November 24, Colombo (LNW): Today (24) marks the 56th birthday of Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the 9th Executive President of Sri Lanka, who has built a distinguished career in politics spanning several decades.

Born in 1968, President Dissanayake has been an influential figure in shaping the country’s political landscape.

Early in life, Dissanayake’s academic journey began at Thambuttegama Primary School before he moved on to Thambuttegama Central College, where he excelled in the Mathematics stream at the Advanced Level examinations.

In 1992, he pursued higher education at the University of Kelaniya, enrolling in the Faculty of Science, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1995.

It was during his university years that Dissanayake’s political consciousness took shape.

In 1987, he became involved with the Socialist Students’ Union and soon emerged as a prominent activist, particularly during the nationwide protests against the Indo-Lanka Accord.

His early involvement in these movements set the stage for his future in politics.

Dissanayake’s political career gained momentum in 1993 when the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), the party that had been suppressed during a period of state repression, began to re-establish itself.

Dissanayake quickly became an integral part of the JVP, assuming the role of National Organiser of the Socialist Students’ Union in 1997.

That same year, he was elected to the JVP Central Committee, and by 1998, he had joined the party’s Politburo.

In 1999, he made his first significant step into electoral politics by running for the Provincial Council elections as the JVP’s Chief Ministerial candidate for the Central Province.

His parliamentary debut came in 2000 when he was elected through the national list.

Dissanayake’s influence within Sri Lankan politics continued to grow. In the 2004 parliamentary elections, he won the highest number of preferential votes in the Kurunegala District and was appointed as the Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Irrigation, and Livestock under the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government.

His leadership abilities were further recognised when he was elected Leader of the Parliamentary Group of the JVP in 2008. He continued to serve in Parliament after 2010 through the National List and represented the Colombo District in 2015.

In 2014, Dissanayake was elected as the leader of the JVP during the party’s 7th National Convention, marking a new phase in his leadership role. In the following years, he played a pivotal role in the formation of the National People’s Power (NPP) in 2019, a coalition that brought together various political parties, civil organisations, and activists with the aim of reforming Sri Lanka’s political system.

This initiative further cemented Dissanayake’s reputation as a key political figure advocating for change.

The culmination of his long and dynamic political journey came in September 2024 when he was elected as the President of Sri Lanka. This historic victory was a significant moment not only for Dissanayake but for the political trajectory of the country, as he emerged as a prominent voice for progressive change and national unity.