Chandrika Kumaratunga

In 1978 she married famous matinee idol and politician Vijaya Kumaratunga.

On February 16, 1988, Vijaya Kumaratunga was assassinated outside his home in the outskirts of Colombo in front of his wife and children by one Lionel Ranasinghe alias Gamini. The responsibility of the murder was claimed by extremist Marxist ‘Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna’ (‘JVP’).

The couple have two children - Yasodhara Kumaratunga Walker, born in 1980, is a doctor and Vimukthi Kumaratunga, born in 1982, is a veterinary surgeon. Both of them live in the UK.

She was born on June 29, 1945 to S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike and his wife Sirimavo Bandaranaike as one of their three children. At the time of her birth, her father was serving as a senior minister and later became Prime Minister of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).

She attended ‘St Bridget's Convent’ in Colombo. While she was in school her father was assassinated by a Buddhist monk on September 26, 1959.

After her father’s death, her mother Sirimavo led ‘Sri Lanka Freedom Party’ (‘SLFP’). On July 21, 1960 Sirimavo became the Prime Minister of Ceylon, making history as the first woman to hold such position in the world.

Chandrika’s elder sister Sunethra is a renowned philanthropist, who operates the ‘Sunera Trust’ and brother Anura, who died in March 2008, was a former minister and also remained Speaker of Parliament of Sri Lanka. She had a strained relationship with her brother.

Chandrika studied law at ‘Aquinas University College’ in Colombo. She received a scholarship at the ‘University of Paris’ and studied political science and international relations at the ‘Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris’. In 1970 she completed her graduation and also did a diploma course from the university.

She became an active member of ‘SLFP’ and joined the party’s ‘Women’s League’ in 1974 as an executive committee member.

The ‘Land Reform Program’ launched by her mother’s government during the 1970s gave her a platform to enter in active public service. From 1972 to 1976 she served as Principal Director of the ‘Land Reforms Commission’.

Thereafter from 1976 to 1977 she remained Chairman of the ‘Janawasa Commission’.

She also remained an Expert Consultant for the ‘United Nation’s’ ‘Food and Agriculture Organization’ from 1976 to 1979.

She left ‘SLFP’ and supported her husband, actor cum politician Vijaya Kumaratunga, in setting up ‘Sri Lanka Mahajana Pakshaya’ (Sri Lanka People's Party) in 1984.