Ambassador - designate of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation with accreditation to Armenia, Belarus, Moldova and Uzbekistan, Prof. M.D. Lamawansa assumed duties at the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Moscow on 5 June 2020.
Even though Ambassador-designate had arrived in Moscow on 21st May 2020, he officially assumed duties after undergoing a mandatory quarantine for 2 weeks due to COVID-19.

Upon his arrival at the Embassy, Ambassador Lamawansa was welcomed and greeted by the staff. His assumption of duties was marked by a simple ceremony, which commenced with the offering of flowers by the Ambassador to the Lord Buddha Statue and ended with serving traditional Sri Lankan milk rice and sweets.
Speaking on the occasion H.E Prof. M.D. Lamawansa appreciated the officials of the Ministry of Foreign Relations in Sri Lanka for facilitating his arrival during the pandemic. He underlined that relations established between Sri Lanka and Russia over the decades had always been healthy and friendly. Prof. M.D. Lamawansa highlighted the pressing issues and the actions to be taken by the Mission to further strengthen and expand encompassing all areas of interest. Prof. Lamawansa emphasized that it is equally important to maintain close relationship with all the countries of accreditation. Ambassador also mentioned that "communication, coordination of actions, cooperation and commitment and working according to a plan" would serve the key instruments so that no field remains unattended. He further added that valid agreements signed between the countries to be studied carefully and actions to be taken to execute them without delay.
Native of Matara district, Southern Province, graduate (with honours) of University of Ruhuna Faculty of Medicine, H. E. Prof. Meegahalande Durage Lamawansa became a surgeon of international renown in the high-end sphere of transplantology, combining medical practice with specialised research, university teaching and senior administrative positions throughout his career. H. E. Prof. M. D. Lamawansa had his MS from University of Colombo, PhD of the University of Western Australia, Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh, UK. He was awarded with the title of Fellow of College of Surgeons of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan (Honoris Causa) and Association of Surgeons of India (Honoris Causa). He has worked in Australia for three years and England for one and half years to enhance his research and surgical skills.
Prof. M. D. Lamawansa is a Past President of College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka and is the current President of SAARC Surgical Care Society (2020/2021). He is the Professor of Surgery and former Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya. Before his current Ambassadorial appointment, Prof. Lamawansa was the Founding Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Wayamba University, and Consultant General Surgeon at the Teaching Hospital of Peradeniya. Professor Lamawansa authored and contributed to major research publications in several areas of surgery as well as in public health care. He presented papers at over 100 international and national research conferences, including 20 where he was the keynote speaker.
In January 2020, Professor M. D. Lamawansa was nominated by His Excellency Gotabaya Rajapaksa, President of Sri Lanka, for the post of Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Russian Federation, with concurrent accreditation to the Republic of Armenia, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Moldova and Republic of Uzbekistan.