Political Leaders: Sri Lanka

Leaders of Sri Lanka
(Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka; to 1972, Ceylon)

[To the list of countries]
[To the ZPC Homepage]

Look for biographies of the leaders (in Spanish) at CIDOB website.

Note: from the independence on 4 Feb 1948 to the proclamation of the Republic on 22 May 1972 the head of State was the British monarch, represented by a Governor-General.

Parties: EJP: United National Party; SLNP: Sri Lanka Freedom Party; SLMP: Sri Lanka People's Party (in coalition with SLNP within the People's Alliance. BNP); n/p: non-party

Heads of State

Governors-General
Henry Monck-Mason Moore              4 Feb 1948 -  6 Jul 1949 (+1964)
Herwald Ramsbotham, Baron Soulbury   6 Jul 1949 - 17 Jul 1954 (+1971) 
Oliver Ernest Goonetilleke          17 Jul 1954 -  2 Mar 1962 (+1978) 
William Gopallawa                    2 Mar 1962 - 22 May 1972 (+1981)  

Presidents of the Republic
William Gopallawa                   22 May 1972 -  4 Feb 1978 (+1981)  n/p
Junius Richard Jayewardene           4 Feb 1978 -  2 Jan 1989 (+1996)  EJP
Ranasinghe Premadasa                 2 Jan 1989 -  1 May 1993 (+)a     EJP
Dingiri Banda Wijetunge              1 May 1993 - 12 Nov 1994 (+2008)  EJP    
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga  12 Nov 1994 - 19 Nov 2005          SLMP/SLNP  
Mahinda Rajapakse                   19 Nov 2005 -                      SLNP

Prime Ministers

Don Stephen Senanayake               4 Feb 1948 - 26 Mar 1952 (+)      EJP        
Dudley Shelton Senanayake           26 Mar 1952 - 12 Oct 1953 (+1973)  EJP       
John Lionel Kotalawela              12 Oct 1953 - 12 Apr 1956 (+1980)  EJP           
Solomon Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike  12 Apr 1956 - 26 Sep 1959 (+)a     SLNP 
Vijayananda Dahanayake              26 Sep 1959 - 21 Mar 1960 (+1997)  SLNP
Dudley Shelton Senanayake           21 Mar 1960 - 21 Jul 1960 (+1973)  EJP          
Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike 21 Jul 1960 - 27 Mar 1965 (+2000)  SLNP
Dudley Shelton Senanayake           27 Mar 1965 - 29 May 1970 (+1973)  EJP       
Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike 29 May 1970 - 23 Jul 1977 (+2000)  SLNP        
Junius Richard Jayewardene          23 Jul 1977 -  6 Feb 1978 (+1996)  EJP  
Ranasinghe Premadasa                 6 Feb 1978 -  3 Mar 1989 (+1993)a EJP 
Dingiri Banda Wijetunge              3 Mar 1989 -  7 May 1993 (+2008)  EJP
Ranil Wickremasinghe                 7 May 1993 - 19 Aug 1994          EJP 
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga  19 Aug 1994 - 14 Nov 1994          SLMP/SLNP 
Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike 14 Nov 1994 - 10 Aug 2000 (+2000)  SLNP      
Ratnasiri Wickremanayake            10 Aug 2000 -  9 Dec 2001          SLNP        
Ranil Wickremasinghe                 9 Dec 2001 -  6 Apr 2004          EJP 
Mahinda Rajapakse                    6 Apr 2004 - 21 Nov 2005          SLNP
Ratnasiri Wickremanayake            21 Nov 2005 - 21 Apr 2010          SLNP
Disanayaka Mudiyanselage Jayaratne  21 Apr 2010 -                      SLNP

Leaders of EJP

Don Stephen Senanayake              1946-1952 (+)       
Dudley Shelton Senanayake           1952-1953 (+1973)  
John Lionel Kotalawela              1953-1958 (+1980)  
Dudley Shelton Senanayake           1958-1973 (+)      
Junius Richard Jayewardene          1973-1989 (+1996)  
Ranasinghe Premadasa                1989-1993 (+)a     
Dingir Banda Wijetunge              1993-1994 (+2008)         
Gamini Dissanayake                  1994      (+)a     
Ranil Wickremasinghe                1994-

Chairmen of SLNP

Solomon Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike  1951-1959 (+)a     
Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike 1960-2000 (+)      
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga  2000-2006
Mahinda Rajapakse                   2006-

[To the list of countries]