Educated at the prestigious Colombo Academy, he joined the the public service as a clerk and served in the Colombo Kachcheri before being promoted to Muhandiram of Colombo Kachcheri in 1908 and was appointed as the youngest Mudaliyar of Pandadura and Kalutara Totamunes.
After the ceremonial opening of the outlet, de Silva proceeded towards his Mitsubishi Pajero vehicle belonging to the Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps to continue onto a meeting with officers in charge of rehabilitation work at the Jaffna Kachcheri.