INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader&& John Quincy Adams
Pallewatte
Gamaralalage Maithripala Yapa Sirisena is the son from a farming family
His father was awarded five acres of paddy fields for his service during the World War II
His mother was a school teacher
He is the seventh and current President of Sri Lanka and he is in office since 9 January 2015
He is the first President to be selected from the North Central Province and does not belong to a traditional political elite
He is in word itself a man within the ordinary men.
He started his political career very young
While still studying at Royal College, Polonnaruwa, young Maithripala Sirisena became interested in communism and joined the Communist Party
becoming closely associated with Party Leader N
Shanmugathasan in party activities
In 1968, he took part in Communist Party anti-government rally which was broken up by baton charging police.
At the age of 17, he was
chosen as the Secretary of the SLFP Youth Organisation in Polonnaruwa by the SLFP Member of Parliament for Polonnaruwa, Leelarathna
In 1971, aged 19, he was jailed for 15 months for alleged involvement in the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna insurrection.
Following his release
from the prison, Sirisena joined All Ceylon SLFP Youth Organization led by Anura Bandaranaike and joined politics at the national level
After serving at a number of State institutions, Sirisena obtained the SLFP membership in 1978.
He climbed up the SLFP ranks, joining its
politburo in 1981, where he was chosen as the President of the All Island SLFP Youth Organisation, and also later served as
Treasurer.
During the 1981 Presidential Poll, when Basil Rajapaksa joined the United National Party, he took over the responsibility of the
Secretary of the organization
Subsequently, he was appointed the Polonnaruwa SLFP chief organiser by the SLFP hierarchy
He became president of the All Island SLFP Youth Organisation in 1983.
Maithripala Sirisena, contested the 1989 Parliamentary Election from
the SLFP and was elected to the Parliament from the Polonnaruwa District
He was re-elected at the 1994 parliamentary election, this time as a People Alliance candidate
In 1997 he was appointed as the General Secretary of the SLFP for the first time
In August 2009, he was appointed as one of the Deputy Presidents of the SLFP
He became General Secretary of the SLFP in October 2001 following S.B Dissanayake defection to the United National Party.
He was appointed
Deputy Minister of Irrigation in the new PA Government led by Chandrika Kumaratunga in 1994
In 1997 President Kumaratunga promoted him to the Cabinet, appointing him Minister of Mahaweli Development
He was re-elected to the Parliament at the 2000 Parliamentary Election and retained his ministerial portfolio
He was re-elected at the 2001 Parliamentary Election, but the PA lost the election and so Sirisena lost his ministerial position.
In
January 2004 the SLFP joined forces with the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna to form a political alliance called the United People Freedom
Alliance (UPFA).
Sirisena was re-elected at the 2004 Parliamentary Election as a UPFA candidate
President Kumaratunga appointed him Minister of River Basin Development and Rajarata Development in the new UPFA government in April
2004.
He was also appointed Leader of the House
Sirisena ministerial portfolio was renamed as Minister of Irrigation, Mahaweli, and Rajarata Development in July 2005
He resigned as the Leader of the House in August 2005.
Minister of Agriculture
After the 2005 Presidential Election newly elected
President Mahinda Rajapaksa appointed Sirisena Minister of Agriculture, Environment, Irrigation, and Mahaweli Development in November
2005.
Following a Cabinet reshuffle in January 2007 he was appointed Minister of Agriculture Development and Agrarian Services Development
While serving his role as the Minister of Agriculture, he also served as the acting Defence Minister for several occasions during the Sri
Lankan civil war.
He also narrowly escaped death on 9 October 2008 when a convoy he was part of was attacked by a Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam suicide bomber
Maithripala Sirisena was re-elected at the 2010 Parliamentary Election and was appointed Minister of Health in April 2010.
On 21 November
2014, Sirisena announced that he would challenge incumbent President Rajapaksa at the 2015 Presidential Election as the common Opposition
He was declared the winner after receiving 51.28% of all votes
Maithripala Sirisena was sworn in as Sri Lanka sixth Executive President on 9 January 2015.
His revolution against then President and the
Government in 2014 was not about power
He observed that the country was heading towards a dictatorship with rampant corruption, nepotism and a breakdown of law and order.
He came
forward knowing that his own life was at risk
Unlike all the previous Presidents he announced that he has no plans to serve a second term
His plan is for a country where the true democracy would serve.
After becoming the seventh and current President of Sri Lanka in 2015 he
continues his legacy by spreading awareness throughout the nation regarding the importance of agriculture and encouraging all to take part
in his vision for a prosperous - self-sufficient nation.
His decision to fight the drug mafia in Sri Lanka was one brave decision which was
very unpopular among the few people who had their own agendas, but the general public always stood with the President for this firm
decision.
His international relations has put Sri Lanka back on the map among all nations and we managed to win their trust and support in
Most importantly unlike any other President of Sri Lanka he has managed to become neutral during the coming Presidential
Election.
President Sirisena will be leaving soon
However, he will be leaving behind a great legacy
Moreover, he will continue to work towards the betterment of this country
Because a true leader does not need power to inspire a nation.
By Shanika Gamage
ceylontoday.lk
