About Hema Premadasa
Born 1935. Hema Premadasa is a Sri Lankan politician.
Hema Premadasa (née Wickramatunge; born 27 October 1934) is a Sri Lankan politician and widow of Ranasinghe Premadasa, third President of Sri Lanka. She was the First Lady of Sri Lanka from 2 January 1989 to 1 May 1993, when her husband was assassinated.
As first lady, she visited accident sites and hospitals when Sri Lankans were injured. Although Premadasa was married to a politician, she attempted to form a unique identity for herself in the Sri Lankan political landscape. She was a member and also president of the Seva Vanitha Movement (SVM). In 1991, even though the Sri Lankan government attempted to ban the Mothers' Front rally, Premadasa held her own rally on the same day. Later, she made her own attempts to run for presidency in 1994. She was forced to call off her campaign after opposition parties ran a "scurrilous poster campaign".
Premadasa is the mother of Sajith Premadasa, current Leader of the Opposition and leader of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya. Premadasa is a fan and player of netball.
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Important facts
Family & relationships
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Hema Premadasa's
Frequently asked questions
Who is Hema Premadasa?
politician
When was Hema Premadasa born?
Hema Premadasa was born on 27 October 1935 in Sri Lanka.
What is Hema Premadasa's occupation?
Hema Premadasa is a politician.
What nationality is Hema Premadasa?
Hema Premadasa is Sri Lankan.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Hema Premadasa. https://biography.guide/hema-premadasa/
MLA: "Hema Premadasa." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/hema-premadasa/.
Chicago: "Hema Premadasa." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/hema-premadasa/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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