Bernard Tilakaratna, SLOS (1927–2004) was a senior diplomat and bureaucrat of the Sri Lankan government. He was an ambassador to many countries and prior to retirement was the permanent secretary to Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He was born on 8 December 1927 in Sri Lanka and schooled at St Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia. He then enrolled into the University of Ceylon, where he obtained his B.A. Degree.
He joined the Ceylon Foreign Service in May 1951. In various capacities, he served in the Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry and missions abroad.
Tilakaratna was in India during the height of the terrorist conflict in Sri Lanka and had to negotiate with the Indian Government on many occasions. In Thimphu, Bhutan, he attended peace talks with the terrorist organisation, Liberation Tamil Tigers Eelam (LTTE)
He was appointed as Foreign Secretary to the Ministry of Sri Lanka, which he served under President Ranasinghe Premadasa.[1] He was the first Foreign Secretary to be appointed from the ranks of career diplomats of the Sri Lanka Foreign Service.
He has two daughters and a son. The elder daughter, Mrs. Shiranthi Wimalaguna is married to Dr.Dharmapala Wimalaguna and resides in Australia. The younger daughter, Mrs.Krishanthi Weerakoon is married to Mr.Esala Weerakoon who is the former Secretary General of SAARC. Esala Weerakoon is the son of another well-known Sri Lankan civil servant,Mr. Bradman Weerakoon. His son Prasanna Tilakaratna is an Anaesthetist and resides in the UK.
He died on 30 September 2004 from a long-standing illness (Lymphoma).