Anura Kumara Dissanayake

Anura Kumara Dissanayake, born on 24 November 1968 in the village of Galewela, Central Province, Sri Lanka, has emerged as a significant figure in the country's political landscape. He relocated with his family to Thambuththegama in the North Central Province in 1972. His political journey began during his time at the University of Peradeniya, where he joined the Socialist Students Union in 1987, engaging in revolutionary activities amidst the backdrop of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord.

After transferring to the University of Kelaniya, Dissanayake earned a bachelor's degree in science in 1995. His political career took off when he was elected as the national organiser of the Socialist Students Union in 1997. He quickly rose through the ranks of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), joining the Central Committee in the same year and the Political Bureau in 1998. His parliamentary career began in 2000, and he gained significant recognition in 2004 when he was elected from the Kurunegala District, serving as Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation until 2005.

In 2008, Dissanayake became the leader of the JVP in parliament and continued to make strides in his political career, re-entering parliament through the national list in 2010. His leadership capabilities were further recognized when he became the leader of the JVP in 2014 and was elected from the Colombo District in 2015. Notably, he served as Chief Opposition Whip from 2015 to 2018, earning accolades as the most active Member of Parliament for five consecutive years.

In 2019, he founded the National People's Power (NPP) and ran for president, finishing third in the election. However, his persistence paid off when he was elected as the tenth president of Sri Lanka on 22 September 2024, marking a historic moment as he became the first president elected from a third party and the first to be elected in a second round of vote counting.