Wijewardena family:Foundation of a long-lasting political family in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Wijewardena family can trace its ancestry back, with a degree of accuracy to the 15th Century, where the Tudugala Wijewardena family has established roots as a ‘Disava’ to King Parakramabahu VI who was the last king to have reigned over the whole of Sri Lanka. At the turn of the century, Tudugalage Muhandiram Don Philip Wijewardena took the name of Wijewardene. Over time, successful entrepreneur family has grown widely through marriages that happened with noble families and it made a strong and secured entrance to for modern politics. Wijewardena family is famous for their successful entrepreneur Junius Richard Jayewardene’s mother Agnes Helen Don Philip Wijewardena who is a daughter of Tudugalage Muhandiram Don Philip Wijewardena. Therefore, when J.R. Jayewardene became the first Executive President of Sri Lanka in 1978, he used to take pride in saying that he was the last in the line of rulers of the island in an unbroken succession dating back over 2500 years. Nalini Wijewardena is a daughter of D. R. Wijewardena and mother of Ranil Wickremesinghe, current Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. Nephew of J.R. Jayewardene and a cousin of Ranil Wickremesinghe, Ruwan Wijewardena representing current Parliament from Gampaha district and fulfilling the duties as an active Cabinet Minister. As female political figure of the family, Vimala Wijewardenecan can be recognized as the country's first female cabinet minister. When analyzing the collected data through library survey, along with many members who have been successful politicians across generations, this family includes two Prime Ministers and a President of Sri Lanka who represented UNP.