Richard Pathirana

Dr. Richard Pathirana (24 February 1938, Galle - 3 July 2008, Colombo) was a Sri Lankan politician and educationist. He served as the minister for Education and Higher Education from 1994 to 2000 and as the minister for State Administration, Home Affairs and Administration Reforms from 2000 to 2001 in the cabinets of Chandrika Kumaratunga.

Richard Pathirana was born on February 24, 1938 at Labuduwa, Galle. Having obtained his primary education at Maitipe Vijayaraja College, he obtained his secondary education at Vidyaloka College, Galle. He graduated from the Peradeniya University and obtained his post graduate diploma from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Pathirana was married to Vijitha Pathirage and they had three children. Richard Pathirana was a teacher by profession and his teaching career spanned over 22 years. He initiated his teaching career as a school teacher in 1958 and later became a school principal in 1971. As an educationist, he did a great service for the development of Meepawala Amarasuriya Vidyalaya and Nagoda Royal College in Galle district.

In 1980 he entered politics and became the Akmeemana Sri Lanka Freedom Party organizer. He was first elected to the Parliament in 1983 in the Akmeemana by-election that year. Richard Pathirana served as the Chief Opposition Whip From 1989-1994 in the Sri Lankan parliament and he was the Galle District leader for the Sri Lanka Freedom Party at many elections.

He was re-elected to the Parliament in 1994 and was appointed as the Minister of Education and Higher Education and Chief Government Whip in the People’s Alliance Government of Chandrika Kumaratunga. He was the Leader of the House during 2000 to 2001 and was the minister for State Administration, Home Affairs and Administration Reforms. But later due to ill health, he retired from politics. Richard Pathirana died on July 3, 2008, at the age of 70. His son Dr. Ramesh Pathirana is a current member of the parliament of Sri Lanka.

Dr. Richard Pathirana established the Rajarata, Sabaragamuwa and Wayamba Universities during his tenure as the Higher Education Minister and increased the annual enrollments of students to local universities. He also took measures to double the allocation made for education and took the initiative to resolve the salary anomalies of Sri Lankan teachers as the Education Minister. Minister Pathirana did a yeoman service to uplift the education specially in the rural areas of the country and also developed human resources as well as physical resources in the education sector during his tenure as the education minister.

Dr. Pathirana is the founder of Siridhamma College in Labuduwa, Galle.