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Junius Richard Jayewardene

His Excellency
J. R. Jayewardene
Junius Richard Jayawardana (1906-1996).jpg
2nd President of Sri Lanka
In office
4 February 1978 – 2 January 1989
Prime Minister Ranasinghe Premadasa
Preceded by William Gopallawa
Succeeded by Ranasinghe Premadasa
Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
In office
23 July 1977 – 4 February 1978
President William Gopallawa
Preceded by Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike
Succeeded by Ranasinghe Premadasa
Leader of the Opposition
In office
7 June 1970 – 18 May 1977
Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Preceded by Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Succeeded by A. Amirthalingam
Secretary General of Non-Aligned Movement
In office
4 February 1978 – 9 September 1979
Preceded by William Gopallawa
Succeeded by Fidel Castro
Minister of Finance
In office
24 April 1960 – 20 July 1960
Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake
Preceded by Oliver Ernest Goonetilleke
Succeeded by Stanley de Zoysa
In office
26 September 1947 – 13 October 1953
Prime Minister Don Stephen Senanayake
Dudley Senanayake
Succeeded by Oliver Ernest Goonetilleke
Member of Parliament
for Colombo West
In office
4 August 1977 – 4 February 1978
Preceded by Constituency created
Succeeded by Anura Bastian
Member of Parliament
for Colombo South
In office
5 August 1960 – 18 May 1977
Preceded by Edmund Samarawickrema
Succeeded by Constituency abolished
Member of Parliament
for Kelaniya
In office
30 March 1960 – 23 April 1960
Succeeded by R.S. Perera
In office
14 October 1947 – 18 February 1956
Preceded by Constituency created
Succeeded by R.G. Senanayake
Personal details
Born Junius Richard Jayewardene
(1906-09-17)17 September 1906
Colombo, British Ceylon
Died 1 November 1996(1996-11-01) (aged 90)
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Nationality Sri Lankan
Political party United National Party
Spouse(s) Elina Jayewardene
(nee Rupasinghe)
Children Ravi Jayewardene
Alma mater Colombo Law College,
University College, Colombo,
Royal College, Colombo,
Bishop's College Colombo
Profession Statesmen, Advocate
Religion Theravada Buddhism

Junius Richard Jayewardene (Sinhalese: ජුනියස් රිචඩ් ජයවර්ධන,Tamil: ஜூனியஸ் ரிச்சட் ஜயவர்தனா; 17 September 1906 – 1 November 1996), famously abbreviated in Sri Lanka as JR, was the leader of Sri Lanka from 1977 to 1989, serving as Prime Minister from 1977 to 1978 and as the second President of Sri Lanka from 1978 till 1989. He was a leader of the nationalist movement in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) who served in a variety of cabinet positions in the decades following independence. A longtime member of the United National Party, he led it to a crushing victory in 1977 and served as Prime Minister for half a year before becoming the country's first executive president under an amended constitution.

Born to a prominent Ceylonese family with a strong association with the legal profession, Jayewardene was the eldest of 11 children, of Hon. Justice Eugene Wilfred Jayewardene KC, a Chief Justice of Ceylon and Agnes Helen Don Philip Wijewardena daughter of Tudugalage Muhandiram Don Philip Wijewardena a wealthy merchant. His younger brothers included Dr Hector Wilfred Jayewardene, QC and Dr Rolly Jayewardene, FRCP. His uncles were the Colonel Theodore Jayewarden, Justice Valentine Jayewardene and the Press Baron D. R. Wijewardena.


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