PARLIAMENT

Former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as a new Member of Parliament before the Hon. Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena today (23).

After the official oath / affirmation taken before the Hon. Speaker, he signed in the Member Roll kept before the Secretary General of Parliament Mr. Dhammika Dasanayake.

Parliamentarian Ranil Wickremasinghe, who was elected to Parliament from the United National Party in 1977, holds the record of representing the Parliament of Sri Lanka 42 years consecutively up until the 8th Parliament and also holds the record for holding office as the Prime Minister of the country. He has held a number of positions as a cabinet minister, including being the Leader of the House and Leader of the Opposition.

Parliamentarian Ranil Wickremasinghe, 73, will represent the 9th Parliament as a UNP National List Member.

Born on the 24th of March, 1949, Ranil Sriyan Wickramasinghe was the Prime Minister of the previous Government of good governance.

He started his political career as the Chief Organizer of the United National Party in the Kelaniya electorate in the mid-1970s and was later appointed as the Chief Organizer of the Biyagama electorate. In 1977 he was first elected a Member of Parliament under the J. R. Jayewardene Government as the youngest Minister holding the position of Minister of Youth Affairs and Employment.

Parliamentarian Wickremasinghe also served as the Leader of the House of Parliament from March 06th, 1989 to May 07th, 1993 and was the Leader of the Opposition from 1994 to 2001 and from 2004 to 2015.

He was first elected as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka on May 7th, 1993 and held office until August 19th, 1994. He holds the record for holding office as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka the most number of times (five times).

Parliamentarian Wickremasinghe has acted in his capacity as Prime Minister for the second time from 9th December 2001 to 6th April 2004, the third time from 9th January 2015 to 17th August 2015, the fourth time from 17th August 2015 to 26th October 2018 and the fifth time from 16th December 2018 to 21st November 2019.

An alumnus of Royal College, Colombo, Ranil Wickramasinghe was later elected to the Law Faculty of the University of Colombo and was sworn in as a Lawyer. He is the only person in Sri Lanka to hold office as Prime Minister graduating from a Sri Lankan University.

As the Minister of Education from 1980 to 1988 Distance English Teacher Training also known as DELIC Teacher Training, in service distance service teacher training, school lunch, establishment of Meepe Aesthetic Institute, expansion of informal education, commencement of district teacher service as a solution to the shortage of teachers, extension of teacher service to 60 years, Bhikku teacher training, establishment of school development societies, establishment of school supervision units, school planning units, provision for the distribution of free text books, establishment of divisional education offices, National Youth Services Council and the establishment of a student counseling service are some of his educational reforms.

In addition, Ranil Wickremasinghe created the Faculty of Education system for teacher training. In 1988, he established 09 National Faculties of Science and established the National Institute of Education for Educational Research.

Ranil Wickremasinghe is profound in literature and is well versed in history, archeology, law, economics, Buddhist philosophy, universal literature and biographies. He is interested in studying various religions and philosophies and has authored a book entitled 'Politics and Dhamma' based on the Tripitaka, Dhammapada, Buddhist Literature and Political Theory.

Prof. Maithri Wickramasinghe, Senior Professor in the Department of English Studies, University of Kelaniya is his beloved spouse.