The newly-appointed Sri Lanka Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand C.A. Chaminda I. Colonne assumed duties on 1 March, at the Sri Lanka Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand [concurrently accredited to the Kingdom of Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP)].
During the occasion Buddhist, Hindu, Christian and Islamic religious observances were conducted by Ven. Prof. Walmoruwe Piyarathna Thero, Rev. Krishnamoorthy Sivasubramanian, Rev. Worawut Saraphan and Rev. Sittirath Wacharapisudhi respectively.
Chaminda Colonne is a career diplomat, who joined the Sri Lankan Foreign Service in 1998.
Prior to being appointed as Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand, she served as Director General of the Middle East of the Foreign Ministry (2018-2021) and Director General of Middle East and Africa of the Ministry of Foreign Relations (2016-2018).
Her posts in Sri Lanka included, Director General of Africa (2011-2013), Director of Africa (2008-2011) of the Ministry of External Affairs, Deputy Director of Economic Affairs (2004-2005), Deputy Director of Consular Affairs (2003-2004) and Assistant Director of Political Affairs – East (1998-2000) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Her overseas posts included Minister/Deputy Chief of Mission of the Sri Lanka Embassy in Berlin, Germany with concurrent accreditation to Switzerland (2013-2016), Counsellor of Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi, India (2005-2008) and First Secretary/Second Secretary of the Sri Lanka Embassy in Moscow, Russia (2000-2003).
During her tenure as Counsellor at the Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi, she also served as the Secretary of the India-Sri Lanka Foundation.
She holds a Bachelor of Science (Zoology Special) from the University of Colombo and served as a member of academic staff of the Faculty of Science, University of Colombo (1996-1998), prior to joining the Sri Lanka Foreign Service.
She is also a past pupil of Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo, Sri Lanka. She is married to Stephen Senanayake, a Sri Lankan Government officer. Her hobbies include bird watching, preservation of wildlife, biodiversity and archaeological sites.
(FT)