Chamal Rajapaksa
Chamal Jayantha Rajapaksa (Sinhala: චමල් රාජපක්ෂ; Tamil: சமல் ராஜபக்ஷ; born 30 October 1942) is a Sri Lankan politician who was Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka from 2010 to 2015. Previously he served as Minister of Ports and Aviation and the Minister for Irrigation and Water Management. He hails from a well-known political family in Sri Lanka. His father, D. A. Rajapaksa, was a prominent politician, independence agitator, member of parliament and Minister of Agriculture and Land in Wijeyananda Dahanayake's government. He is the elder brother of Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was President of Sri Lanka from 2005 to 2015 and Gotabaya Rajapaksa who was President from 2019 to 2022. Nine members of the Rajapaksa family have been members of parliament in Sri Lanka.
Chamal Rajapaksa MP | |
|---|---|
| චමල් රාජපක්ෂ சமல் ராஜபக்ஷ | |
Rajapaksa in March 2015 | |
| 19th Speaker of the Parliament | |
| In office 22 April 2010 – 26 June 2015 | |
| Preceded by | W. J. M. Lokubandara |
| Succeeded by | Karu Jayasuriya |
| Minister of Irrigation | |
| In office 12 August 2020 – 3 April 2022 | |
| President | Gotabaya Rajapaksa |
| Prime Minister | Mahinda Rajapaksa |
| In office 28 January 2007 – 23 April 2010 | |
| President | Mahinda Rajapaksa |
| Prime Minister | Ratnasiri Wickremanayake |
| Minister of Internal Trade, Food Security and Consumer Welfare, Mahaweli, Agriculture, Irrigation and Rural Development | |
| In office 22 November 2019 – 12 August 2020 | |
| President | Gotabaya Rajapaksa |
| Prime Minister | Mahinda Rajapaksa |
| Member of Parliament for Hambantota District | |
| Assumed office 1989 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 30 October 1942 Palatuwa, British Ceylon |
| Nationality | Sri Lankan |
| Political party | Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, Sri Lanka Freedom Party |
| Spouse(s) | Chandra Malini Rajapaksa (nee Wijewardene) |
| Children | Shasheendra, Shameendra |
| Alma mater | Richmond College, Galle |
| Profession | Police officer, Politician |
Shashindra Rajapaksa (eldest son of Rajapaksa) is the former chief Minister of Uva Provincial Council and former Basnayaka Nilame (Lay Custodian) of the Ruhunu Maha Kataragama devalaya.