Presidents of Sri Lanka

List of Presidents of Sri Lanka

William Gopallawa

William Gopallawa, MBE was the last Governor-General of Ceylon from 1962 to 1972 and became the first President of Sri Lanka when Ceylon declared itself a republic in 1972 and changed its name to Sri Lanka. 

Born: September 17, 1896, Matale

Died: January 31, 1981, Colombo

Succeeded by: J. R. Jayewardene

Presidential term: May 22, 1972 – February 4, 1978

Children: Monty Gopallawa

Education: Dharmaraja College, St. Anthony's College, Kandy

J. R. Jayewardene

Junius Richard Jayewardene, famously abbreviated in Sri Lanka as JR, was the leader of Sri Lanka from 1977 to 1989, serving as Prime Minister from 1977 to 1978 and as the second President of Sri Lanka from 1978 till 1989. 

Born: September 17, 1906, Colombo

Died: November 1, 1996, Colombo

Succeeded by: Ranasinghe Premadasa

Spouse: Elina Jayewardene (m. 1935)

Siblings: Hector Wilfred Jayewardene

Children: Ravindra Vimal Jayewardene

Ranasinghe Premadasa

Sri Lankabhimanya Ranasinghe Premadasa was the third President of Sri Lanka from 2 January 1989 to 1 May 1993. Before that, he served as the Prime Minister in the government headed by J. R. Jayewardene from 6 February 1978 to 1 January 1989. 

Born: June 23, 1924, Colombo

Assassinated: May 1, 1993, Colombo

Succeeded by: Dingiri Banda Wijetunga

Spouse: Hema Premadasa

Education: St. Joseph's College, Colombo

Children: Sajith Premadasa

Dingiri Banda Wijetunga

Sri Lankabhimanya Dingiri Banda Wijetunga was the fourth President of Sri Lanka from 1 May 1993 to 12 November 1994, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka from 3 March 1989 to 7 May 1993 and the Governor of North Western province, Sri Lanka from 1988 to 1989. 

Born: February 15, 1916, Udunuwara Divisional Secretariat

Died: September 21, 2008, Kandy

Succeeded by: Chandrika Kumaratunga

Presidential term: May 7, 1993 – November 12, 1994

Political party: United National Party

First day in office: May 7, 1993

Chandrika Kumaratunga

Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga is a Sri Lankan politician who served as the fifth President of Sri Lanka, from 12 November 1994 to 19 November 2005. 

Born: June 29, 1945 (age 71), Colombo

Spouse: Vijaya Kumaranatunga (m. 1978–1988)

Parents: Sirimavo Bandaranaike, S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike

Siblings: Anura Bandaranaike, Sunethra Bandaranaike

Children: Vimukthi Kumaratunga, Yasodhara Kumaranatunga Walker

Education: École pratique des hautes études (1970–1973)

Mahinda Rajapaksa

Former President of Sri Lanka

Percy Mahendra "Mahinda" Rajapaksa, MP is a Sri Lankan politician who served as the sixth President of Sri Lanka from 19 November 2005 to 9 January 2015. 

Born: November 18, 1945 (age 70), Weeraketiya

Succeeded by: Maithripala Sirisena

Spouse: Shiranthi Rajapaksa (m. 1983)

Children: Namal Rajapaksa, Yoshitha Rajapaksa, Rohitha Rajapaksa

Siblings: Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Basil Rajapaksa, more

Education: Richmond College, Thurstan College, Sri Lanka Law College, Nalanda College, Colombo

Profiles

Maithripala Sirisena

President of Sri Lanka

Pallewatte Gamaralalage Maithripala Yapa Sirisena is a Sri Lankan politician who is the 7th and current President of Sri Lanka, since 2015. 

Born: September 3, 1951 (age 64), Yagoda, Sri Lanka

Spouse: Jayanthi Pushpa Kumari

Siblings: Priyantha Sirisena

Parents: A. D. Nandawathie, Albert Sirisena

Children: Daham Tharaka, Chathurika Sirisena, Dharani Sirisena

Education: Maxim Gorky Literature Institute, Royal Central College, Polonnaruwa