Niluka Ekanayake

Niluka Ekanayake
නිලූකා ඒකනායක
நிலுகா ஏகநாயக்க
Chairperson of the State Timber Corporation
Incumbent
Assumed office
9 January 2019
PresidentMaithripala Sirisena
9th Governor of Sabaragamuwa Province
In office
12 April 2018 – 31 December 2018
PresidentMaithripala Sirisena
Preceded byMarshal Perera
Succeeded byDhamma Dissanayake
10th Governor of Central Province
In office
17 March 2016 – 11 April 2018
PresidentMaithripala Sirisena
Preceded bySurangani Ellawala
Succeeded byReginald Cooray
Personal details
NationalitySri Lankan
Occupationpolitician and astrologer

Niluka Ekanayake (Sinhala: නිලූකා ඒකනායක; Tamil: நிலுகா ஏகநாயக்க) is a Sri Lankan politician and astrologer. She was appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena from 17 March 2016 to 11 April 2018 as the 10th Governor of Central Province.[1][2][3] She was also appointed as the 9th Governor of Sabaragamuwa Province, from 12 April 2018 to 31 December 2018.[4] In January 2019 she was appointed as the Chairman of the State Timber Corporation (STC).[5][6][7]

She is the first LGBTQ+ person and the first transgender woman to hold the office of Governor in a Sri Lankan Province, and is considered to be the first openly transgender head of a government in the world.[8]

  1. ^ "When the President saw stars". The Sunday Leader. 24 December 2006. Archived from the original on 8 June 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  2. ^ "Niluka Ekanayake sworn in as CP Governor". Ada Derana. 17 March 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  3. ^ "Newly-appointed Central Province Governor pays homage to Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic". News First Ltd. 13 April 2016. Archived from the original on 20 June 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  4. ^ "New Governors take oaths before President Sirisena". sundaytimes.lk. The Sunday Times. 12 April 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  5. ^ "Reginald to head Gems & Jewelry Authority, Niluka to head STC". Dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  6. ^ "Reginald Cooray and Niluka Ekanayake given new posts". Archived from the original on 2019-08-02. Retrieved 2019-07-17.
  7. ^ "Niluka Ekanayake appointed as STC Chairman - Sri Lanka Latest News". Newsfirst.lk. January 10, 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  8. ^ "Maha Sanga Protests Appointment Of First Transgender Governor". colombotelegraph.com. Colombo Telegraph. 26 March 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2018.