Mallika de Mel

{{Short description|Sri Lankan politician (1932–2009)}} {{More footnotes needed|date=August 2019}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = Hon. | name = Mallika de Mel | image = | caption = | office = | term_start = | term_end = | predecessor = | successor = | constituency_MP1 = Matara electorate | parliament1 = Sri Lankan | term_start1 = 2000 | term_end1 = 2004 | predecessor1 = | successor1 = | order1 = | birth_date = | birth_place = | death_date = October 2009 | death_place = | spouse = Ronnie de Mel | party = United National Party | occupation = Social worker | birth_name = Mallika Fernando | relations = Sir Leo Fernando (father) | children = 3 (Sunalini, Tara, Renuka) }}

'''Mallika de Mel''' ({{nee}} Fernando; 17 January 1932<ref name="Parliament of Sri Lanka - Hon. (Mrs.) MRS. MALLIKA DE MEL, M.P.">{{cite web |title=Hon. (Mrs.) MRS. MALLIKA DE MEL, M.P. |url=https://www.parliament.lk/en/component/members/viewMember/283?Itemid=206 |website=Parliament of Sri Lanka |access-date=12 August 2019|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250920183120/https://www.parliament.lk/en/component/members/viewMember/283?Itemid=206|archive-date=20 September 2025}}</ref> – October 2009) was a Sri Lankan social worker and politician. She was a Member of Parliament from the Matara electorate from 2001 to 2004.<ref name="DN1">{{cite news |title=Death of Mallika De Mel |url=http://archives.dailynews.lk/2009/10/13/news36.asp |access-date=12 August 2019 |work=Daily News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=R. |first1=Rajaratnam |title=Appreciation Mallika Lakshmi de Mel |url=http://www.island.lk/2009/10/25/features8.html |access-date=12 August 2019 |publisher=Island|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170620091901/https://island.lk/2009/10/25/features8.html|archive-date=20 June 2017}}</ref>

Mallika Fernando, was born to Sir Leo Fernando and Lady Irene Fernando. Her father was one of the wealthiest businessmen of his time and a member of parliament. She married Ronnie de Mel, who was a member of the Ceylon Civil Service and would later enter politics, having been elected to parliament from the Matara electorate and went on to serve as Minister of Finance from 1977 to 1988. The couple had three children.<ref name="DN1"/>

An active social worker, she was a principal trustee of the Ruhuna University Trust and was noted for securing the release of Rohana Wijeweera in 1977. Mallika Fernando succeeded her husband's seat in the 2001 parliamentary elections, entering parliament from the United National Party. She turned down the party nomination for re-election due to health issues.<ref name="DN1"/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ratwatte, Mallika}} Category:Sri Lankan Buddhists Category:Members of the 12th Parliament of Sri Lanka Category:United National Party politicians Category:Women legislators in Sri Lanka  Category:2009 deaths Category:1932 births