* Newly appointed Prime Minister, Dinesh Gunawardena was born on March 02, 1949 as the son of the father of Marxism in this country, Philip Gunawardena alias the “Lion of Boralugoda” and Kusuma Gunawardena. Dinesh Gunawardena has been the Leader of the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna since 1973 following the death of his father.
* Gunawardena was educated at the Royal College in Colombo. Later, he graduated with Associate Degrees in business administration and management, and international transportation from the Netherlands Business University and the University of Oregon in the United States.
* He was married to Ramani Wathsala Kotelawela. She died of undiagnosed hepatitis in 1980. They had one son Yadamini and one daughter Sankapali.
* Minister Indika Gunawardena, Githanjana Gunawardena who held the position of Deputy Speaker and Deputy Minister, Colombo Mayor Prasanna Gunawardena and author Lakmali Gunawardena are his siblings.
* Dinesh Gunawardena, the leader of the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna, entered Parliament for the first time in the 1983 by-election, becoming the MP for Maharagama Electoral District with 27,054 votes.
* Since 1977, he has contested at 10 General Elections and lost only 2 of them.
* He has represented Parliament as the Minister of Transport, Transport and Environment, Urban Development and Water Supply, Higher Education (Deputy), Urban Development and Sacred Area Development, Water Supply and Drainage, Municipalities and Western Development, Foreign Affairs and Skill Development and Employment and Labour.
* He also held the positions of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Education, Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government.
* He also held the positions of the Chief Whip of the ruling party in Parliament, the leader of the Parliament Committee and the Chairman of three Parliamentary Special Committees to amend the voting system. His son, Yadamini Gunawardena is also a Member of Parliament.
Saturday, July 23, 2022 – 01:10