Sanath Weerakoon

Sanath Rathnayake Weerakoon, is a Sri Lankan former government agent. He served as the government agent (district secretary) for the District of Colombo (1990–1999), Sri Lanka, and is considered one of the most distinguished and respected officers in the Sri Lankan Administrative Service. He served as the government agent of Colombo for 10 years under two different governments and is a feat that has not yet been broken. Weerakoon was also the youngest appointed government agent, to the District of Puttalam in 1978. The government agent is the administrative had of public services in the district. The post is one of the oldest in the civil service as it had been established by the British during the colonial era. Weerakoon is the current add. private secretary to the president of Sri Lanka.

Sanath Weerakoon married Asoka Palihena in 1972 and they have three children: Thushani, Dushan and Janake.

Weerakoon passed the Ceylon Civil Service entrance exam in 1967, when 30,000 graduates sat this tough exam and only 70 were successful in passing. In the 1970s the Ceylon Civil Service was abolished and replaced with the Sri Lanka Administrative Service. Weerakoon after 10 years of service in the SLAS, became a Class 1 SLAS Officer.

In 1957, Weerakoon entered the Tellijawila Central College, where he successfully completed the H.S.C. (Higher School Certificate). He was ranked 40th from the country and entered the University of Ceylon in 1959.

Weerakoon was educated at Weerakatiya Central School, where he passed the S.S.C (Senior School Certificate) in English Medium 1st Shy. Weerakoon was the only student to do so in Hambantota District in 1956.