CHATURANGA PRADEEP SAMARAWICKRAMA 
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From rice mills to runways, Sri Lankan rice mill owners aim for luxury jets
Colombo, Feb. 13 (Daily Mirror) - Days after business tycoon and rice mill owner Dudley Sirisena sparked interest by hinting that he wanted to purchase a helicopter for his personal use, another major figure from the country’s agri-business industry Mithrapala Lankeshwara said he plans to purchase a private jet for his travels as well as for commercial use.
Mithrapala Lankeshwara, the rice-mill owner-turned-billionaire behind Rathna Sahal (owner of the Rathna Group of Companies), announced plans to purchase a six- or seven-seater jet aircraft costing billions which would be available for commercial business travel, allowing executives to travel abroad and return within the same day. This idea blurs the line between private luxury and practical business use.
“Any businessman who wishes to travel for business purposes can use this aircraft,” Lankeshwara said, describing the jet as a tool to save time rather than a luxury purchase.
At the Singapore Airshow 2026, Lankeshwara and his team held discussions with Bell Helicopter and inspected the Bell 505 as a possible addition to expand local commercial operations. The talks focused on technical features, performance and suitability for Sri Lankan conditions. These discussions were facilitated by Ceylon Aeronautical Services (CAS), Bell’s independent sales representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
Lankeshwara’s aviation arm, Rathna Aviation, already operates a Robinson R66 Turbine helicopter for commercial services within Sri Lanka, showing that this move is part of a planned expansion rather than a sudden idea.
Just days earlier, the Daily Mirror reported that billionaire Dudley Sirisena had renewed interest in the aviation sector after revealing his long-time dream of introducing a new, modern helicopter to Sri Lanka. Speaking at the same Singapore Airshow 2026, Sirisena said he closely follows helicopter technology and has attended the exhibition regularly over the years.
“I have made many of my life’s dreams come true through great sacrifice,” Sirisena said in an interview at the event. “My next dream is now taking shape. I am dreaming of a helicopter even better than the latest Bell model, and I will make this dream come true very soon.”
Sirisena had already stolen headlines last month with the acquisition of a rare Rolls-Royce Phantom Centenary Edition, a move that later landed him in a tax controversy. According to him the luxury vehicle was one of only 25 Phantom Centenary Edition models produced worldwide to mark the 100th anniversary of the Rolls-Royce brand.
The parallel moves by Sirisena and Lankeshwara have sparked discussion in business and aviation circles. Supporters say such billionaire-backed aviation projects could modernize business travel, reduce time costs and support specialized tourism and charter services. Critics, however, question whether private jets and helicopters should be a priority while the country is still recovering economically, viewing the trend as a sign of growing gaps between elite ambition and public reality.
Either way, one thing is clear. Sri Lanka’s richest rice magnates are no longer focused only on fields and mills. They are now looking to the skies turning grain wealth into wings and competition into a high-flying race.
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