List of St Joseph's College, Colombo alumni

This is a list of notable Josephian, alumni of St. Joseph's College, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Politicians

Name	Notability	Reference
Ranasinghe Premadasa	President of Sri Lanka (1989–1993), Prime Minister of Sri Lanka (1978–1979), member parliament – Colombo Central (1965–1985)	[1]
Mohamed Amin Didi	First President of the Maldives (1953)
Nirj Deva	Member of the European Parliament – South East England (1999–2019), member of the British parliament – Brentford and Isleworth (1992–1997)	[2]
Albert Peries	Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka
Lalitha Rajapakse	First Minister of Justice In Sri Lanka (1947-1953), Member of the Senate of Ceylon
K. W. Devanayagam	Minister of Justice (1977-1980)	[3][4]
M. V. P. Peiris	Minister of Health (1960)
G. G. Ponnambalam	Minister of Industries, Industrial Research and Fisheries (1948-1953) Member State Council of Ceylon (1934–1947), member parliament – Jaffna (1947–1960, 1965–1970)	[5][6]
Edwin Wijeyeratne	Minister of Home Affairs (1948-1951),Member Senate of Ceylon (1947–1951)
M. Sivasithamparam	Deputy Speaker/ Member of Parliament (1968-1970)
C. Suntharalingam	Minister of Trade and Commerce (1947)
Hector Fernando	Member parliament – Negombo (1956–1960)
A. Ekanayake Gunasinha	Mayor of Colombo (1940-1943)
C.E. Attygalle	Member Parliament- Ratnapura
Naganather Canaganayagam	Mayor of Kandy (1942)
Mahanama Samaraweera	Minister of Local Government and Housing (1960-1964)
Velusami Radhakrishnan	State Minister of Education (2015)
Alfred Thambiayah	Member of Parliament- Kayts (1947-1956)
Don Roy Rajapakse	Member of Parliament - Hakmana (1960-1965)
Doric de Souza	Trotskyist Politician and Senator (1914-1987)
V. A. Kandiah	Member of Parliament (1956-1963)
C. H. Z. Fernando	Member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon (1924-1929)
Bernard Jayasuriya	Ceylonese businessman and politician
Neomal Perera	Deputy Minister of External Affairs (2010-2015)
John Amaratunga	Minister of Tourism (2015-2019), Minister of Land (2016-2017), Minister of Interior (2001-2003)
Harin Fernando	Minister of Tourism and Lands (2022-Present) Member parliament – Badulla (2010–2014, 2015–2019), Chief Minister of Uva Province (2015)

Legal

Name	Notability	Reference
Hugh Norman Gregory Fernando	Chief Justice Of Ceylon (1966-1973)
Mohan Peiris	Chief Justice (2013–2015),[nb 1] Attorney General (2008–2011)	[7][8]
Priyasath Dep	Chief Justice (2017-present) Solicitor General (2007–2011), Justice of the Supreme Court (2011–present)
Sir Francis Soetsz	Acting Chief Justice (1946)
P. Ramanathan	Puisne Justice Of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka
K. Palakidnar	President Of the Court Of Appeal of Sri Lanka (1987)
Mark Fernando	Supreme Court Judge (1988–2005)	[9]
Dappula De Livera	Attorney General of Sri Lanka (2019-2021)
N. Nadarajah	Supreme Court Judge

Religion

Name	Notability	Reference
Thomas Cooray	Cardinal (1965–1988), Archbishop of Colombo (1947–1976)
Oswald Gomis	Archbishop of Colombo (2002–2009), Chancellor University of Colombo (2002–present)	[10]
Edmund Pieris	Bishop of Chilaw (1940–1972)
Anthony de Saram	Bishop of Galle (1964–1982)

Academics

Name	Notability	Reference
Oswald Gomis	Chancellor University of Colombo
Cyril Ponnamperuma	Vidya Jyothi, Professor, Scientist, Chemist at NASA	[11]
Don Carlin Gunawardena	Botanist, Head of the Department of Science Vidyodaya University	[12]
Philip Nehri Mullegama	Corporate trainer, personality development coach

Medicine

Name	Notability	Reference
Carlo Fonseka	Professor,PresidentSri Lanka Medical Council (2013–2018),	[13][14][15]

Arts

Name	Notability	Reference
Arthur Basnayake	Ceylon's High Commissioner to India
Marcelline Jayakody	Lyricsist,Composer
J. P. de Fonseka	Essayist, editor	[16]
Dayan Jayatilleka	Academic, diplomat, author	[17]
Annesley Malewana	Singer, composer
Daya Wimalaweera	Filmmaker,producer
Roy de Silva	Actor, filmmaker, producer	[18]
Shesha Palihakkara	Actor,dancer,producer
J. P. Chandrababu	Actor	[19]
Roshan Ranawana	Actor
Mark Samaranayake	Actor
Laddie Ranasinghe	Actor
Nihal De Silva	Author
Lionel de Fonseka	Author
Sajitha Anthony	Actor

Military

Name	Notability	Reference
Anton Muttukumaru	Major General, First Ceylonese Commander of the Army (1955–1959)	[20]
Royce De mel	Rear Admiral, First Ceylonese Commander of the Navy (1955-1961)
Mohan Jayamaha	Rear Admiral Sri Lanka Navy
H. W. G. Wijeyekoon	Major General Commander of the Army (1960–1963)
Janaka Perera	Major General Chief of Staff (2000–2001)	[21]
G. H. De Silva	Major General Commander of the Army (Sri Lanka) (1994–1996)
Tyron Silvapulle	Wing Commander Sri Lanka Air Force (1986 – 1999) (The only recipient of the Parama Weera Vibhushanaya award from the Sri Lanka Air Force.)

Police

Name	Notability	Reference
Ernest Perera	Inspector General of Police (Sri Lanka) (1988–1993)	[22]
Lakdasa Kodituwakku	Inspector General of Police (Sri Lanka) (1998–2002)	[23]

Business

Name	Notability	Reference
Merrill J. Fernando	Founder of the global tea company Dilmah
Asoka Peiris	CEO, Singer plc
Roshan Perera	Entrepreneur, Business Magnate, Investor, Philanthropist

Sports

Name	Notability	Reference
Ashley de Silva	International cricket player (1993)
Chaminda Vaas	International cricket player (1994–2009)	[24]
Angelo Mathews	International cricket player (2009–present)	[25]
Thisara Perera	International cricket player (2009–present)	[26]
Dimuth Karunaratne	International cricket player (2012–present)
Norton Fredrick	First-class cricket player[nb 2]
Dunith Wellalage	International cricket player (2022-present)
Michael Vandort	International cricket player (2001-2008)
Sadeera Samarawickrama	International cricket player (2017-present)
Priyamal Perera	International cricket player
Shevon Daniel	International cricket player

Notes

1. Although Peiris studied partially at St. Joseph's College is not a member of the Old Boys Union. In January 2015 Peiris' appointment was declared void by government of Sri Lanka
2. Fredrick played for the All Ceylon team before Sri Lanka obtained Test status