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First Lady of Sri Lanka

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at the time, became the country's inaugural president. His wife, Seelawathie Gopallawa, became the first wife of a president of Sri Lanka. When
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To date, there have been eight women who have served in the role. The current First Lady of Sri Lanka is Mallika Dissanayaka, wife of President
1868: 96:(Sinhala: ශ්‍රී ලංකා ජනාධිපති ආර්යා Śrī Laṃkā Janādhipathi Aryā; Tamil: இலங்கை முதல் பெண்மணி Ilankai Mutal Peṇmaṇi) refers to the wife of the 1813: 1403: 1833: 836: 1959: 1858: 1843: 1607: 1863: 1617: 1853: 1523: 1002: 161:
took a higher profile role, using the title of first lady and becoming a public figure during her husband's presidency, with her own
115:, who has held the position since 23 September 2024. There have been no first gentlemen of Sri Lanka to date, since former President 1848: 1803: 1632: 1328: 1283: 1153: 139:
became the next president, his wife was known as Lady Elina Jayewardene during and after his presidency. During the presidency of
1935: 1788: 1323: 1293: 1148: 1054: 905: 1838: 1808: 1780: 1488: 1443: 1378: 1248: 1823: 1188: 1126: 1760: 1622: 1388: 1303: 1258: 1178: 995: 166: 1478: 1318: 1253: 1243: 1208: 1577: 898: 1561: 1493: 1770: 1707: 1677: 1582: 1168: 1136: 1828: 1518: 1755: 1737: 1722: 1717: 1687: 1662: 1099: 1697: 1727: 1667: 1373: 877:"President Premadasa's death anniversary commemorated with military honours on President's directive - Azwer" 60: 1712: 1702: 677: 1928: 1765: 1732: 1535: 1508: 1453: 1438: 1308: 132: 768: 1682: 1458: 1368: 1268: 1198: 100:. In recent years the holders of the title have been formally or informally referred to by the title 239: 1964: 1483: 1343: 1298: 1273: 1213: 1183: 1173: 1116: 1074: 1069: 802: 112: 1909: 1540: 1358: 1228: 967: 685: 459: 828: 1921: 1550: 1503: 1468: 1448: 1413: 1393: 1338: 1203: 1131: 1111: 1106: 1089: 957: 947: 748: 588: 449: 143:, his wife Hema Premadasa took on a very viable role and became a public figure unlike before. 127:
The office of the president of Sri Lanka was created in 1972 when Sri Lanka became a republic.
97: 1692: 1530: 1513: 1498: 1433: 1418: 1363: 1353: 1348: 1333: 1288: 1079: 1064: 1059: 1049: 932: 858: 492: 246: 146: 116: 70: 1545: 1428: 1423: 1408: 1263: 1238: 1233: 1163: 1094: 710: 599: 412: 140: 8: 1473: 1383: 1278: 1223: 1193: 1121: 1084: 952: 521: 158: 1398: 1313: 1158: 644: 499: 150: 55: 937: 876: 546: 345: 320: 263: 154: 136: 128: 1672: 798:"How did Ranil Wickremesinghe become Sri Lanka's president after six terms as PM?" 1657: 1905: 962: 942: 387: 987: 1948: 890: 514: 162: 149:
who was president from 1994 to 2005 was a widow as her husband, film star
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Mallika Dissanayake | Anura Kumara Dissanayake | 2024.09.23 | Incumbent
119:, the country's only female head of state, was a widow while in office. 977: 1901: 1893: 581: 108:, though there are no provisions for such in the constitution. 769:"Shiranthi Wickremesinghe Rajapaksa - First Lady of Sri Lanka" 691: 527: 393: 326: 252: 306:
Position fell vacant upon the death of Seelawathie Gopallawa.
