Chandrika Kumaratunga

Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, born on June 29, 1945, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, is a Sri Lankan politician who served as the 5th President of Sri Lanka from 1994 to 2005. She is the daughter of former Prime Ministers S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike and Sirimavo Bandaranaike, making her part of one of the most powerful political dynasties in Asian history. Kumaratunga was the first and only female President of Sri Lanka. During her presidency, she was involved in peace negotiations with the LTTE and navigated the complex ethnic conflict. She famously clashed with her own Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, during a period of cohabitation government. She lost an eye in a 1999 LTTE assassination attempt. After leaving office, she has been involved in international democracy promotion and conflict resolution work.