Mahinda Rajapaksa

Mahinda Rajapaksa, born on November 18, 1945, in Weeraketiya, Sri Lanka, is a Sri Lankan politician who served as the 6th President of Sri Lanka from 2005 to 2015 and as Prime Minister from 2019 to 2022. He is credited with ending the Sri Lankan Civil War in 2009, which lasted for nearly three decades. Rajapaksa hails from a prominent political family in the Southern Province and was first elected to parliament in 1970 at age 24. As President, he oversaw massive infrastructure development projects including highways, ports, and airports. His presidency was also marked by controversies regarding human rights during the final stages of the civil war. He comes from a powerful political dynasty — his brother Gotabaya served as President, and several other family members held ministerial positions. He currently serves as Member of Parliament and senior leader of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP).