Sunni Hanafi Muslims by origin, the Memons are entrepreneurs and traders who settled in Sri Lanka for business opportunities during the colonial period.

Early 1900s, Kathiawar Memon merchants and traders; mainly from Kutiyana, Porbandar and Upleta traveled to Ceylon (in modern Sri Lanka) to trade and exploit business opportunities.

Memon people started the trading route between India and Sri lanka in early 1930s.

Memon merchants brought variety of Indian products to Ceylon (in modern Sri Lanka), it mainly consisted textiles and it was sold in the Colombo Pettah market.

After the riots, extremely affected Memon people from the Kathiawar[1] region were replaced in refugee camps in the bordering cities nearby the State of Gujarat, India.