Who Is Sirimavo Bandaranaike? Age, Biography and Wiki
Sirimavo Bandaranaike was born on April 17, 1916, making her 109 years old as of 2025. Sirimavo was a prominent political figure in Ceylon, later known as Sri Lanka, serving as Prime Minister three times between 1960-1965, 1970-1977, and 1994-2000. She was the world's first female head of government and became a symbol of female empowerment in politics. Her leadership and vision greatly influenced Sri Lankan politics and paved the way for future generations of women leaders.
| Occupation | Women's Rights Activists |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | April 17, 1916 |
| Age | 84 Years |
| Birth Place | Ratnapura, British Ceylon |
| Horoscope | Aries |
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Date of death | 10 October, 2000 |
| Died Place | Kadawatha, Sri Lanka |
Popularity
Sirimavo Bandaranaike's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Due to her passing on October 10, 2000, there are no current measurements or statistics for Sirimavo Bandaranaike in 2025. However, during her lifetime, she embodied grace and dignity, which complemented her strong personality and leadership skills.
On 6 March, militants attacked the U.S. Embassy in Colombo, leading to the declaration of a state of emergency on 17 March. In early April, attacks on police stations evidenced a well-planned insurgency which Ceylon's small army was ill-equipped to handle.
Calling on its allies for assistance, the government was saved largely because of Bandaranaike's neutral foreign policy.
The Soviet Union sent aircraft to support the Ceylonese government; arms and equipment came from Britain, the United Arab Republic, the United States and Yugoslavia; medical supplies were provided by East and West Germany, Norway and Poland; patrol boats were sent from India; and both India and Pakistan sent troops.
On 1 May, Bandaranaike suspended government offensives and offered an amnesty, which resulted in thousands of surrenders. The following month a second amnesty was offered.
Bandaranaike established a National Committee of Reconstruction to re-establish civil authority and provide a strategic plan for dealing with those captured or surrendered insurgents. One of the Bandaranaike's first actions after the conflict was to expel North Korean diplomats, as she suspected they had fomented the radical discontent.
The saying "She was the only man in her cabinet" – attributed to her political opponents in the 1960s – resurfaced during the height of the insurgency, as Bandaranaike proved that she had become a "formidable political force".
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Sirimavo Bandaranaike was married to S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, with whom she had three children: Chandrika Kumaratunga, Anura Bandaranaike, and Devika Bandaranaike. Her husband, the former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, was assassinated in 1959. Sirimavo's commitment to her family and her significant role as a politician showcased her ability to balance family responsibilities and a career in public service.
Born into a Sinhalese Kandyan aristocratic family, Bandaranaike was educated in Catholic, English-medium schools, but remained a Buddhist and spoke Sinhala as well as English. On graduating from secondary school, she worked for various social programmes before marrying and raising a family. Playing hostess to her husband S. W. R. D.
Bandaranaike, who founded the socialist SLFP in 1951 and became prime minister in 1956, she gained his trust as an informal advisor. Her social work focused on improving the lives of women and girls in rural areas of Sri Lanka.
Net Worth and Salary
While exact figures for Sirimavo Bandaranaike's net worth at the time of her passing are not explicitly documented, her long political career and her family's legacy indicate that she belonged to a well-off political lineage. It is estimated that her family's net worth was substantial, primarily due to their influence and involvement in Sri Lanka's political and social fabric.
Lack of support for austerity measures, specifically the inability to import adequate rice – the main dietary staple – caused the resignation of Minister Felix Dias Bandaranaike.
Other cabinet ministers were reassigned in an attempt to stem the drift toward Soviet trade partnerships, which had gained ground after the creation of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation.
The Petroleum Corporation had been launched in 1961 to bypass the monopolistic pricing imposed on Middle Eastern oil imports, allowing Ceylon to import oil from the United Arab Republic and the Soviet Union.
Some of the storage facilities of western oil operatives were co-opted with a compensation agreement, but continuing disputes over non-payment resulted in suspension of foreign aid from the United States in February 1963.
In reaction to the suspension of aid, the Parliament passed the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation Amendment Act nationalising all distribution, import-export, sales and supply of most oil products in the country, from January 1964.
Career, Business and Investments
Sirimavo Bandaranaike’s political career began when she was invited to contest elections in place of her late husband. She led her party, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, to victory and aggressively promoted foreign policy independence, agriculture, and education reforms. Throughout her tenure, she founded new educational institutions and took a pro-socialist stance, including nationalizing key sectors in Sri Lanka. Her dedication to the nation's welfare established her as a significant leader in the global political arena.
Bandaranaike attempted to reform the former Dominion of Ceylon into a socialist republic by nationalising organisations in the banking, education, industry, media and trade sectors.
Changing the administrative language from English to Sinhala and routinely campaigning on Sinhalese nationalist and anti-Tamil policies, which was political mainstream, she exacerbated discontent among the native Tamil population, and with the estate Tamils, who had become stateless under the Citizenship Act of 1948.
Social Network
Although social media profiles did not exist during her lifetime, Sirimavo Bandaranaike was honored and celebrated on various platforms after her passing, showcasing her significant contributions to society. Posthumous recognition can be found on platforms like Wikipedia, where her legacy continues to inspire political discourse about female leadership.
In the 1965 elections, Bandaranaike won a seat in the House of Representatives from the Attanagalla Electoral District. With her party gaining 41 seats, she became the Leader of the Opposition, the first woman ever to hold the post. Dudley Senanayake was sworn in as prime minister on 25 March 1965.
Education
Sirimavo Bandaranaike was educated at the Visakha Vidyalaya and later at the University of Ceylon. Her education played a critical role in shaping her ideals and commitment to education and political reform throughout her tenure as Prime Minister. She placed high importance on education, particularly for women, which became a significant part of her political agenda.
In conclusion, Sirimavo Bandaranaike remains a colossal figure in the history of Sri Lankan politics and an enduring symbol of women's leadership worldwide. Her legacy, characterized by resilience and determination, continues to inspire future generations in 2025 and beyond.
All three of Bandaranaike's children were educated abroad. Sunetra studied at Oxford, Chandrika at the University of Paris, and Anura at the University of London. All would later return and serve in the Sri Lankan government.
