[1] Educated at Maris Stella College, Negombo; Perera gained a BA honours degree in history from the University of Colombo and starting work in the Department of National Archives as the Assistant Government Archivist.
[1] After becoming an Advocate, he joined the Port Cargo Corporation, where he served as the Board Secretary and Legal Officer.
[1] In July 1983, Perera became a Member of Parliament from the Kaduwela electorate succeeding M. D. H. Jayawardena and was appointed acting District Minister of Polonnaruwa in October 1983.
He contested from the Attanagalla electorate in the 1989 parliamentary elections and was re-elected to parliament and served as Minister State of Science and Technology from 1989 to 1990, when he was promoted to Non-Cabinet Minister of Science and Technology by President Ranasinghe Premadasa.
He was a Working Committee Member of the United National Party in 1973 and active in politics until his final illness and death in August 2007.