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  2. First female Prime Minister (1960–1965) Bandaranaike praying in a 1962 photograph described as the "Praying Premier" by the Associated Press. On 21 July 1960, following a landslide victory for the Freedom Party, Bandaranaike was sworn in as the first female prime minister in the world, as well as Minister of Defence and External Affairs.

  3. Apr 13, 2024 · Sirimavo Bandaranaike (born April 17, 1916, Ratnapura, Ceylon [now Sri Lanka]—died October 10, 2000, Colombo, Sri Lanka) was a stateswoman who, upon her party’s victory in the 1960 general election in Ceylon (later Sri Lanka ), became the world’s first woman prime minister. She left office in 1965 but returned to serve two more terms ...

    • The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
    • Early Years
    • Marriage and Family
    • Thrust Into Politics
    • Achievements
    • Sirimavo’S Legacy

    Sirimavo was born in Sri Lanka in 1916 to a wealthy Sinhalese family. This was during the time when the country was still under the British and known as Ceylon. The eldest in a family of six, she distinguished herself with her love for education, particularly in literature and science, and demonstrated a sharp wit and insight from an early age. Aft...

    In 1940, as was the custom of the time (and still is today in many traditional families), Sirimavo’s family arranged her marriage. The man they chose, S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, was initially considered unsuitable by her family as he was from a low-country family who had served the colonial rulers for decades. Conversely, Sirimavo’s family had an arist...

    S.W.R.D. was a strong leader but he also attracted a lot of vitriol for his policies and strong stance on issues. When her husband was shot by a Buddhist monk in 1959, Sirimavo was asked to be the leader of the political party established by her husband. Although reluctant initially, she decided to take his place and to carry forward his policies. ...

    Sirimavo would go on to serve the country as Prime Minister for three separate terms. While her policies weren’t always well-received, some of the most impactful actions taken by her during this period included the following. 1. Sirimavo is credited for leading Ceylon away from its colonial past and into a new future as a politically independent re...

    Sirimavo died in 2000 from a heart attack. The entire country went into two days of mourning and there was a general feeling of the end of an era. Today, Sirimavo’s legacy is controversial. In her own country, there are those who love her and see her as a matriarchal figure and a champion of women’s rightsand capabilities, while others see her as o...

  4. Dec 10, 2020 · Sirimavo Bandaranaike was elected the modern world's first female head of government in 1960 when she became prime minister of Sri Lanka, or Ceylon as it was known then. She entered politics after ...

  5. Nov 21, 2020 · Sirimavo Bandaranaike was elected the modern world's first female head of government in 1960 when she became prime minister of Sri Lanka, or Ceylon as it was known then. She entered politics after ...

  6. 1 %. Of the world’s 195 nations, only about 70 have had a female head of government or state. Vigdís Finnbogadóttir of Iceland became the first woman in the world to be elected head of state in a national election. Of the 10 most populous countries, the United States, Russia, China, Mexico, and Nigeria have never elected a woman leader.

  7. Mar 8, 2020 · Vaishnavi Sinha. Published On: Mar 8, 2020. --- ENDS --- The first female Prime Minister Sirima Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike was the world's first non-hereditary female head of government in modern history after she was elected as a Prime Minister, check here for some interesting facts.