Miss Universe Sri Lanka (formerly known as Miss Ceylon) is a national pageant in Sri Lanka to choose ambassador for the Miss Universe pageant.
History
Miss Sri Lanka identified in 1953 with Manel Illangakoon of Colombo and became the oldest national pageant in Sri Lanka.[1] The name of Sri Lanka previously named as British Ceylon between 1902 and 1948 then made an independence in 1948 as Ceylon. In 1953 was the first beauty pageant era in Sri Lanka by its government in Colombo. The first Miss Ceylon went to Miss World and debuted at Miss Universe in 1955 with Maureen Neliya Hingert of Colombo.[2]
In 1973 Ceylon changed its name as Sri Lanka as permanent. Miss Sri Lanka crowned national winner to Miss Universe and also runners-up to Miss World, Miss International and Miss Asia Pacific International.
In 1997 beauty pageant in Sri Lanka had separated and did not exist at Miss Universe until 2004 where Sri Lanka had no national franchise holder in that period. Shivanthini Dharmasiri is the last Miss Sri Lanka between 1953 and 1996.[3]
In 2005 twelve finalists competed for the title.[4] The pageant nowadays is in under Mrs. Rosita Wickramasinghe and sponsoring in different companies per year.[5][6]
Beginning in 2024, Nirmal Bandara took over the Miss Universe license in Sri Lanka.[citation needed]
Rosita Wickramasinghe directorship — a franchise holder to Miss Universe between 2005 and 2018
Did not compete between 2019 and 2023
2018
Ornella Mariam Jayshree Gunesekere
Unplaced
Miss Congeniality
Ornella was 3rd Runner-up at Miss Supranational 2016, Top 10 and Miss Popular Vote at Miss Grand International 2015 and Top 15 and Miss Friendship at Miss Tourism International 2011.
2017
Christina Peiris
Top 16
Crowned in special event after the annual Miss Sri Lanka did not recruit candidates to make a batch.
Rosita Wickramasinghe directorship — a franchise holder to Miss International between 2005 and 2018: Below is the list of Miss International Sri Lanka winners under Miss Sri Lanka Organization between 2005 and 2018, Rosita directorship. Began 2019 an independent pageant, Miss International Sri Lanka selected the winner to Miss International.
Miss Sri Lanka Organization did not send any representatives to Miss International since 2019—present
Miss Sri Lanka 1985: Bartholomeusz died on 30 June 1987 at the age of 20 when she allegedly jumped out of the car while Kamal Addararachchi was driving it after a dispute. Exact details are unknown.
