President Dissanayake Mudyanselage Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Sri Lanka’s 9th Executive President, celebrates his 57th birthday today (November 24), as the nation reflects on his decades-long journey from student activism to the country’s highest political office.
Born on November 24, 1968, in Dewahoowa, Matale, to Dissanayake Mudyanselage Ranbanda, a surveyor’s assistant, and Seelawathi, he is the second child in his family. His early education began at Thambuttegama Primary School and later at Thambuttegama Madhya Maha Vidyalaya, where he excelled in the Mathematics stream at the Advanced Level examination.
In 1992, he entered the University of Kelaniya’s Faculty of Science, actively engaging in social and political activities, including serving as president of the University Buddhist Association. He completed his Bachelor of Science degree in 1995.
His political activism began in 1987 when he joined the Socialist Students’ Union, playing a significant role in protests against the Indo-Lanka Accord. After the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) re-emerged in 1993, he became a key figure in rebuilding the Socialist Students’ Union, earning popularity under the name “Aravinda.”
His rise within the JVP was rapid. He was appointed National Organizer of the Socialist Students’ Union in 1997 and elected to the party’s Central Committee and Politburo by 1998. His entry into mass politics began with the 1999 Provincial Council elections as the JVP’s Chief Ministerial candidate for the Central Province.
He entered Parliament in 2000 via the National List and played a decisive role in advancing the 17th Amendment in 2001. In the 2004 parliamentary elections, he won the highest preferential votes in the Kurunegala District and served as Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Irrigation, and Livestock under the UPFA government.
He became the leader of the JVP parliamentary group in 2008 and continued to strengthen his political presence, returning to Parliament in both 2010 and 2015. In 2014, he was elected leader of the JVP at the party’s 7th National Convention, steering it into a new era of political engagement.
In 2019, he played a central role in forming the National People’s Power (NPP), a broad political movement bringing together parties, civil organizations, and activists. As the NPP’s presidential candidate later that year, he secured over 418,000 votes.
He further consolidated leadership in the face of Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, transforming the NPP into one of the largest progressive political movements in the country. He was appointed leader of the NPP at its inaugural National Conference in December 2021.
His long political journey reached a historic milestone on September 21, 2024, when he was elected President of Sri Lanka, marking his rise from student activism to national leadership. He has since pledged to usher in a “new renaissance” for the nation through transformative political and economic reforms.
As President Anura Kumara Dissanayake marks his 57th birthday, he stands as one of the most influential leaders of the modern political era, widely recognized for his resilience, vision, and commitment to progressive governance.
