Ranil Jayawardena, a British national of Sri Lankan origin, last week was appointed as UK’s Trade Minister by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. With this appointment, Jayawardena becomes the first British national of Sri Lankan origin to hold a portfolio in the UK Government. Jayawardena has been the Member of Parliament for North East Hampshire since 2015. He announced on Wednesday (6) that he was asked by the Prime Minister to join the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State of the Department for International Trade. “It’s a great privilege to have been asked by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to serve as a Department for International Trade Minister at this crucial time,” Jayawardena tweeted. “I look forward to working with Trade Secretary Liz Truss to underpin the Government’s agenda for ‘Global Britain’. Much to do...trade, investment, growth.” However, interest in Jayawardena’s roots in Sri Lanka has grown since his appointment to a high post in the British Government. Jayawardena’s ancestry begins in the Galle District, in Baddegama to be precise. One of his relatives, Somadasa Abeywickrama has posted on Facebook about Jayawardena’s ancestry while wishing him the best of luck in the new appointment. Following is the English translation of Abeywickrama’s post on FB in Sinhala: “Don Thepanis Alwis Abeywickrama (Godiwatte Loku Mahaththaya), who was born in Godiwatte in Nayaapamulla, Baddegama, was the first Sinhalese to open a tea factory in the area, known as the Godiwatte Tea Factory. “It was a foreigner named Maha Boman who first brought a car to Baddegama and the second car witnessed by the people in the area was purchased by Don Thepanis Alwis Abeywickrama. Don Thepanis had five sons – Andrew, Simon, Henry, Arthur, and Vincent. He also had seven daughters. “Three of the sons held the chairmanship of the Baddegama Gam Sabha at the time. Three of the sons become vice ministers while one became a cabinet minister. Another son was among the first five Sri Lankan engineers. Two of Thepanis’ sons-in-laws also became chairmen of the Gam Sabha. “One of Thepanis Abeywickrama’s daughters, Daisy Abeywickrama, got married to a planter named Henry Jayawardena from Madurawela in Anguruwathota. He was also the Chairman of the Mungwatte Bage Paththuwa Gam Sabha at the time. Henry and Daisy had four sons – Lakshman, Asoka, Nalin, and Ananda – and two daughters – Mallika and Devika. “In 1978, Nalin Jayawardena travelled to the UK where he married a lady named Indira (of Indian origin). Nalin Jayawardena later worked his way to serve as a magistrate in the UK. Nalin and Indira had three children and the son born on 3 September 1986 was named Ranil Malcolm Jayawardena.” About four year ago, after retiring from courts, Nalin Jayawardena had visited Sri Lanka on a holiday. During his visit, he had travelled to Anguruwathota, Madurawela as well as Baddegama to meet his relatives. In January 2018, Ranil had also visited Sri Lanka and met his relatives in Baddegama. On 5 January 2018, Ranil had spent the most part of his day with his relatives in Baddegama. According to Somadasa Abeywickrama, a lunch was organised on his behalf in Baddegama. Ranil had arrived with his colleagues. “The lunch was organised by one of Don Thepanis’ grandsons, Ananda de Lanerolle, and I being another one of his grandsons attended the event,” Abeywickrema stated, adding: “One of Ananda de Lanerolle’s sons, Kanishka de Lanerolle, also participated in the lunch.” During his visit with the Baddegama relatives, Ranil had expressed his desire to see the ancestral house where his grandmother was born.