Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs (Sri Lanka)

The Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs^[1] (Sinhala: ක්‍රීඩා හා යෞවන කටයුතු අමාත්‍යාංශය; Tamil: இளைஞர் மற்றும் விளையாட்டுத்துறை அமைச்சு) is a ministry in the Government of Sri Lanka whose role is to promote the role of sports in Sri Lankan culture and society.^[2] As of 27 November 2023, Harin Fernando is the Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, an appointment to the Cabinet of Sri Lanka.^[3]

Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs

ක්‍රීඩා හා යෞවන කටයුතු අමාත්‍යාංශය இளைஞர் மற்றும் விளையாட்டுத்துறை அமைச்சு
Ministry overview
Formed	1966
Jurisdiction	Government of Sri Lanka
Minister responsible	Harin Fernando, Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs
Website	www.mos.gov.lk

Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs of Sri Lanka
Incumbent Harin Fernando since 27 November 2023
Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs
Appointer	The president on advice of the prime minister
Inaugural holder	Kiri Banda Ratnayake
Formation	1972
Website	www.mos.gov.lk

History

The ministry was initially created in 1966 to help bring the varied sports initiatives together as part of the portfolio of the Ministry of Nationalised Services.^[4][5] The first Minister was V. A. Sugathadasa, the first Secretary was Dr. H. S. R. Gunawardena and the first Director was Austin Rajakaruna. In 1970 the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Sports was established. In 1989 this entity was renamed the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and subsequently in 2000 as the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. In 2004 it was called the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, in 2007 the Ministry of Sports and Public Recreation of Sports and finally in 2010 the Ministry of Sports.

As of 2022 it is called the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs.

List of ministers

Parties

  Sri Lanka Freedom Party   United National Party   Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna

Name		Portrait	Party	Tenure
	V. A. Sugathadasa		United National Party	1966 - 1970
	Kiri Banda Ratnayake		Sri Lanka Freedom Party	1972 - 1977
	Vincent Perera		United National Party	1977 - 1988
	Nanda Mathew		United National Party	1989 - 1993
	S. B. Dissanayake		Sri Lanka Freedom Party	1994 - 2001
	Mangala Samaraweera		Sri Lanka Freedom Party	2001
	Lakshman Kiriella		United National Party	2001 - 2002
	Johnston Fernando		United National Party	2002 - 8 April 2004
	Jeewan Kumaranatunga		Sri Lanka Freedom Party	8 April 2004 - 28 January 2007
	Gamini Lokuge		United National Party (D)	28 January 2007 - 23 April 2010
	C. B. Rathnayake		Sri Lanka Freedom Party	23 April 2010 - 22 November 2010
	Mahindananda Aluthgamage[6]		Sri Lanka Freedom Party	22 November 2010 – 12 January 2015
	Navin Dissanayake		United National Party	19 January 2015 - 4 September 2015
	Dayasiri Jayasekara		Sri Lanka Freedom Party	4 September 2015 - 12 April 2018
	Faiszer Musthapha		Sri Lanka Freedom Party	12 April 2018 - 15 December 2018
	Harin Fernando		United National Party	20 December 2018 - 15 November 2019
	Dullas Alahapperuma		Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	22 November 2019 – 12 August 2020
	Namal Rajapaksa		Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	12 August 2020 – 3 April 2022
	Roshan Ranasinghe		Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	23 May 2022 – 27 November 2023
	Harin Fernando		Samagi Jana Balawegaya	27 November 2023 - present