Former State Minister Lohan Ratwatte has passed away at the age of 57.

The former parliamentarian had reportedly passed away while receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo.

Born on 22 June 1968, Lohan Evindra Ratwatte was a prominent Sri Lankan politician. 

He had previously served as the State Minister of Gem and Jewellery Related Industries and as State Minister for Prison Management and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation. He was a former Member of Parliament representing the Kandy District.

Ratwatte was first elected to the Central Provincial Council in 2009 and subsequently to Parliament in the 2010 Sri Lankan parliamentary election, representing the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) from Kandy.

In 2012, he was appointed SLFP Chief Organizer of Pathadumbara by then President Mahinda Rajapaksa, succeeding his father, General Anuruddha Ratwatte. He also served as the State Minister of Road Development.

He was re-elected in the 2015 and 2020 parliamentary elections. 

In 2020, he was appointed State Minister of Gem and Jewellery Related Industries and, in December 2020, was given the additional portfolio of State Minister of Prison Management and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation, a position he resign from in September 2021 following allegations of threatening prisoners at gunpoint.