Hon. Sirimavo Bandaranaike සිරිමාවෝ බණ්ඩාරනායක Bandaranaike pictured in 1960 Prime Minister of Sri Lanka In office 14 November 1994[1]xa0– 10 August 2000[1] President Chandrika Kumaratunga Preceded by Chandrika Kumaratunga Succeeded by Ratnasiri Wickremanayake In office 29 May 1970[1]xa0– 23 July 1977[1] Monarch Elizabeth II (Until 22 May 1972) President William Gopallawa (From 22 May 1972) Governor General William Gopallawa (Until 22 May 1972) Preceded by Dudley Senanayake Succeeded by J. R. Jayewardene In office 21 July 1960[1]xa0– 27 March 1965[1] Monarch Elizabeth II Governor General Oliver Goonetilleke William Gopallawa Preceded by Dudley Senanayake Succeeded by Dudley Senanayake Leader of the Opposition In office 9 March 1989[2]xa0– 24 June 1994[2] President Ranasinghe Premadasa Dingiri Banda Wijetunga Prime Minister Dingiri Banda Wijetunga Ranil Wickremesinghe Preceded by Anura Bandaranaike Succeeded by Gamini Dissanayake In office 5 April 1965[2]xa0– 25 March 1970[2] Monarch Elizabeth II Governor General Oliver Goonetilleke William Gopallawa Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake Preceded by Dudley Senanayake Succeeded by J. R. Jayewardene Cabinet posts Minister without Portfolio In office 19 August 1994[3]xa0– 14 November 1994[4] President Dingiri Banda Wijetunga Prime Minister Chandrika Kumaratunga Minister of Planning and Economic Affairs In office 17 September 1975[5]xa0– ? President William Gopallawa Minister of Plan Implementation In office 17 September 1975[5]xa0– ? President William Gopallawa Minister of Planning and Employment In office 31 May 1970[6]xa0– ? Monarch Elizabeth II (Until 22 May 1972) President William Gopallawa (From 22 May 1972) Governor General William Gopallawa (Until 22 May 1972) Minister of External Affairs and Defence In office 29 May 1970[6][4]xa0– 23 July 1977[4] Monarch Elizabeth II (Until 22 May 1972) President William Gopallawa (From 22 May 1972) Governor General William Gopallawa (Until 22 May 1972) Prime Minister Herself Preceded by Dudley Senanayake Succeeded by J. R. Jayewardene In office 21 July 1960[4]xa0– 25 March 1965[4] Monarch Elizabeth II Governor General Oliver Goonetilleke William Gopallawa Prime Minister Herself Preceded by Dudley Senanayake Succeeded by Dudley Senanayake Leadership positions 3rd Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party In office 7 May 1960[7]xa0– (de facto) May 1993,[8] (officially) 12 November 1994[9] Preceded by C. P. de Silva Succeeded by Chandrika Kumaratunga Constituencies Member of the Sri Lankan Parliament for National List In office 19 August 1994[3]xa0– 10 August 2000[10] Member of the Sri Lankan Parliament for Gampaha In office 15 February 1989[11]xa0– 16 August 1994[12] Majority 214,390 (1989) Member of the Sri Lankan Parliament for Attanagalla In office 5 April 1965[13]xa0– 16 October 1980[14] Preceded by James Obeysekera Succeeded by Lakshman Jayakody Majority 30,226 (1977) Ceylonese Senator In office 2 August 1960[4]xa0– 4 December 1964 (Parliament dissolved)[15] Preceded by Piyadasa de Zoysa Succeeded by Personal details Born Sirima Ratwatte (1916-04-17)17 April 1916 Ratnapura, British Ceylon Died 10 October 2000(2000-10-10) (agedxa084) Kadawatha, Western Province, Sri Lanka Resting place Horagolla Bandaranaike Samadhi Political party Sri Lanka Freedom Party Spouse(s) Solomon Bandaranaike (m.xa01940; diedxa01959) Relations Ratwatte family Bandaranaike family Children Sunethra Chandrika Anura Parents Barnes Ratwatte Rosalind Kumarihamy Residence Tintagel Horagolla Walauwa Education Ferguson High School, Ratnapura St Bridgets Convent, Colombo Occupation Social worker politician stateswoman