President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Sri Lanka’s 9th Executive President, celebrates his 57th birthday today (24).

Born in 1968, he rose from student activism at the University of Kelaniya to national politics through the JVP. He entered Parliament in 2000 and later served as Minister of Agriculture.

Dissanayake became JVP leader in 2014 and played a key role in forming the National People’s Power (NPP) in 2019.

He was elected President on September 21, 2024, marking a major milestone in his decades-long political career.