29 Facts About Anura Bandaranaike

Anura Bandaranaike was a Sri Lankan politician, who served as Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka and Leader of the Opposition.

Anura Bandaranaike held several cabinet ministries: as Foreign Minister briefly in 2005, Minister of Higher Education, Minister of Tourism, and Minister of National Heritage.

Anura Bandaranaike last served as a member of parliament from the opposition.

Anura Bandaranaike was the youngest of three siblings and only son.

Anura Bandaranaike's family has a long history in the socio-political arena of the country.

Anura Bandaranaike was assassinated on 26 September 1959, when young Anura was ten years old.

Anura Bandaranaike's mother, took over the leadership of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party which was formed by her husband and became the first female prime minister in the world when she was appointed as Prime Minister of Ceylon in July 1960.

Anura Bandaranaike completed his primary education at Royal Preparatory School and secondary education at the Royal College, Colombo where his contemporaries included Ranil Wickremesinghe and Dinesh Gunawardena.

Anura Bandaranaike then read Ancient and Modern History at the University of London, graduating with a BA Honours in 1973.

Anura Bandaranaike returned to Sri Lanka in 1974, when his mother was serving her second term as prime minister.

Anura Bandaranaike soon became active in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, having been appointed leader of its Youth Wing and thereafter Director of the National Youth Services Council.

Anura Bandaranaike contested the 1977 general election from the Maskeliya multi-seat constituency from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.

Anura Bandaranaike would remain a member of parliament till his death.

Sirima Bandaranaike remained the party leader, but Anura Bandaranaike became the de facto leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party parliamentarian group.

Anura Bandaranaike served as leader of the opposition till 1988, holding a position once held by his father and mother before him.

Anura Bandaranaike contested the 1989 general election from the Gampaha Electoral District, which was the traditional base of the Bandaranaike family.

Anura Bandaranaike soon fell out with his mother and was suspended from the family party by Sirimavo Bandaranaike.

Anura Bandaranaike then went into exile in London following Kumaratunga's assassination.

Anura Bandaranaike crossed over to ruling United National Party in 1993 which appointed him Minister of Higher Education and National Reconciliation under President Dingiri Banda Wijetunge.

Anura Bandaranaike, returned to the opposition from 1994 to 2000 as a National List member of parliament, he contested under the UNP ticket to Gampaha District at the 2000 General Elections and was reelected to the Parliament securing over 80000 preferential votes.

Anura Bandaranaike was elected uncontested as Speaker of the 11th Parliament and served from 18 October 2000 to 10 October 2001, when parliament was dissolved and fresh elections called.

Anura Bandaranaike rejoined SLFP in 2001 to contest the elections in December that year, although the SLFP with its coalition faced a massive defeat Bandaranaike was elected to Parliament.

Anura Bandaranaike dropped his position as minister of industry and investment, but remained tourism minister.

However, Rajapakse appointed Ratnasiri Wickremanayake as prime minister since many saw Anura Bandaranaike did not co-operate in the presidential campaign.

Anura Bandaranaike was slowly sidelined in the party as the Rajapakse bloc grew.

Anura Bandaranaike recovered from the initial shock of the bad news but never recovered from the shock of having to accept the toothless National Heritage Portfolio in a cabinet reshuffle in January 2007.

Less than two weeks later, after reconciling with Rajapakse, Anura Bandaranaike agreed to come back into the government, again being sworn in as Minister of National Heritage.

Anura Bandaranaike died on 16 March 2008 at Visumpaya, his official residence in Colombo, following a period of prolonged illness due to cancer.

Anura Bandaranaike had been diagnosed with cancer a few years before his death and had been hospitalized for several months.