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Manoj Rajapaksa (Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Son) Biography: Age, Career, and

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth16 December 1982

Age39 Years (as of 2021)

BirthplaceSri Lanka

ProfessionNASA engineer

NationalitySri Lankan (1982-2003); Sri Lankan American (2003-present)

Marital statusMarried

SpouseSewandhi Liyanarachchi

FamilyFather: Gotabaya Rajapaksa; Mother: Ioma Rajapaksa; Daughter: Dulanya Rajapaksa

Manoj Rajapaksa (Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Son) Biography

Daminda Manoj Rajapaksa is a Sri Lankan-born American engineer who has worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He is the son of former Sri Lankan head‑

Early life and background

Daminda Manoj Rajapaksa was born on 16 December 1982 in Sri Lanka and grew up in Palatuwa, Matara. He completed part of his schooling in the United States, attending Traweek Middle School and Covina High School. He later studied at Duke University and earned a master’s degree in systems engineering from the University of Southern California. His LinkedIn profile lists a double major in electrical engineering and computer science among his academic qualifications.

Career

After completing his studies, Manoj Rajapaksa worked as an engineering consultant for Celcom, a telecommunications company based in Malaysia, from 2013 to 2014. He subsequently joined the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) where he has served as a systems engineer and principal investigator.

In addition to his technical work, he has served on an advisory board for the municipality of the Los Angeles metropolitan area.

Public profile

Manoj Rajapaksa is publicly known both for his professional role in engineering and for his family connection: he is the son of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the eighth president of Sri Lanka, and Ioma Rajapaksa. He is married to Sewandhi Liyanarachchi; the couple have a daughter named Dulanya.

In July 2022, following political and economic turmoil in Sri Lanka and the departure of his parents from the country, Manoj and his residence in California were the focus of demonstrations by some Sri Lankan Americans. Protesters questioned how he had acquired multiple properties in the United States and voiced demands related to his father's conduct while in office. The events drew both criticism and support from different members of the Sri Lankan diaspora.

Personal details

Manoj Rajapaksa holds Sri Lankan citizenship by birth and later became a Sri Lankan American in 2003. Physical details provided in publicly available profiles list him at approximately 177 cm (about 5'10") in height and about 65 kg (143 lbs) in weight, with dark brown eyes and black hair.

Family and residence

He is the only child of Gotabaya and Ioma Rajapaksa. Manoj married Sewandhi Liyanarachchi on 30 June 2011. Publicly available information lists a residence address in Clovis, California.

Latest updates

As of the reporting around mid-2022, Manoj continued his professional association with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Public attention around that time focused on questions raised by members of the Sri Lankan community in the United States regarding property ownership and his family ties to Sri Lanka’s political leadership.
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Recent Work

Systems engineer and principal investigator, Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA)

Worked as a systems engineer and principal investigator at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory after a stint as an engineering consultant at Celcom.

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Career Highlights

  1. Engineering consultant for Celcom (2013–2014)
  2. Systems engineer and principal investigator at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
  3. Member of an advisory board for the Los Angeles metropolitan area municipality
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Manoj Rajapaksa (Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Son) born?

16 December 1982

What is Manoj Rajapaksa (Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Son) known for?

NASA engineer

What is Manoj Rajapaksa (Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Son)’s marital status?

Married

Who is Manoj Rajapaksa (Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Son) married to?

Sewandhi Liyanarachchi