OSLO : Sri Lankan Tamil Woman Kamzy Gunaratnam Appointed Norway’s Minister of TransportIn a proud and historic development for Tamils around the world, Kamzy Gunaratnam, a Norwegian Member of Parliament of Srilanka’s Tamil heritage, has been appointed Norway’s new Minister of Transport.
The appointment was made as part of a cabinet reshuffle by the government led by Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. According to the Norwegian government, Gunaratnam officially assumed the position at 12 noon on September 11, 2026.
She succeeds Jon-Ivar Nygård, who stepped down as Minister of Transport, and has now taken on the significant responsibility of overseeing one of Norway’s most important sectors.
Gunaratnam was born in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, in 1988. At the age of just three, she left Sri Lanka with her parents and moved to Norway as a refugee, fleeing the country’s civil war.
From a young age, she became actively involved in politics and went on to establish herself as a prominent figure in Norwegian public life. Between 2015 and 2021, she served as Deputy Mayor of Oslo, Norway’s capital, gaining considerable political experience and recognition.
In the 2021 Norwegian parliamentary election, she contested as a candidate for the Norwegian Labour Party and was elected to the Storting, Norway’s national parliament.
As Minister of Transport, Gunaratnam will be responsible for a wide-ranging portfolio covering Norway’s roads, railways and transport infrastructure. Her strong commitment to environmental sustainability and public transportation is also seen as particularly relevant to her new responsibilities.
Her appointment marks a remarkable journey—from a young refugee from Jaffna to a senior member of the Norwegian government—and is being celebrated as a significant achievement by Tamils living in Norway and across the global Tamil diaspora.
Kamzy Gunaratnam’s appointment is not only a milestone in her political career but also a source of immense pride and inspiration for people of Sri Lankan Tamil heritage around the world.
