May Ratnayeke (1892-1988) was a Sri Lankan physician, known for being the second female medical student from that country and its first female doctor. Ratnayake was born May de Livera to John de Livera, one of six siblings, in Kandy. In her childhood, she attended local schools, then went on to medical school at Ceylon Medical College in Colombo. She graduated with her MD in 1916. After obtaining her degree, she worked at the American Mission Hospital in Jaffna, then moved to Lady Havelock Hospital. She was a fellow at the Royal Free Hospital for Women from 1925-1927. Ratnayake was married in 1927 and had three children, a daughter and a son who became physicians, and a son who became a tea planter. That year, she became a surgeon at Lady Havelock Hospital. She was a fellow at the University of Edinburgh Medical School for a year from 1932-1933. After her fellowship, she was promoted to chief surgeon, and joined the faculty at the medical school of the University of Ceylon.
For most of her career, she was part of the Medical Women's International Association.