Initially he started work at the Bank of Ceylon, he later left to pursue his passion, which was writing.
He joined Lake House, as a journalist for the Ceylon Daily News.
Premil worked along side the likes of Mervyn de Silva, who was the editor of the Lake House, Willie de Alwis, D. B. Dhanapala and Christie Seneviratne.
Ratnayake was a skilled writer and could speak Sinhalese, Tamil and Hindi.

In March 1970, Premil covered the historic event of the arrival of the Apollo 12 mission crew, for the Ceylon Daily News, part of a 20-nation goodwill tour, to celebrate the successful voyage to and back from the moon.
Apollo 12 was the second spaceflight to land men on the moon, consisting of Charles "Pete" Conrad Jr., Richard F. Gordon Jr., and Alan L. Bean, visited Ceylon.
The crew was welcomed by the then Minister of State, J. R. Jayewardene, US Ambassador Andrew Corry, and the Mayor of Colombo, Vincent Perera.
Initially he started work at the Bank of Ceylon, he later left to pursue his passion, which was writing. He joined Lake House, as a journalist for the Ceylon Daily News. Premil worked along side the likes of Mervyn de Silva, who was the editor of the Lake House, Willie de Alwis, D. B. Dhanapala and Christie Seneviratne. Ratnayake was a skilled writer and could speak Sinhalese, Tamil and Hindi.
In March 1970, Premil covered the historic event of the arrival of the Apollo 12 mission crew, for the Ceylon Daily News, part of a 20-nation goodwill tour, to celebrate the successful voyage to and back from the moon. Apollo 12 was the second spaceflight to land men on the moon, consisting of Charles "Pete" Conrad Jr., Richard F. Gordon Jr., and Alan L. Bean, visited Ceylon. The crew was welcomed by the then Minister of State, J. R. Jayewardene, US Ambassador Andrew Corry, and the Mayor of Colombo, Vincent Perera.
Premil Ratnayake