Lalith Kotelawala

Lalith Kotelawala
Born	Jeewaka Lalith Bhupendra Kotelawala (1938-10-29)29 October 1938 Colombo, British Ceylon
Died	21 October 2023(2023-10-21) (aged 84) Colombo, Sri Lanka
Other names	Lalith Kotelawala
Alma mater	Royal College Colombo
Title	Deshamanya
Spouse	Sicille Kotelawala
Parent(s)	Justin Kotelawala, Millicent Kotelawala
Relatives	John Kotelawala Sam Peter Christopher Fernando

Deshmanya Jeewaka Lalith Bhupendra Kotelawala (29 October 1938 – 21 October 2023) was a Sri Lankan businessman, who was the chairman of Ceylinco Consolidated and also was the founding chairman of Seylan Bank.[1] He was listed in the 2007 Sri Lanka Richest List.[2] He was remanded for the misappropriation of 26 billion rupees of investments from the failed Golden Key Credit Card Company .[3][4][5]

Early life and education

Lalith Kotelawala was born to Senator Justin Kotelawala, a Ceylonese politician and businessman, and Millicent Kotelawala nee de Silva, daughter of Sir Arthur Marcelles de Silva, a leading surgeon. He was educated at Royal College, Colombo and studied chartered accountancy in the UK.[6] He was the nephew of Sir John Kotelawala, the third prime minister of Ceylon.[7]

Career

Taking over Ceylinco Consolidated from his father in the 1960s, Kotelawala expanded the group into new fields including banking, non-banking finance, investment banking, housing and property development, travel and leisure, communication and information technology, education and healthcare and microfinance.[8] He also founded a peace initiative in Sri Lanka, three years after being wounded in a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam attack in 1996.[9][10]

Personal life and death

Lalith was married to Sicille Kotelawala (née Fernando), the daughter of Sam Peter Christopher Fernando.[6]

Lalith Kotelawala died in Colombo on 21 October 2023, at the age of 84.[11]

Awards and honours

• Kotelawala was awarded an honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree by the University of Sri Jayewardenepura
• The title Deshmanya by the Government of Sri Lanka in 1994
• The title Deshabandu by the Government of Sri Lanka in 1991
• Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute
• Honorary fellow of the Institute of Bankers

References

1. admin (25 May 2015). "Milestones". www.seylan.lk. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
2. News Image 32095 - Richest People in Sri Lanka - 2008
3. "Swindlers list". Archived from the original on 17 August 2019. Retrieved 13 March 2009.
4. Dilemma of depositors
5. "Around The World With 'Ceylinco' Kotelawala". Archived from the original on 16 June 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
6. Lalith Kotelawela to celebrate 69th birthday tomorrow
7. The saga of the Kotelawala family
8. Business with philanthropy - Dr Lalith Kotelawala Sri Lankan Times - 13 November 2006
9. Colombo man courts death for partnership with peace Indian Express - 15 August 1999
10. Lalith Kotelawela bares his heart
11. Businessman Lalith Kotelawala passes away at 84