Ruwan Wijewardene

Senior Advisor to the President on climate change

Ruwan Wijewardene is a prominent Sri Lankan politician with a rich political background. Here are some key details about him:

Political Career

Ruwan Wijewardene has held several important positions in the Sri Lankan government:

He served as the State Minister of Defence.1 2
He was also a former non-cabinet Minister of Mass Media.3
Wijewardene was a Member of Parliament for the Gampaha District.1 3
He is currently the Deputy Leader of the United National Party (UNP).3
Prior to entering parliament in 2010, he was a member of the Western Provincial Council.1 3

Current Role

As of July 2022, Ruwan Wijewardene is serving as the Senior Advisor to President H.E. Ranil Wickremesinghe on Climate Change.3

Personal Background

Born on August 4, 1975, Wijewardene comes from a prominent political dynasty:

He is the youngest son of Mrs. Ranjani Senanayake and Mr. Ranjith Wijewardene, Chairman of Wijeya Newspapers.1
His maternal great-grandfather, D.S. Senanayake, was the first Prime Minister of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).1
His grand-uncle, Dudley Senanayake, served as Prime Minister multiple times.1
Wijewardene is also a nephew of J.R. Jayewardene, the first Executive President of Sri Lanka.1

Education

Ruwan Wijewardene completed his primary and secondary education at St. Thomas' Preparatory School. He then pursued higher education at the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Government.1 3

Wijewardene's political career and family background have positioned him as a significant figure in Sri Lankan politics, with a focus on defense and climate change issues.