He served as 18th Diyawadana Nilame (chief lay custodian) of the Sri Dalada Maligawa, Kandy for 20 years from 1985 to 2005.

Following his father's footsteps, he was elected Diyawadana Nilame (chief lay custodian) of the Sri Dalada Maligawa, Kandy in March 1985 and served for a total of 20 years, until 2005, being re-elected once again in May 1995.

He set up the Dalada Museum, which houses a historic collection of artifacts related to the Temple of the Tooth and Buddhism in Sri Lanka.

[10] During his tenure, he maintained close links with Japanese, Chinese, Thai and Myanmar religious dignitaries and played a major role in promoting Sri Lanka's Buddhist heritage.

[13] He is married to Devika Mediwake, daughter of Dr Laxminath and Chintha Mediwake, and granddaughter of William Gopallawa (first president of Sri Lanka) and has two children, a daughter Mokshana Nerandika Wijeyeratne (Senior environmental specialist) The World Bank, Headquarters at Washington, D.C. United States of America.