 | This article includes a list ofgeneral references, butit lacks sufficient correspondinginline citations. Please help toimprove this article byintroducing more precise citations.(November 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Chamal Rajapaksa | |
|---|---|
| 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 forHambantota District | |
| In office 1989–2024 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1942-10-30)30 October 1942 (age 83) |
| Nationality | Sri Lankan |
| Political party | Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (since 2018) |
| Other political affiliations | Sri Lanka Freedom Party (before 2018) |
| Spouse(s) | Chandra Malini Rajapaksa (nee Wijewardene) |
| Children | Shasheendra, Shameendra |
| Alma mater | Richmond College, Galle |
| Profession | Police officer, Politician |
Chamal Jayantha Rajapaksa (Sinhala:චමල් රාජපක්ෂ;Tamil:சமல் ராஜபக்ஷ; born 30 October 1942) is a Sri Lankan politician[1] who wasSpeaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka from 2010 to 2015.[2] 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 inWijeyananda Dahanayake's government. He is the elder brother ofMahinda Rajapaksa, who wasPresident of Sri Lanka from 2005 to 2015 andGotabaya Rajapaksa who was president from 2019 to 2022.[3]
Shashindra Rajapaksa (eldest son of Rajapaksa) is the former chief Minister ofUva Provincial Council and former Basnayaka Nilame (Lay Custodian) of theRuhunu Maha Kataragama devalaya.
Rajapaksa was born on 30 October 1942 in Palatuwa in the Southern District ofMatara and raised in Medamulana in the District ofHambantota.[4] He was the eldest son, of nine siblings which included, an older sister, three younger brothers:Mahinda Rajapaksa,Gotabaya Rajapaksa andBasil Rajapaksa and two younger sisters, toD. A. Rajapaksa and Dona Dandina Samarasinghe Dissanayake. He received his primary and secondary education atRichmond College,Galle. As a student, he was an athlete and played soccer for the school, in addition to being an academic high achiever.[5]
Following his schooling, he joined theCeylon Police Force as aSub-inspector and served for eight years.[5] He thereafter served the State Trading General Corporation as the Assistant General Manager before getting into active politics in 1985.
Contested the by-election held in 1985 for Mulkirigala Electorate.
Entered Parliament in 1989 as a member of parliament of theSri Lanka Freedom Party representing Hambantota District. Has been a member of parliament continuously since 1989, retaining his seat in all elections held to date.
Prior to his present appointment as Speaker of the Parliament, he held the following portfolios.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Speaker of the Parliament 2010–2015 | Succeeded by |
 | ||
| Central Province |
| ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Province |
| ||||||
| Northern Province |
| ||||||
| North Central Province |
| ||||||
| North Western Province |
| ||||||
| Sabaragamuwa Province |
| ||||||
| Southern Province |
| ||||||
| Uva Province |
| ||||||
| Western Province |
| ||||||
| National List (29) |
| ||||||
| Central Province |
| ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Province |
| ||||||
| Northern Province |
| ||||||
| North Central Province |
| ||||||
| North Western Province |
| ||||||
| Sabaragamuwa Province |
| ||||||
| Southern Province |
| ||||||
| Uva Province |
| ||||||
| Western Province |
| ||||||
| National List (29) |
| ||||||
| Central Province |
| ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Province |
| ||||||||
| Northern Province |
| ||||||||
| North Central Province |
| ||||||||
| North Western Province |
| ||||||||
| Sabaragamuwa Province |
| ||||||||
| Southern Province |
| ||||||||
| Uva Province |
| ||||||||
| Western Province |
| ||||||||
| National List (29) |
| ||||||||
| Central Province (24) |
| ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Central Province (13) |
| ||||||||||
| North Eastern Province (31) |
| ||||||||||
| North Western Province (24) |
| ||||||||||
| Sabaragamuwa Province (19) |
| ||||||||||
| Southern Province (25) |
| ||||||||||
| Uva Province (13) |
| ||||||||||
| Western Province (47) |
| ||||||||||
| National List (29) |
| ||||||||||
| Western |
| ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central |
| ||||||||
| Southern |
| ||||||||
| Northern |
| ||||||||
| Eastern |
| ||||||||
| North Western |
| ||||||||
| North Central |
| ||||||||
| Uva |
| ||||||||
| Sabaragamuwa |
| ||||||||
| National List |
| ||||||||
| Central (25) |
| ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern (16) |
| ||||||||
| Northern (13) |
| ||||||||
| North Central (14) |
| ||||||||
| North Western (23) |
| ||||||||
| Sabaragamuwa (20) |
| ||||||||
| Southern (25) |
| ||||||||
| Uva (13) |
| ||||||||
| Western (47) |
| ||||||||
| National List (29) |
| ||||||||
| Central (25) |
| ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern (16) |
| ||||||||||||||
| Northern (13) |
| ||||||||||||||
| North Central (14) |
| ||||||||||||||
| North Western (24) |
| ||||||||||||||
| Sabaragamuwa (20) |
| ||||||||||||||
| Southern (25) |
| ||||||||||||||
| Uva (13) |
| ||||||||||||||
| Western (47) |
| ||||||||||||||
| National List (29) |
| ||||||||||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
