[1] A career civil servant in the Ceylon Civil Service, he served as Secretary to the Treasury, Cabinet Secretary and Governor of the Central Bank of Ceylon before apportionment as a Cabinet Minister and Senator.

[2] Ranasinghe was educated at S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia and Trinity Hall, Cambridge.

In 1928, he was Promoted to Class 3 officer and served as District Judge in Avissawella and Badulla.

In 1944, he was promoted to class 1 officer and appointed Superintendent of Census and in 1945 he served as Secretary to the D. S. Senanayake, Leader of the State Council of Ceylon on his mission to London to discuss the report by the Soulbury Commission with the Secretary of State for the Colonies and negotiate for self-rule in Ceylon.

In 1947, he was appointed Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands and acting Superintendent of Census.