776: 502:, was assassinated in 1988 before she became president. 859:"Memoirs of a just, caring and endearing personality" 1946: 1017: 1929: 1003: 920: 906: 27: 1738:United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms 33: 1936: 1922: 1010: 996: 913: 899: 856: 1955:First ladies and gentlemen of Sri Lanka 790: 1947: 857:Welilaka, Clarence (2 December 2007). 821: 991: 894: 773:Office of the First Lady of Sri Lanka 1888: 829:"First Lady travels alone in London" 16:Spouse of the president of Sri Lanka 761: 13: 1960:Lists of spouses of heads of state 14: 1976: 153:, was assassinated in 1987. When 1892: 1144:Democratic Republic of the Congo 976: 676: 580: 513: 238: 839:from the original on 2022-09-27 810:from the original on 2022-08-03 869: 850: 1: 754: 718:57 years, 343 days 568:71 years, 248 days 554:52 years, 300 days 434:89 years, 336 days 426:31 years, 149 days 372:93 years, 337 days 359:18 years, 319 days 1908:. You can help Knowledge by 731:60 years, 47 days 612:4 years, 314 days 560:9 years, 262 days 420:54 years, 67 days 353:64 years, 51 days 226: 222: 219: 215: 212: 209: 205: 198: 194: 191: 187: 183: 179: 49:since 23 September 2024 7: 1018:Spouses of national leaders 742: 157:became president, his wife 10: 1981: 1887: 133:governor-general of Ceylon 122: 1779: 1746: 1645: 1559: 1030: 1023: 974: 928: 922:First ladies of Sri Lanka 720: 496: 486: 304: 299: 262: 76: 66: 54: 41: 34: 29:ශ්‍රී ලංකා ජනාධිපති ආර්යා 28: 26: 21: 803:The National (Abu Dhabi) 167:Presidential Secretariat 165:and staff funded by the 113:Anura Kumara Dissanayake 968:Maithree Wickremesinghe 833:The Morning (Sri Lanka) 686:Maithree Wickremesinghe 498:Kumaratunga's husband, 460:Dingiri Banda Wijetunga 202:(Husband, unless noted) 172: 106:First Lady of Sri Lanka 94:First Lady of Sri Lanka 80:22 April 1972 22:First Lady of Sri Lanka 1904:–related article is a 958:Jayanthi Pushpa Kumari 948:Wimalawathi Kumarihami 749:President of Sri Lanka 589:Jayanthi Pushpa Kumari 450:Wimalawathi Kumarihami 98:President of Sri Lanka 1149:Republic of the Congo 933:Seelawathie Gopallawa 493:Chandrika Kumaratunga 247:Seelawathie Gopallawa 147:Chandrika Kumaratunga 117:Chandrika Kumaratunga 71:Seelawathie Gopallawa 711:Ranil Wickremasinghe 600:Maithripala Sirisena 413:Ranasinghe Premadasa 216:Length of retirement 210:Age at tenure start 141:Ranasinghe Premadasa 35:இலங்கை முதல் பெண்மணி 1781:Heads of government 1494:Trinidad and Tobago 953:Shiranthi Rajapaksa 522:Shiranthi Rajapaksa 159:Shiranthi Rajapaksa 46:Mallika Dissanayaka 1179:Dominican Republic 1024:Republican leaders 645:Gotabaya Rajapaksa 500:Vijaya Kumaratunga 151:Vijaya Kumaratunga 1917: 1916: 1882: 1881: 1749:governors-general 1641: 1640: 985: 984: 938:Elina Jayewardene 863:The Sunday Leader 737: 736: 547:Mahinda Rajapaksa 503: 369:17 November 2007 346:J. R. Jayewardene 342:28 February 1935 339:15 December 1913 321:Elina Jayewardene 307: 264:William Gopallawa 203: 155:Mahinda Rajapaksa 137:J. R. Jayewardene 129:William Gopallawa 91: 90: 61:President's House 1972: 1938: 1931: 1924: 1896: 1889: 1042: 1028: 1027: 1012: 1005: 998: 989: 988: 980: 915: 908: 901: 892: 891: 885: 884: 873: 867: 866: 854: 848: 847: 845: 844: 825: 819: 818: 816: 815: 794: 788: 787: 785: 784: 775:. 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Index

Residence
President's House
Seelawathie Gopallawa
President of Sri Lanka
Anura Kumara Dissanayake
Chandrika Kumaratunga
William Gopallawa
governor-general of Ceylon
J. R. Jayewardene
Ranasinghe Premadasa
Chandrika Kumaratunga
Vijaya Kumaratunga
Mahinda Rajapaksa
Shiranthi Rajapaksa
naval aide
Presidential Secretariat

Seelawathie Gopallawa
née
William Gopallawa
Elina Jayewardene
née
J. R. Jayewardene
Hema Premadasa
née
Ranasinghe Premadasa
Wimalawathi Kumarihami
Dingiri Banda Wijetunga
Chandrika Kumaratunga
Vijaya Kumaratunga

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