Sirisena

Maithripala Sirisena is a Sri Lankan politician who served as the fifth President of Sri Lanka from 2015 to 2019. Born on September 3, 1951, in Polonnaruwa, Sirisena joined the Sri Lankan Civil Service in 1970 and rose through the ranks, eventually becoming the Secretary to the President in 1991.

Sirisena was elected to the Sri Lankan Parliament in 1988 and served in various roles, including as the Minister of Culture and the Arts (1993-1994) and the Minister of Health (2010-2015). As a member of the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) party, he played a key role in the Mahinda Rajapaksa-led government until a power struggle led to his departure from the party.

In 2015, Sirisena, who was then a member of the UPFA, led a coalition of opposition parties, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), to challenge the re-election bid of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. After a highly contested election, Sirisena won the presidency, embarking on an independent path instead of sticking to his UPFA party.

As President, Sirisena implemented a series of economic and social reforms aimed at increasing transparency and accountability within the government. His administration released a number of prisoners, including several leaders associated with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), and also worked to strengthen ties with the international community, including with regional power India.

Sirisena served as President until 2019, when he was succeeded by Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Since his presidency, Sirisena has continued to hold various party posts and to participate in Sri Lankan politics.