[1] As the native headmen system became an integral part of the administration of the island under the successive European colonial powers, namely the Portuguese Empire, the Dutch East India Company and the British Empire; the colonial governors appointed a Head Mudaliyar from among the many mudaliyars.
The last holder of the post was Sir James Peter Obeyesekere II, who held office from 1928 until his death in 1968 with no new head mudaliyars appointed thereafter.
He was of the most popular and influential Maha Mudaliyars of Ceylon whose property was later donated to Rahula College, Matara.
With his retirement, his cousin Don Juan Ilangakoon succeeded him as the Maha Mudaliyar for a brief period and then his son Don David Ilangakoon succeeded as the Maha Mudaliyar of Ceylon and was in office at the time of the British takeover from the Dutch.
It was during this time, the then Govorner of Ceylon, Sir Frederick North was warned by the Dutch about the enormous influence of the De Saram-Ilangakoon-Bandaranayake-Obeyesekere family Dynasty.