Rukman Senanayake
Encyclopedia
Rukman Senanayake, is a long standing Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...

n politician and was former Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...

 for Kegalle District
Kegalle District
Kegalle is a district in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 1,663 km². It was a former Dissavani of Sri Lanka. Has a population of 785,524 according to census 2001.-Physical Information:...

. He was the ex Vice Leader of the United National Party
United National Party
The United National Party, often referred to as the UNP ), , is a political party in Sri Lanka. It currently is the main opposition party in Sri Lanka and is headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe...

. Rukman Senanayake was also a former Cabinet Minister of Environment and Natural Resources from 2002 to 2004.

Early life

Rukman Senanayake was born on 21 June 1948 to a political dynasty in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...

. His paternal grandfather, Rt Hon D.S Senanayake was the first Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...

 in Sri Lanka. His maternal grandfather, F.R Senanayake was a prominent Sri Lankan politician and independence activist. Meanwhile his paternal uncle, Dudley Senanayake
Dudley Senanayake
Dudley Shelton Senanayake was a Ceylonese politician, who became the second Prime Minister of Ceylon and went on to become prime minister on 2 more times during the 1950s and 1960s.-Early life:Dudley was born on 19 June, 1911 as the eldest son to Molly Dunuwila and Don Stephen Senanayake, who...

 held the portfolio of Sri Lankan Prime Minister four times after the country's independence. Rukman Senanayake's maternal uncle, R.G. Senanayake served as the Cabinet Minister of Trade and Commerce during the period 1952-53, and also during the period 1956-60 in SWRD Bandaranaike's government. Rukman Senanayake is the third son of Mr and Mrs Robert Senanayake. He has one elder brother, Devinda, and two sisters, Ranjini and Yasmin. The family hailed from Bothale Walauwa
Walauwa
Walauwa is the name given to a feudal/colonial manor house in Ceylon built by native headmen. It is also reference to the feudal social systems that existed during the colonial era.-Kandyan Walauwas:...

 in Mihirigama.

Political career

Rukman Senanayake first entered the Parliament of Sri Lanka
Parliament of Sri Lanka
The Parliament of Sri Lanka is the 225-member unicameral legislature of Sri Lanka. The members of Parliament are elected by proportional representation for six-year terms, with universal suffrage. Parliament reserves the power to make all laws...

 in 1973 from the United National Party
United National Party
The United National Party, often referred to as the UNP ), , is a political party in Sri Lanka. It currently is the main opposition party in Sri Lanka and is headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe...

, representing the Dedigama Electorate after the demise of his uncle, Dudley Senanayake. He remained as Member of Parliament until 1977, but did not contest in the 1977 General Elections. In 1994, Rukman Senanayake entered Parliament from the United National Party for the second time. He remained as MP, representing the Polonnaruwa District
Polonnaruwa District
Polonnaruwa is a district in North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 3,403 km²....

 until 2001. Again, in 2001, he entered Parliament from Kegalle District, and was appointed as Cabinet Minister of Environment and Natural Resources in United National Party government. Rukman Senanayake held the portfolio of Cabinet Minister until 2004. He re-entered Parliament in the 2004 General Elections. He was appointed as the United National Party Chairman in 2007 and as Vice Leader in 2008.

See also

  • List of political families in Sri Lanka
  • Fredrick Richard Senanayake
    Fredrick Richard Senanayake
    Fredrick Richard Senanayake popularly referred to as F.R. Senanayake) was a Sri Lankan politician and independence activist.-Education:...

  • Don Stephen Senanayake
    Don Stephen Senanayake
    Don Stephen Senanayake was an independence activist who served as the first Prime Minister of Ceylon from 1947 to 1952.-Early life:...

  • Dudley Senanayake
    Dudley Senanayake
    Dudley Shelton Senanayake was a Ceylonese politician, who became the second Prime Minister of Ceylon and went on to become prime minister on 2 more times during the 1950s and 1960s.-Early life:Dudley was born on 19 June, 1911 as the eldest son to Molly Dunuwila and Don Stephen Senanayake, who...


External links & references

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