Dinesh Gunawardena
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Honourable Dinesh Gunawardena MP |
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|---|---|
| Minister of Transport | |
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In office October 2000 – December 2001 |
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| Succeeded by | Gamini Atukorale |
| Minister of Urban Development and Water Supply | |
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In office April 2004 – April 2010 |
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| Minister of Water Supply and Drainage | |
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In office April 2010 – 12 January 2015 |
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| Preceded by | A. L. M. Athaullah |
| Succeeded by | Rauff Hakeem |
| Chief Government Whip | |
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In office 17 June 2008 – 20 January 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Jeyaraj Fernandopulle |
| Succeeded by | Gayantha Karunathilaka |
| Deputy Minister of Education | |
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In office April 2004 – January 2007 |
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| Succeeded by | M. Satchithanandan |
| Member of the Sri Lankan Parliament for Maharagama |
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In office 1983–1989 |
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| Preceded by | Premarathne Gunasekera |
| Member of the Sri Lankan Parliament for Colombo District |
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Assumed office 2000 |
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In office 1989–1994 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 March 1949 |
| Political party | Mahajana Eksath Peramuna |
| Other political affiliations |
United People's Freedom Alliance |
| Alma mater | University of Oregon |
| Occupation | Trade unionist |
| Religion | Buddhist |
| Ethnicity | Sinhalese |
Dinesh Chandra Rupasinghe Gunawardena (born 2 March 1949) is a Sri Lankan politician, Member of Parliament and former cabinet minister. He is the current leader of the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP), a member of the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA).
Gunawardena was born 2 March 1949. He is the son of Philip Gunawardena and Kusuma Amarasinha. He was educated at Royal College, Colombo. After school he joined the Netherlands School of Business, graduating with a diploma in business management. He then joined the University of Oregon, graduating with a B.B.A. degree in international business. Whilst in the USA he became involved in student activism, taking part in Anti-Vietnam War protests.
Gunawardena married Ramani Wathsala Kotelawela. They had one son (Yadamini) and one daughter (Sankapali). Ramani died of undiagnosed hepatitis in the mid 1980s.
After university Gunawardena worked in New York City but in 1972 his father died and Gunawardena returned to Sri Lanka. He was appointed to the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna's (MEP) central committee in August 1973. He became general-secretary of the MEP in 1974.
Gunawardena was the MEP's candidate in Avissawella at the 1977 parliamentary election but failed to get elected. He was the MEP's candidate in Maharagama at the 1983 by-election. He won the election and entered Parliament. Gunawardena contested the 1989 parliamentary election as one of the MEP's candidates in Colombo District. He was elected and re-entered Parliament. He was one of the MEP's candidates in Colombo District at the 1994 parliamentary election but the MEP failed to win any seats in Parliament.
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