The career of Mahinda Rajapaksa, spanning over five decades in Sri Lankan governance, began with his election to the House of Representatives in 1970 at the age of 24. A lawyer by profession, he held multiple cabinet portfolios, served as leader of the opposition, and led the country as president for a decade following his initial inauguration in 2005.
Early Development and Political Entry
Born in 1945 at Weeraketiya, Rajapaksa attended Richmond College and Nalanda College. He gained early political experience as a member of the Ceylon Mercantile Union, where he served as branch secretary in 1967. After being appointed the Sri Lanka Freedom Party organiser for the Beliatta electorate in 1968, he won his first parliamentary seat in 1970. While serving as the youngest member of parliament, he attended the Sri Lanka Law College and was called to the bar as an attorney at law in November 1977. He maintained a criminal law practice in Tangalle between 1977 and 1994.
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Rajapaksa served as the sixth president of Sri Lanka from 2005 to 2015. His presidency included a re-election in 2010. During this period, he acted as the leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. Following his defeat in the 2015 presidential election by Maithripala Sirisena, he transitioned back to parliamentary politics, representing the Kurunegala District. He later shifted his allegiance to the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, serving as its leader starting in 2019.
Later Ministerial Roles and Resignation
He occupied the position of Prime Minister on multiple occasions, including terms from 2004 to 2005, 2018, and 2019 to 2022. Between 2020 and 2022, he managed various portfolios, including Minister of Finance, Minister of Urban Development and Housing, Minister of Economic Policies and Plan Implementation, and Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs. In May 2022, amid a severe economic crisis and mounting public protests, he resigned from his position as Prime Minister.
Fast facts
- Born: 1945, Weeraketiya
- Citizenship: Sri Lanka
- Profession: Lawyer, Politician
- President of Sri Lanka: 2005-2015
- Prime Minister of Sri Lanka: 2004-2005, 2018, 2019-2022
- Education: Richmond College, Nalanda College
- Notable Award: Order of the Star of Palestine
Questions readers ask
What major roles did Mahinda Rajapaksa hold in the Sri Lankan government?
He served as President of Sri Lanka from 2005 to 2015 and held the office of Prime Minister four times between 2004 and 2022.
What was his professional background before politics?
He was a lawyer who practised criminal law in the Unofficial Bar in Tangalle from 1977 until 1994.
Achievements
- President of Sri Lanka (2005–2015)
- Prime Minister of Sri Lanka (2004–2005)
- Commonwealth Chair-in-Office (2013–2015)
- Member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka (from 2015)
- Order of the Star of Palestine
- Educated at Richmond College and Nalanda College
