Hema Premadasa (''
née
A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...
'' Wickramatunge) (born 27 October 1934) is a former
First Lady of Sri Lanka. She was in the office of the first lady of Sri Lanka from 2 January 1989 to 1 May 1993. While she was married to a politician, she "carved a separate identity for herself through her Presidentship of the Seva Vanitha Movement."
Premadasa is the mother of
Sajith Premadasa
Sajith Premadasa, MP ( si, සජිත් ප්රේමදාස, ta, சஜித் பிரேமதாச; born 12 January 1967) is a Sri Lankan politician. He is the current Leader of the Opposition of Sri Lanka and Member of Par ...
(b 1967),
Leader of the Opposition
The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the opposition is typically se ...
, and leader of the
Samagi Jana Balawegaya
The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (, ta, ஐக்கிய மக்கள் சக்தி, "United People's Power") is a political alliance that is led by the opposition leader of Sri Lanka, Sajith Premadasa. The alliance was formed with the appro ...
. In 1991, even though the Sri Lankan government tried to ban the Mothers' Front rally, Premadasa held her own rally the same day. Later, she attempted to seek Presidency. She was forced to quit when the opposite party ran a "scurrilous poster campaign."
As first lady, she visited accident sites and hospitals when Sri Lankans were injured. She was also a member of the Seva Vanitha Movement (SVM). Premadasa's husband
Ranasinghe Premadasa
Sri Lankabhimanya Ranasinghe Premadasa ( si, රණසිංහ ප්රේමදාස ''Raṇasiṃha Premadāsa'', ta, ரணசிங்க பிரேமதாசா ''Raṇaciṅka Pirēmatācā''; 23 June 1924 – 1 May 1993) was t ...
was killed by a LTTE bomb in 1993.
Premadasa is a fan of netball and considered an "ardent player."
References
Living people
First ladies and gentlemen of Sri Lanka
1935 births
Hema
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