Presidents

The president of Sri Lanka is the elected head of state and the chief executive of Sri Lanka. The president is a dominant political figure in the country. The office was created in 1972, as more of a ceremonial position. It was empowered with executive powers by the 1978 Constitution introduced by J. R. Jayewardene. Anura Kumara Dissanayake is the 10th and current president, having assumed office on 23 September 2024, after being declared the winner of the 2024 presidential election. 

• Top left: William Gopallawa was the first and only non-executive president of Sri Lanka.

• Top right: J. R. Jayewardene was the first executive president of Sri Lanka.

• Bottom left: Chandrika Kumaratunga was the first female president and also the longest serving president of Sri Lanka.

• Bottom right: Anura Kumara Dissanayake is the current president of Sri Lanka.