Dinesh Gunawardena

Early life and family

Gunawardena was born into the political Gunawardena family on 2 March 1949. His father, Philip Gunawardena, was known as "the Father of Sri Lankan socialism" and a key independence figure, and his mother, Kusumasiri Gunawardena, was a member of parliament. His aunt, Vivienne Goonewardene, was often considered the "foremost female figure in the Sri Lankan left".

Educated at Royal Primary School, Colombo and Royal College, Colombo, he went on to study at the Netherlands School of Business. He also graduated with a B.B.A. from the University of Oregon, and whilst in the United States, became involved in student activism, taking part in anti-Vietnam War protests.

Gunawardena later married Ramani Wathsala Kotelawela from the Kotelawela/Jayawardena family; who is the niece of General Sir John Kotelawela, the third Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. They had one son, Yadamini, and one daughter, Sankapali. Ramani died of undiagnosed hepatitis in the mid-1980s.

Political career

1972–2000

After graduation from the University of Oregon, Gunawardena worked in New York City, but returned to Sri Lanka in 1972 after his father's death. He was appointed to the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna's (MEP) central committee in August 1973, and became general-secretary of the MEP in 1974.

Gunawardena was the MEP's candidate in Avissawella at the 1977 parliamentary election, but failed to get elected until he ran as the MEP's candidate in the Maharagama Electoral District at the 1983 by-election, winning and entering Parliament. During the 1989 parliamentary election, Gunawardena successfully ran as one of the MEP's candidates in the multi-member Colombo Electoral District. He was again one of the MEP's candidates in Colombo District at the 1994 parliamentary election, but the MEP failed to win any seats in Parliament.

2000–2010

On 27 August 2000, the MEP joined the People's Alliance (PA). Gunawardena contested the 2000 parliamentary election as one of the PA's candidates in Colombo District. He was elected and re-entered Parliament.

Following the 2000 election, he was appointed Minister of Transport, and was given the additional portfolio of Environment in September 2001. He was re-elected at the 2001 parliamentary election.

On 20 January 2004 the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) formed the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA), which the MEP joined on 2 February 2004. Gunawardena contested the 2004 parliamentary election as one of the UPFA's candidates in Colombo District. He was elected and re-entered Parliament. He was appointed Minister of Urban Development and Water Supply and Deputy Minister of Education after the election. In January 2007 his cabinet portfolio was changed to Minister of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development but he lost his deputy ministerial position. He was appointed Chief Government Whip in June 2008.

2010–present

Gunawardena was re-elected in the 2010 parliamentary election, following which he was appointed Minister of Water Supply. He lost his cabinet position following the 2015 presidential election, albeit being re-elected. In March 2017 he was suspended from parliamentary sittings for one week due to repeatedly disrupting proceedings.

On 22 July 2022, Gunawardena was appointed Prime Minister after former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigned amidst the ongoing economic and political crises and Ranil Wickremesinghe was elected as his successor by Parliament. Gunawardena and Wickremesinghe were classmates during school days.

On 23 September 2024, following Wickremesinghe's defeat in the presidential elections and the inauguration of his successor, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Gunawardena resigned from the position of prime minister.

Electoral history

Notes

References

References

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