The National Research Council of Sri Lanka (NRC) was founded by H. E. the President Chandrika Kumaratunga on 20 April 1999 and Prof. Aries Kovoor was appointed as the founder Chairman.
In July 2007, His Excellency the President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, issued a warrant formalizing the establishment of the National Research Council as a Special Agency, exercising the powers vested in him by Article 33 of the Constitution, and Prof. Eric Karunanayake was appointed Chairman.