Ministry of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources Sector

Hon. Piyal Nishantha de Silva

State Minister

State Ministry of Fisheries

H. M. Piyal Nishantha De Silva (born 30th June 1970) is a Sri Lankan politician and a member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka.

Education

Piyal Nishantha received his primary and secondary education at Aluthgama National School, Aluthgama. After that, he followed a diploma course at the Distance Learning Centre and became a teacher in Visual and Performing Arts in 1993.

Political Career

Piyal Nishantha began his political career in 1996 being elected as the Secretary of Sri Lanka Freedom Party in Kaluwamodara Grama Niladari Division. In 1997 he was elected to the Beruwala Pradeesheeya Sabha and became the Chairman of the Beruwala Pradeesheeya Sabha in 2006.

In 2009 he was elected to the Western Province Provincial Council. In 2015 he entered parliament for the first time representing the United People's Freedom Alliance from Kalutara District.

He also contested at the 2020 parliamentary election representing the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna and was elected to the 16^th Parliament of Sri Lanka. On 12^th August 2020, he was appointed as the State Minister of Women and Child Development, Pre-School & Primary Education, School Infrastructure & Education Services as a part of the first cabinet of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

On 08^th September 2022, he was appointed as the State Minister of Fisheries under the second cabinet of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

• 2020 Member of the 16^th Parliament of Sri Lanka

• 2015 Member of the 15^th Parliament of Sri Lanka

• 2014 Member of Western Province Provincial Council

• 2009 Member of Western Province Provincial Council

• 2006 Chairman, Beruwala Pradeesheeya Sabha

• 2001 Leader of the Opposition, Beruwala Pradeesheeya Sabha

• 1997 Member of Beruwala Pradeesheeya Sabha

• 1996 Secretary of Sri Lanka Freedom Party, Kaluwamodara GN Division