Bandaranaike biography

Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike^[1] (21 July 1960 – 10 October 2000) was a Sri Lankan politician. She served as prime minister three times and was the leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.

She was the first female to be elected head of government in the world.^[2] Bandaranaike was the widow of a previous prime minister, Solomon Bandaranaike, who was murdered in 1959.

Sirimavo bandaranaike pronunciation

Her policies were based in socialism and similar to her husband's. All three of their children later served in the Sri Lankan government.^[3][4]

She spent 40 years in political office.

She resigned on 10 August 2000. Exactly two months later she died, aged 84, of a heart attack.^[2]

Family life

Sirimavo Bandaranaike was born on 17 April 1916, as Sirimavo Ratwatte.

Her family was part of the aristocracy. She was a Buddhist, but went to school at a convent in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where she was taught by Roman Ca