{{Short description|Sri Lankan civil servant}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}} {{Use British English|date=July 2017}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Austin Fernando | native_name = | native_name_lang = | honorific_suffix = SLAS | image = | image_size = | order1 = | office1 = Secretary to the President of Sri Lanka | term_start1 = 1 July 2017 | term_end1 = 5 July 2018 | president1 = Maithripala Sirisena | predecessor1 = P. B. Abeykoon | successor1 = | order2 = 2nd | office2 = Governor of the Eastern Province | term_start2 = 27 January 2015 | term_end2 = 1 July 2017 | predecessor2 = Mohan Wijewickrama | successor2 = Rohitha Bogollagama | order3 = | office3 = Member of the Constitutional Council | term_start3 = 23 January 2026 | term_end3 = | predecessor3 = | successor3 = | birth_date = | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | citizenship = | party = | other_party = | spouse = | partner = | relations = | children = | alma_mater = University of Ceylon, Peradeniya | occupation = | profession = Civil servant | website = | footnotes = | blank1 = Ethnicity | data1 = Sinhalese }} '''Kalupage Austin Fernando''' is a Sri Lankan civil servant and the current Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India. He had previously served as Secretary to the President of Sri Lanka, Defence Secretary, and Governor of the Eastern Province.
==Early life and education== Fernando was educated at Richmond College, Galle.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Abeywardena|first1=Hemantha|title=Austin Fernando: a model civil servant as new presidential advisor|url=http://www.asiantribune.com/node/86236|accessdate=4 July 2017|work=Asian Tribune|date=16 January 2015}}</ref> After school, he joined the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya where he graduated with a B.A. degree.<ref name="DN230708">{{cite news|title=Austin Fernando's reminiscences in controversial new book|url=http://archives.dailynews.lk/2008/07/23/art03.asp|accessdate=4 July 2017|work=Daily News|date=23 July 2008|location=Colombo, Sri Lanka}}</ref> He later received an M.B.A. degree from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.<ref name="DN230708"/>
==Career== Fernando taught at Nagoda Royal National College for a period of time before joining the Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS).<ref name="DN230708"/><ref>{{cite news|last1=Miranda|first1=Sujitha|title=Nagoda Royal's triumphs adds beauty and value to the village|url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/130217/education/nagoda-royals-triumphs-adds-beauty-and-value-to-the-village-33179.html|accessdate=4 July 2017|work=The Sunday Times|date=17 February 2013|location=Colombo, Sri Lanka}}</ref> He was Government Agent for Polonnaruwa District and Nuwara Eliya District.<ref name="DN230708"/> He was later Commissioner of Cooperative Development and Postmaster General.<ref name="DN230708"/> He was then secretary at the Ministry of Rehabilitation and Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, and Provincial Councils.<ref name="DN230708"/> He was a consultant to the United Nations before being appointed Defence Secretary in December 2001.<ref name="DN230708"/>
Newly elected President Maithripala Sirisena appointed Fernando as a presidential adviser on 15 January 2015.<ref>{{cite news|title=Austin Fernando appointed as Presidential advisor|url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/61321/austin-ranavirajah-karunaratne-new-presidential-advisors|accessdate=4 July 2017|work=The Daily Mirror|date=15 January 2015|location=Colombo, Sri Lanka}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Weerasinghe |first1=Chamikara |title=Three Presidential advisers appointed |url=http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=local/three-presidential-advisers-appointed |work=Daily News |date=18 January 2015 |location=Colombo, Sri Lanka |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150208155952/http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=local%2Fthree-presidential-advisers-appointed |archivedate=8 February 2015 }}</ref> He was thereafter appointed Governor of the Eastern Province on 27 January 2015.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.documents.gov.lk/Extgzt/2015/PDF/Feb/1900_09/1900_09%20E.pdf |date=2 February 2015 |title=PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Appointments & c., by the President |journal=The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary |volume=1900/09 |location=Colombo, Sri Lanka |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150208150847/http://www.documents.gov.lk/Extgzt/2015/PDF/Feb/1900_09/1900_09%20E.pdf |archivedate=8 February 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Austin, Ellawala new Governors|url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/62233/six-new-governors-sworn-in|accessdate=4 July 2017|work=The Daily Mirror|date=27 January 2015|location=Colombo, Sri Lanka}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Six Provincial Governors take oaths|url=http://www.nation.lk/edition/breaking-news/item/37782-six-provincial-governors-take-oaths.html|accessdate=4 July 2017|work=The Nation|date=27 January 2015|location=Colombo, Sri Lanka|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307032653/http://www.nation.lk/edition/breaking-news/item/37782-six-provincial-governors-take-oaths.html|archive-date=7 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> He resigned in order to become Secretary to the President of Sri Lanka on 1 July 2017 which he held till 5 July 2018.<ref>{{cite news|title=Austin President's Secy., Bogollagama Eastern Governor|url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Austin-President-s-Secy-Bogollagama-Eastern-Governor-132123.html|accessdate=4 July 2017|work=The Daily Mirror|date=4 July 2017|location=Colombo, Sri Lanka}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Yapa|first1=Ayshwarya|title=Austin Fernando sworn in as Presidential Secretary|url=http://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=41707|accessdate=4 July 2017|work=Ada Derana|date=4 July 2017|location=Colombo, Sri Lanka}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.documents.gov.lk/files/egz/2017/7/2027-36_E.pdf|date=13 July 2017|title=PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Appointments & C., by the President|journal=The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary|volume=2027/36|location=Colombo, Sri Lanka}}</ref> Fernando was appointed to the Constitutional Council in 2026.<ref>https://www.newsfirst.lk/2026/01/23/new-civil-society-members-appointed-to-constitutional-council</ref>
==Writings== Fernando is the author of ''My Belly is White: Reminiscences of a Peacetime Secretary of Defence''.<ref>{{cite news|last1=de Mel|first1=Tara|title=When peace was given a chance|url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/080727/Plus/sundaytimesplus_14.html|accessdate=4 July 2017|work=The Sunday Times|date=27 July 2008|location=Colombo, Sri Lanka}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=David|first1=Marianne|title=A Man of Peace|url=http://www.nation.lk/2008/07/13/special1.htm|accessdate=4 July 2017|work=The Nation|date=13 July 2008|location=Colombo, Sri Lanka|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303224734/http://www.nation.lk/2008/07/13/special1.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==See also== *List of Sri Lankan non-career diplomats
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Mohan Wijewickrama}} {{s-ttl|title=Governor of Eastern Province|years=2015–2017}} {{s-aft|after=Rohitha Bogollagama}} {{s-end}}
{{Governors of Eastern Province}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fernando, Austin}} Category:Alumni of Richmond College, Galle Category:Alumni of the University of Ceylon (Peradeniya) Category:Alumni of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura Category:Government Agents (Sri Lanka) Category:Governors of Eastern Province, Sri Lanka Category:High commissioners of Sri Lanka to India Category:Living people Category:Permanent secretaries of Sri Lanka Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:Sinhalese people Category:Sri Lankan teachers Category:Year of birth missing (living people)