhala: ලයනල් ගාමිණි දිසානායක,Tamil: காமினி திஸாநாயக்க; 20 March 1942 – 24 October 1994) was a prominent ...more
  • Lakshman Kadirgamar

    Lakshman Kadirgamar

    Dec. at 73 (1932-2005)
    • Birthplace: Colombo, Sri Lanka
    Sri Lankabhimanya Lakshman Kadirgamar, PC (Tamil: லக்ஷமன் கதிர்காமர்; Sinhala: ලක්ෂ්මන් කදිර්ගාමර්, 12 April 1932 – 12 August 2005) was a Sri Lankan Tamil lawyer and statesmen. He served as Minister ...more
  • Shyam Selvadurai
    • Birthplace: Colombo, Sri Lanka
    Shyam Selvadurai (born 12 February 1965) is a Sri Lankan Canadian novelist who wrote Funny Boy (1994), which won the Books in Canada First Novel Award, and Cinnamon Gardens (1998). He currently lives ...more
  • Parami Kulatunga

    Parami Kulatunga

    Dec. at 56 (1950-2006)
    • Birthplace: Kandy, Sri Lanka
    Lieutenant General Parami Sugandika Bandara Kulatunga, RSP, VSV, USP, GW (Sinhala:පාරමී කුලතුංග) (9 October 1951 in Kandy – 26 June 2006 †) was a Sri Lankan general. He was serving as the Deputy ...more
  • Ananda Coomaraswamy

    Ananda Coomaraswamy

    Dec. at 70 (1877-1947)
    • Birthplace: Colombo, Sri Lanka
    Ananda Kentish Muthu Coomaraswamy (Tamil: ஆனந்த குமாரசுவாமி, Ānanda Kentiś Muthū Kumāraswāmī; Sinhala: ආනන්ද කුමාරස්වාමි; 22 August 1877 − 9 September 1947) was a Sri Lankan Tamil philosopher and  ...more
  • Lakshman Algama

    Lakshman Algama

    Dec. at 59 (1940-1999)
    • Birthplace: Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
    Major-General (Rtd) Chulasoka Lakshman "Lucky" Algama VSV, USP, ndc, psc (June 2, 1940 – December 18, 1999) was a former Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army and a United National Party activist ...more