H.E. Mr. M.K. Pathma Naathan joined the Sri Lanka Foreign Service in 1996 and has served for nearly three decades in various capacities both at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in Sri Lanka’s diplomatic Missions abroad. Throughout his career, he has held key positions in Colombo and represented Sri Lanka in several countries across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa.

At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he has served as Additional Secretary (Africa and Consular Affairs), Director General of the Overseas Administration Division, Director General of the Economic Affairs Division, and Acting Director General of the Middle East Division. He also served as Assistant Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office and at the Northern Province Development Coordination Unit of the Presidential Secretariat of Sri Lanka.

He has served as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt (with concurrent accreditation to Libya, Algeria, Sudan, Tunisia, Eritrea, and the Kingdom of Morocco) from 2021 to 2024, and as Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman from 2015 to 2019. His earlier diplomatic assignments include postings at the Sri Lanka High Commission in London, the Deputy High Commission in Chennai (India), and the High Commission in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), where he served in senior positions such as Minister, Minister Counsellor, Counsellor, and Head of Chancery.

Mr. Pathma Naathan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics, Political Science, and Sociology from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, and a Postgraduate Degree in International Relations from Annamalai University, India. He is fluent in Sinhala, Tamil, and English, and is married with three children.