- By Shivangi Sharma
- Wed, 25 Sep 2024 01:59 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the new president of Sri Lanka on Tuesday, appointed Harini Amarasuriya, a college professor and first-time lawmaker, as the new prime minister of the island nation, making her the third woman to hold this role.
In addition to her role as prime minister, she has been appointed as the concurrent minister of justice, health, women's affairs, and trade and industries.
Amarasuriya follows in the footsteps of Sri Lanka's first female prime minister, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, who took office in 1960, and her daughter, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.
Dissanayake was the candidate for the National People’s Power (NPP) alliance, which includes his Janatha Vimukhti Peremuna (JVP) party, known for its traditionally Marxist economic policies focused on protectionism and state intervention.
Who Is Harini Amarasuriya And What Is Her Indian Connection?
An activist, she is a member of the Federation of University Teachers' Associations and has participated in protests advocating for free education. She has championed gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, and is involved with the Parliamentary Caucus for Animal Welfare.
Amarasuriya became a member of the National Intellectuals Organisation in 2019 and supported NPP candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake during the 2019 Sri Lankan presidential election. On August 12, 2020, she was nominated and appointed by the JJB as the national list candidate to join the 16th Parliament of Sri Lanka after the 2020 parliamentary election.
Amarasuriya holds a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from Hindu College between 1991 and 1994.
Anju Srivastava, the principal of Hindu College, conveyed her pride in the accomplishments of their notable alumna. "It’s a privilege to know that a former student of Hindu College has risen to become the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. Harini studied Sociology from 1991 to 1994, and we are immensely proud of her achievements. I trust that her experience at Hindu contributed to her journey toward leadership," Srivastava remarked to PTI.
Amarasuriya also holds an MA in Applied Anthropology and Development from Macquarie University, and a PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of Edinburgh.