News
Lanka-born Dr Hareen de Silva has been honoured with British Empire Medal at Queen’s Birthday Honours
Lanka born Dr Hareen de Silva has been honoured with a British Empire Medal at the Queen’s Birthday Honours for his work as a Nightingale doctor on the frontline of the coronavirus response.
A report published by the Ford Recorder, quoted Dr. De Silva, a General Practitioner (GP), who was at the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic, as an NHS Nightingale doctor as being surprised and humbled to be awarded a British Empire Medal.
Dr Hareen De Silva, who lives in Barkingside, was among those included on the delayed Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
During his career, the 35-year-old has volunteered as a street doctor offering care to the homeless in Doncaster, during his lunch break in between morning and afternoon surgeries, and worked as a doctor for charity The Kids Village in Costa Rica.
He was set to support a charity expedition with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in Gough Island, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean earlier this year.
As the impact of the pandemic was becoming clear, he applied to work on the frontline at NHS Nightingale in the ITU department, knowing the job would take him away from his family and put himself at risk as a BAME doctor.
Dr De Silva told the Recorder: “When I heard I had been nominated for the honours it came out of left field and I was really surprised and humbled.
“I haven’t done any more than other GPs have done and I don’t feel I deserve this any more than all the regular GPs in hospitals.”
Dr De Silva, who is from Sri Lanka, described his family as “big backers” of the royal family and said “my overwhelming thoughts are that I am proud to be an immigrant to have been awarded the honour”.
Once his contract finished at NHS Nightingale in May, he worked for the NHS Track and Trace service before returning to frontline GP work.
He now sees most patients remotely through telephone and video calls as well as some house calls.
He said: “Overnight general practices have become technically savvy to continue treating our patients but there are still plenty of challenges.”
As coronavirus cases are shooting up again he said he was apprehensive about the second wave.
“The NHS did well to cope with it the first time around but now we have the extra hurdle of flu season.
“A lot of this now depends on how society responds and follows through with it but I have hope.”
Once the pandemic is over Dr. De Silva hopes to continue his charitable work as a doctor in a refugee camp in Greece.
As part of the official visit to London for the 43rd Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Board of Governors Meeting 2026, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, held discussions with academic experts from the British Council on Wednesday [20 May 2026].
The discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in education, particularly in the areas of teacher training, English language programmes, education frameworks, and language acquisition skills.
The British Council shared international experience and highlighted its ongoing engagement in Sri Lanka, while expressing readiness to support the country through technical assistance, teacher development initiatives, and policy collaboration.
Discussions also included views on improving quality assurance, expanding research collaboration, and enhancing learning opportunities.
The Prime Minister appreciated the British Council’s continued engagement in Sri Lanka and reiterated the importance of deepening partnerships.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division’
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who is currently on an official visit to the United Kingdom, met with members of the Sri Lankan community living in London on Wednesday [20th] and engaged in cordial discussions.
Despite the event being held on a weekday, it was notable that nearly one thousand Sri Lankans representing the Sinhala, Tamil, and Muslim communities attended with great enthusiasm.
Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that despite natural disasters and international crises, the present government has succeeded in stabilizing the country’s economy while providing relief to the people. She further noted that Sri Lanka’s political culture has now undergone a positive transformation that is irreversible.
Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Paulraj, addressing the event, stated that a governance system has now been established in the country where all communities are treated equally and the benefits of economic development are shared fairly among all citizens.
Moving away from the traditional method of political gatherings, the event also provided an open platform for members of the Sri Lankan community to directly raise questions and express their views to the Prime Minister and the Minister.
Commenting on the organization of the event, the organizing committee stated that all expenses, including dinner, were borne by the participants themselves. The organizers further remarked that it is unsurprising that opposition groups, accustomed to organizing such events through the misuse of public funds, appear unsettled by this transparent process.
The occasion was attended by the Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Paulraj and Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Nimal Senadheera.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya currently undertaking an official visit to London, United Kingdom, to participate in the 43rd Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Board of Governors Meeting 2026 held a bilateral meeting with the Yvette Cooper MP, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom ON Wednesday [20]. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Nimal Senadheera, along with officials from the Sri Lankan High Commission.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister conveyed Sri Lanka’s appreciation to the United Kingdom for the support extended in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwa, including ongoing rebuilding and recovery assistance. The Prime Minister also commended the United Kingdom’s support in facilitating increased bilateral trade and exports for Sri Lanka.
The Prime Minister briefed the UK delegation on Sri Lanka’s recent economic developments and policy priorities, the Government’s commitment to advancing human rights and reconciliation, as well as Sri Lanka’s positive growth trajectory.
The two sides also exchanged views on current global geopolitical developments, challenges in the energy sector, and the importance of enhancing regional connectivity and long-term energy security.
Both sides also emphasised the importance of strengthening structured academic mobility frameworks while ensuring fairness, clarity, and integrity within migration systems.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries in areas of mutual interest.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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