Who Is Gwen Herat? Religion, Caste, Nationality, Husband, Career and Biography

Gwen Herat, Mother Sri Lanka Women's cricket, was Sri Lankan sports administrator, who brought Sri Lanka women cricket to the main spotlight by supporting it from the grassroot till international level. She passed away in May, 2025, at the age of 93, leaving a legacy behind the world of women's cricket.

The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) gave tribute to her by renaming it's domestic tournament, Major Club Women’s 50-Over Tournament, to the ‘Gwen Herat Memorial Trophy’ starting in 2026. This article will focus on Gwen Herat biography including Gwen Herat Religion and Gwen Herat Career.

Gwen Herat Biography (Wiki)

Gwen Herat was born in August, 1932, as her exact date of birth is not available in the public forum. She was born in Nattandiya, Sri Lanka, and spent her early days there as well. She has worked across various industries from author to actress as well as the President of Puttalam District Women’s Cricket Association and Provincial Councillor with the North Western Province before becoming the Founder of the Women’s Cricket Association of Sri Lanka.

Gwen Herat Religion and Caste

There is no credible information available regarding Gwen Herat religion and caste, whereas there many searches on the web that whether she is catholic or Muslim, but nothing is confirmed. Moreover, she is an author who have shared her perspectives on various faiths, including Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam, that suggests a respect for diverse religious beliefs by her.

Gwen Herat Age

Gwen Herat age was 93 years old when he was passed away. She has contributed a lot to the world of cricket by bringing Sri Lanka women's cricket under spotlight.

Gwen Herat Career

Gwen Herat began her career in field of arts like cinema and writing before her administrative career, where she was a well-known actress under the name Ayesha Weerackoon in the 1950s in the film Prema Tharangaya. Her journey in cricket was ignited when she was part of the Wennappuwa Ladies’ Cricket Club before becoming President of Puttalam District Women’s Cricket Association, serving for almost 5 years.

She pioneered the establishment of the Sri Lanka Women’s Cricket Association in 1996, the same year when SL men's team won the ICC Cricket World Cup. Her main aim was to make women's cricket equal popular to men's cricket in Sri Lanka. She went on to form the Sri Lanka Women’s Cricket Association (SLWCA) and made a major role in merging it with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), one of the richest cricket board in the world.

Gwen Herat Husband

Gwen Herat was married to Harold Herath, a renowned Sri Lankan minister, who worked also worked as under Foreign Affairs Ministry of the country. He passed away at the age of 77 on August 31, 2007. Both Gwen Herat and Harold Herath had three children: Shamara, Avancka, and Parveen.

Gwen Herat Net Worth

As of 2026, there is no verified information about Gwen Herat Net Worth in the public forum. She worked as cricket administrator for Sri Lanka Women's cricket with the only motive of it's betterment and not for monetary purpose. However, as her husband was a minister in Sri Lanka Government, that adds well to her net worth.

Gwen Herat Achievements and Awards

In October 2023, Sri Lanka Cricket honoured Gwen Herat, the “Iron Lady” of Sri Lanka Cricket, with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Under-19 Schools Cricket Awards, recognizing her lifelong commitment to developing women's cricket in the country. Under her guidance, Sri Lankan women’s team participated in three World Cups—1997, 2000, and 2005.

She also negotitated well with the International Women’s Cricket Council to include Sri Lanka in the seventh World Cup in New Zealand in 2000, keeping in mind the legal issues about country's Sports Law. To dedicate her lifelong service, Sri Lanka Cricket renamed its premier women's domestic tournament the Gwen Herat Memorial Trophy in 2026.