Lakshman Kiriella
Lakshman Bandara Kiriella, MP (born 2 February 1948) is a Sri Lankan politician and lawyer. He is a Member of Parliament from the Kandy District, former Leader of the House of the parliament. Also he held office as Minister of Public Enterprises and Kandy Development and as Minister of Higher Education and Highways from 2015 to 2019.
Hon. Lakshman Kiriella MP | |
|---|---|
| ලක්ෂ්මන් කිරිඇල්ල லக்ஸ்மன் கிரிஎல்ல | |
Kiriella in March 2015 | |
| Chief Opposition Whip | |
| Assumed office 3 January 2020 | |
| President | Gotabaya Rajapaksa |
| Prime Minister | Mahinda Rajapaksa Ranil Wickramasinghe |
| Preceded by | Mahinda Amaraweera |
| Leader of the House of Sri Lanka | |
| In office 20 January 2015 – December 2019 | |
| President | Maithripala Sirisena |
| Prime Minister | Ranil Wickremesinghe |
| Preceded by | Nimal Siripala De Silva |
| Succeeded by | Dinesh Gunawardena |
| Minister of Public Enterprise, Kandyan Heritage & Kandy Development | |
| In office 25 February 2018 – 22 November 2019 | |
| President | Maithripala Sirisena |
| Prime Minister | Ranil Wickremesinghe |
| Preceded by | Kabir Hashim |
| Minister of Higher Education and Highways | |
| In office 14 October 2015 – 25 February 2018 | |
| President | Maithripala Sirisena |
| Prime Minister | Ranil Wickremesinghe |
| Succeeded by | Kabir Hashim |
| Minister of Plantation Industries | |
| In office 12 January 2015 – 17 August 2015 | |
| President | Maithripala Sirisena |
| Prime Minister | Ranil Wickremesinghe |
| Preceded by | Mahinda Samarasinghe |
| In office 12 December 2001 – 2 April 2004 | |
| President | Chandrika Kumaratunga |
| Prime Minister | Ranil Wickremesinghe |
| Member of Parliament for Kandy District | |
| Assumed office 1989 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 February 1948 |
| Nationality | Sri Lankan |
| Political party | Samagi Jana Balawegaya United National Party |
| Other political affiliations | Sri Lanka Freedom Party (1989–2001) |
| Spouse | Charmaine née Jayawardena |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence | Pelawatta |
| Alma mater | Royal College, Colombo |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Educated at Royal College, Colombo and Sri Lanka Law College, he became a practicing lawyer before entering politics. He has elected to Parliament in 1989, he has been a Member ever since. He has served as the Minister of Tourism and Sports and the Deputy minister of Foreign Affairs. In 2015 he was appointed as the Leader of the House of the United National Party Government under Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe.
He is married to Charmaine Jayawardena and they have two daughters, Kishanee and Chami, and one son, Dinuk L. B.
In October 2018 the Asgiriya Chapter of Siam Nikaya conferred the title of Shasanamamaka Jana Prasadini on Kiriella, in recognition of his service to Buddhism and society.