Pavithra Wanniarachchi Explained

Honorific-Prefix:Hon.
Pavithra Wanniarachchi
Native Name:Sinhala; Sinhalese: පවිත්‍රා වන්නිආරච්චි
பவித்ரா வன்னியாராச்சி
Honorific-Suffix:MP
Term Start:19 January 2023
President:Ranil Wickremesinghe
Primeminister:Dinesh Gunawardena
Predecessor:Mahinda Amaraweera
Office1:Minister of Transport
President1:Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Primeminister1:Mahinda Rajapaksa
Predecessor1:Gamini Lokuge
Successor1:Dilum Amunugama
Term Start1:16 August 2021
Term End1:3 April 2022
Office2:Minister of Health
President2:Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Primeminister2:Mahinda Rajapaksa
Predecessor2:Rajitha Senaratne
Successor2:Keheliya Rambukwella
Term Start2:22 November 2019
Term End2:16 August 2021
Office3:Minister of Women and Child Affairs and Social Security
President3:Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Primeminister3:Mahinda Rajapaksa
Predecessor3:Rajitha Senaratne
Successor3:Keheliya Rambukwella
Term Start3:22 November 2019
Term End3:12 August 2020
Office4:Minister of Power and Energy
President4:Mahinda Rajapaksa
Primeminister4:D. M. Jayaratne
Predecessor4:Champika Ranawaka
Successor4:Champika Ranawaka
Term Start4:28 January 2013
Term End4:12 January 2015
Office5:Minister of Technology and Research
President5:Mahinda Rajapaksa
Primeminister5:D. M. Jayaratne
Predecessor5:Tissa Vitharana
Successor5:Champika Ranawaka
Term Start5:22 November 2010
Term End5:28 January 2013
Office6:Minister of National Heritage and Cultural Affairs
President6:Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Primeminister6:Mahinda Rajapaksa
Predecessor6:Anura Bandaranaike (2007)
Successor6:Jagath Balasuriya
Term Start6:23 April 2010
Term End6:22 November 2010
Office7:Minister of Youth Affairs
President7:Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Primeminister7:Mahinda Rajapaksa
Term Start7:28 January 2007
Term End7:23 April 2010
Successor7:Dullas Alahapperuma
Office8:Minister of Samurdhi and Poverty Alleviation
President8:Chandrika Kumaratunga
Mahinda Rajapaksa
Primeminister8:Mahinda Rajapaksa
Ratnasiri Wickremanayake
Term Start8:10 April 2004
Term End8:28 January 2007
Predecessor8:Chandrika Kumaratunga
Successor8:Sajith Premadasa (2015)
Office9:Minister of Plan Implementation
President9:Chandrika Kumaratunga
Primeminister9:Ratnasiri Wickramanayake
Ranil Wickremesinghe
Term Start9:19 October 2000
Term End9:12 December 2001
Predecessor9:Office established
Successor9:Petikirige Dayaratna 2007
Office10:Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Development
President10:Maithripala Sirisena
Primeminister10:Mahinda Rajapaksa
Minister10:Gamini Lokuge
Term Start10:7 November 2018
Term End10:15 December 2018
Predecessor10:Arjuna Ranatunga
Successor10:Kabir Hashim
Office11:Deputy Minister of Highways
President11:Chandrika Kumaratunga
Primeminister11:Ratnasiri Wickramanayake
Mahinda Rajapakse
Minister11:Gamini Atukorale
Term Start11:14 September 2001
Term End11:10 April 2004
Predecessor11:Munidasa Premachandra
Successor11:T. B. Ekanayake
Constituency Mp12:Ratnapura District
Parliament12:Sri Lanka
Term Start12:25 August 1994
Birth Name:Pavithradevi Wanniarachchi
Birth Date:10 November 1964
Nationality:Sri Lankan
Spouse:Kanchana Jayaratne
Party:Sri Lanka Freedom Party
Otherparty:United People's Freedom Alliance
Occupation:Lawyer

Pavithradevi Wanniarachchi (Sinhala; Sinhalese: පවිත්‍රා දේවි වන්නිආරච්චි) is a Sri Lankan lawyer and politician. The current Minister of Wildlife and Forest Conservation, she is a Member of Parliament from the Ratnapura District.

Early life and education

Pavithradevi Wanniarachchi was born on 10 November 1964, as the eldest daughter of Dharmadasa Wanniarachchi and Podi Menike Weerasekera Wanniarachchi. Her father was a senior politician and was the former governor of the Wayamba Province in 2003 before which he held the post of Deputy Minister Industries and Scientific Affairs. From 1967 to 1977, he represented the Palmadulla seat in the Parliament. He was re-elected to Parliament in 2000 and in 2004 was appointed as the governor of the North Western Province. She has one sister, Prasanna Devi Wanniarachchi, who is a lawyer.

Wanniarachchi attended the Pelmadulla Mahinda Vidyalaya for her primary education. She then entered Gankanda Central College and Anula Vidyalaya Nugegoda for her secondary education. She was the Head Prefect, leader of the debating team, president of the Buddhist Association, Member of the Western band and the Captain of the 1st Volleyball Team of Anula Vidyalaya. She then entered Sri Lanka Law College in 1985 and took oaths as an attorney of law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka five years later.

Political career

In 1990 she entered politics on the invitation of the former Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike. In 1991 she was appointed as the chief organizer for Kalawana. She then became a member of the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council in 1993 and in 1994 she entered Parliament as an MP representing the Ratnapura District.

After entering politics, she has held many posts both in the local and central governments. In 1994 she held the post of Deputy Minister of Health, Highways, Social Services and Welfare and in 1998 the post of Deputy Minister of Health & Indigenous Medicine. In the year 2000 she was elected as the Deputy Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, the Leader of the Women's wing of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and Minister of Plan and Implementation.

In 2002, while she was serving as the organiser of the Eheliyagoda seat for SLFP in 2008, she was appointed as the Chairman of the Commonwealth Youth Ministers Convention and also served as the Minister for Youth Affairs.

Between 2004 and 2015 she held many post while the SLFP lead coalition was in power. In 2004 she was appointed Minister of Samurdhi & Poverty Alleviation, 2007 Minister of Youth Affairs, 2010 she was appointed as the Minister of Cultural and National Heritage and later that year as the Minister of Technology and Atomic Research.

The periods between 2001 - 2004 and 2015 - 2019 she was an active member of the opposition of the Parliament.

From 2019 she was appointed as the Minister of Women & Child Affairs, Social Security, Health & Indigenous Medicine in government headed by the new President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

Post Held

Other Responsibilities

Family

Pavithra Wanniarachchi's husband is Kanchana Jayaratne, who is the Chairman of the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council and also serves as her Private Secretary. She has two daughters.

See also

References

External links