Who is Dinesh Gunawardena, new Sri Lankan Prime Minister?

Dinesh Gunawardena Prime Minister: Dinesh Gunawardena took oath as the 15th Prime Minister of Sri Lanka at the Prime Minister’s Office on Flower Road, Colombo on July 22, 2022. The 73-year-old was sworn in by Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe. 

Dinesh Gunawardena, who had been appointed Home Minister in April by the then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, was chosen for the Prime Ministerial post after many discussions within Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party on July 21st. He was sworn in along with 17 other cabinet ministers. 

Dinesh Gunawardena appointed as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.

He took oath as the new Prime Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office on Flower Road, Colombo today.

(Photo source: NewsWire) pic.twitter.com/V6LnrpBQgj

— ANI (@ANI)
July 22, 2022

This comes after the previous Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe took oath as the eighth President of Sri Lanka on July 21st after winning the parliamentary vote, following Gotabaya’s resignation from the role amid massive protests. 

With the swearing-in of new Sri Lankan Prime Minister, the island nation aims to restart the stalled work to bring the country out of one of its worst economic crisis that has led to massive food and fuel shortages.

READ ALSO: Ranil Wickremesinghe takes oath as new Sri Lankan President

Who is Dinesh Gunawardena? – Know his Political Journey

• Dinesh Gunawardena is a Sri Lankan politician who has served as a cabinet minister, member of parliament and even the leader of the house in the Sri Lankan Parliament. 
• He is the leader of the Sri Lanlan left-wing Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) party since 1983.
• He worked initially in New York City after graduating from university but returned to Sri Lanka in 1972 after his father passed away. 
• He was appointed to the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna’s (MEP) central committee in August 1973 and became its general secretary in 1974.
• He was MEP’s candidate in Avissawella during the 1977 parliamentary election but lost. He again competed in the 1983 by-election from Maharagama Electoral District and won.
• He again successfully contested the 1989 parliamentary election from the multi-member Colombo Electoral District but lost in the 1994 elections, when MEP failed to win any seats in Parliament.
• The MEP joined the People’s Alliance (PA) on August 27, 2000. Gunawardena then contested the 2000 parliamentary election, representing the People’s Alliance from Colombo District and re-entered Parliament. 
• He served as the Minister of Transport and Environment from September 2001 to December 2001.
• The MEP joined the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) in February 2004 and Gunawardena contested as a UPFA candidate in the 2004 parliamentary election.
• He was initially appointed as the Minister of Urban Development and Water Supply and Deputy Minister of Education. 
• He was later appointed Minister of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development from January 2007 to April 2010.
• He was appointed the Chief Government Whip in June 2008.
• He was re-elected in 2010 and was appointed Minister of Water Supply and Drainage and re-elected again in 2015.
• He is now a part of the relaunched Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Party, which is headed by former Sri Lankan PM Mahinda Rajapaksa. 

Dinesh Gunawardena Family

Dinesh Gunawardena had married Ramani Wathsala Kotelawela and they one son named Yadamini and one daughter named Sankapali.

His wife Ramani died of undiagnosed hepatitis in the mid-1980s.