Worldwide
Guide to Women in Leadership
Sri Lanka Heads of State
Also see Sri Lanka Ministers
Before BCE 544-505
Legendary Queen Kuveni of Heladipa (Sri Lanka)
She had succeeded her father, and was told of the arrival of Vijaya, the Aryan
Prince and his followers and on
meeting him fell in love with him and were united and blessed by Sandu the moon
goddess. Preparations were made for the wedding according to the ancient rites
and ceremonies of the people of Heladipe, and they reigned as King and Queen of Heladipa for five years and their
subjects were happy and contented. They had a son and a daughter. But she was
abandoned and her ex-husband married an Aryan Princess from a Royal
family to whom he had been betrothed before he was banished from his homeland.
He made her his new Queen of the Island of Heldaipa. His followers
married women from the land of this Queen and from this union sprang the
Sinhalese race. The name Heladipa was changed to Sinhadipa.
Kuveni, broken hearted and alone, cursed Vijaya, his Kingdom and all the future
rulers of the Island stating that no ruler would ever be able to rule the land
without bloodshed and strife. She then went back to her people and was received
with a hail of stones. She fell to the ground and lay in a heap as the stones
pounded the life out of her. After the death of Queen Kuveni, under the hands of
her own kinsmen whom she had earlier betrayed, her son and daughter escaped to
the jungle and started a progeny, the Sabaras, the present day Veddahs.
BCE 47-42 Queen Anula
Succeeded her husband Kuda Tissa (9-12). Co-ruler with four different men.
BCE 35-30 Queen Sivali
1156/57 Rebellion Leader Queen Sugala Devi in
Sri Lanka
She raised the standard of revolt in Ruhuna against Parakrama Bahu the Great
(1153-1186), who had become sole monarch of Lanka. She was gradually driven to
the south of the island by the royal army operating in Uva, and her defeat was
ensured by the arrival of other forces from Sabaragamuwa and the western sea
coast. Sugala Devi herself was captured and the revolt collapsed.
1184-87, 1196-96 and 1197-98/or 1197-1200, 1209-10 and 1211-12 Queen Regnant
Lilavati of Sri Lanka
Widow Parakrama Bahu I, who was succeeded by a number of kings who only ruled
for short times, she was placed on the throne by General Senevirat. Duringher
first reign the country was peaceful and prosperous and she was able to devote
her time to the development of literature, music, drama and art until she was
removed from the throne by her co-Ministers. The next 9 years saw another
succession of rulers until she was placed on the throne by General Camunakka for
the second time, and he ruled the country by her, until she was She was deposed
by Lokissara, who arrived in Lanka with an army enlisted abroad, and defeated
the royal forces at the capital of Polonnaruwa. He took the throne but was soon
deposed, and she was installed as Queen for the third time until she was deposed
after 7 months by King Parakrama of Pandu in South-India, who reigned until
1201.
1189-95/or 1202-08 Queen Regnant Kalyanawati of
Sri Lanka
The widow of king Nissanka Malla, she was installed Queen by General Ayasmantha
who ruled the country through her for six years. His reign came to an end after
she was deposed.
1594-1613 Queen Kusumasanadevi of Kandy
Also known as Queen Doņa Catherina Kusumasana Devi, she was the daughter of
previous King of Kandy, Karaliadde Bandara, who died when she was three years
old, and she grew up with the Portuguese, who installed her as "puppet-ruler"
with the title of Empress, only as cover for Portuguese occupation of the
Kandyan Kingdom, lasting only for four months with Lopez de Souza, the
Portuguese Conquistador on her side. The latter was killed at the battle of
Danture in l594 when Catherina fell into the hands of Konappu Bandara He was a
Kandyan aristocrat who had mastered Portuguese military skills by feigning to
have become a Christian became the king of Senkadagalapura (Kandy) in 1592,
after deposing the Portuguese puppet Don Juan, set up by them. Konappu Bandara
assumed the name of Vimaladharmasuriya I, (1592- 1604) marrying Dona Catherina
and thereby strengthening his claim to the throne. After his death, she married
his first cousin Senarat (1604-1635), a priest, who threw off his robes. She
lived (1578-1613).
1613-17 "Hereditary Princess" Suriya Devi
of Kandy
After the death of her mother, Dona Catherina, she married his husband, Senarat,
in order to strenghten his claim to the throne. When she died, he married her
sister. (d. 1617).
1617 "Hereditary Princess" Sama Devi
of Kandy
Married to the widower of her mother and older sister, and his marriages shows
that he, the son of a village headman from matale,
realized the weakness of his claim to the throne and tried to establish his
relationship with the old dynasty of Kandy through Dona Catherina Kusuma Devi.
After her husband's death, her brother, Raja Singha II, succeeded to the throne.
1994
1. Deputy
Head of State, Prime Minister Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga (19.8-14.11)
1994-2005 Executive President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces (12.11-19.11)
Vice-President 1984-86 and President of Sri Lanka Maha Jana Party 1984-86,
Leader of United Socialist Alliance 1988 and since 1993 Leader of Peoples
Alliance and Deputy Leader of Sri Lanka Freedom Party, 1993-94 Chief Minister of
the Colombo Province. Her husband Vijaya K. was assinated 1988. As President she
held a number of other portfolios - among others that of Minister of Defence.
She is mother of 2
children, daughter of the Prime Ministers Solomon and Sirivamo Bandaranaike.(1945-)
1994-2000
1, Deputy
Head of State, Prime Minister Sirimavo R.D. Bandaranaike (14.11.-10.8)
In 1960-65 and 1977 Prime Minister and 1960-65 Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Defence and Employment, Chairman 1960-93 and 1993-2000 President of Sri Lanka
Freedom Party, 1965-70 and 1988-94 Leader of The Opposition, 1976 Chairman of
the Association of Non Aligned Nations, 1988 Presidential Candidate 1994
Minister without Portfolio (Second in Cabinet). Widow of Solomon B., Premier of
Ceylon 1956-59 until he was assassinated. Her father Mr. Rawatte was a Senator.
As Prime Minister she is Deputy Head of State. (17.4.1916-10.10.2000)
First female Supreme
Court Judge in 1996. She was removed from office because she was acting too
independent from the government. Not related to the former President and Prime
Ministers from the Bandaranaike-family. (b. 1958-)
Last update 20.08.13