Shiranthi Rajapaksa
Encyclopedia
Shiranthi Rajapaksa is the wife of the sixth President of Sri Lanka
, Mahinda Rajapaksa
and the First Lady
of Sri Lanka
. She a professional in child psychology and pre-school education.
E. P. Wickramasinghe SLN and his wife, she is the couple's only daughter. Rajapaksa has two brothers.
. She excelled at school both in fields of education and sports and was considered a brilliant all-rounder. She finished secondary school with a Diploma in Child Psychology and Pre-school Education.
in 1973. Thereafter she had the distinction of being one of the contestants at the Miss Universe
pageant held in Athens
. She also participated in Miss World 1973
, held at the Royal Albert Hall, London
on November 23, 1973.
and in the southern regions of Sri Lanka
- Tangalle
, Beliatta
, Ranna, Walasmulla and Weeraketiya. Each year, over 600 young children are enrolled and 25 teachers are currently employed in these pre-schools.
. The couple has three sons. Namal Rajapaksa
is a current Member of Parliament
for Hambantota District
while his brother Yoshitha was commissioned as an Acting Sub Lieutenant in the Sri Lanka Navy in March 2009 appointed a Aide-de-camp
to the President in 2006 and youngest son is Rohitha Rajapaksa.
President of Sri Lanka
The President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the elected head of state and the head of government. The President is a dominant political figure in Sri Lanka. The office was created in 1978 but has grown so powerful there have been calls to restrict or even eliminate its power...
, Mahinda Rajapaksa
Mahinda Rajapaksa
Percy Mahendra "Mahinda" Rajapaksa ; ; born November 18, 1945) is the 6th and current President of Sri Lanka and Commander in Chief of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. A lawyer by profession, Rajapaksa was first elected to the Parliament of Sri Lanka in 1970, and served as prime minister from April 6,...
and the First Lady
First Lady
First Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
of 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...
. She a professional in child psychology and pre-school education.
Early life
Born to CommodoreCommodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
E. P. Wickramasinghe SLN and his wife, she is the couple's only daughter. Rajapaksa has two brothers.
Education
Shiranthi Rajapaksa completed her primary and secondary education at Holy Family Convent, ColomboColombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
. She excelled at school both in fields of education and sports and was considered a brilliant all-rounder. She finished secondary school with a Diploma in Child Psychology and Pre-school Education.
Miss Universe and Miss World
Rajapakse first entered the limelight prior to her marriage after being crowned Miss Sri LankaMiss Sri Lanka Universe
Miss Universe Sri Lanka is a beauty contest held in Sri Lanka to select the country's representative to the Miss Universe pageant.- Winners :-External links:* * *...
in 1973. Thereafter she had the distinction of being one of the contestants at the Miss Universe
Miss Universe 1973
Miss Universe 1973 was held at the 2,000-year-old amphitheatre of Odeon of Herodes Atticus, at the foot of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece on July 21, 1973...
pageant held in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. She also participated in Miss World 1973
Miss World 1973
The 23rd Annual Miss World pageant was held at the Royal Albert Hall on November 23, 1973. Fifty-four delegates vied for the crown won by an American, Marjorie Wallace of Indiana.Pageant Controversy...
, held at the Royal Albert Hall, London
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
on November 23, 1973.
Child educationist career
Shiranthi Rajapaksa, being a professional in the field of child psychology and pre-school education, established six pre-schools in ColomboColombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
and in the southern regions of 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...
- Tangalle
Tangalle
Tangalle is a town on the southern coast of Sri Lanka located in the Hambantota District. It has a mild climate, in comparison to the rest of the district, and sandy beaches....
, Beliatta
Beliatta
Beliatta is a town located in Hambantota District, southern province Sri Lanka near but inland from the coast about 7 km away.it is the home town of the current president of the Sri Lanka Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa in Hambantota District. the prominent nearest town is Tangalle...
, Ranna, Walasmulla and Weeraketiya. Each year, over 600 young children are enrolled and 25 teachers are currently employed in these pre-schools.
Family
In 1983, she married Mahinda RajapaksaMahinda Rajapaksa
Percy Mahendra "Mahinda" Rajapaksa ; ; born November 18, 1945) is the 6th and current President of Sri Lanka and Commander in Chief of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. A lawyer by profession, Rajapaksa was first elected to the Parliament of Sri Lanka in 1970, and served as prime minister from April 6,...
. The couple has three sons. Namal Rajapaksa
Namal Rajapaksa
Lakshman Namal Rajapaksa is a Sri Lankan politician. He is a current Member of Parliament for Hambantota District and he hails from a well known political family. His father Mahinda Rajapaksa is the current President of Sri Lanka and his grandfather D. A...
is a current 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 Hambantota District
Hambantota District
Hambantota District is located on the southeastern coast of Sri Lanka, in the Southern Province. It has an area of 2,593 km² and a very dry climate. The district capital is Hambantota town; the administrative headquarters are located there as well as the center of salt production...
while his brother Yoshitha was commissioned as an Acting Sub Lieutenant in the Sri Lanka Navy in March 2009 appointed a Aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to the President in 2006 and youngest son is Rohitha Rajapaksa.