Harini Amarasuriya
Introduction


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**Harini Nireka Amarasuriya** (born 6 March 1970\) is a Sri Lankan [sociologist](/wiki/Sociologist "Sociologist"), academic, activist, and politician serving as [prime minister of Sri Lanka](/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_Sri_Lanka "Prime Minister of Sri Lanka") since 2024\. 

Having spent a decade as an academic at the [Open University of Sri Lanka](/wiki/Open_University_of_Sri_Lanka "Open University of Sri Lanka"), where she was engaged with the Federation of University Teachers' Association in trade union action; Amarasuriya was nominated by the [National People's Power](/wiki/National_People%27s_Power "National People's Power") (NPP) party as its [National List](/wiki/National_list_member_of_Parliament "National list member of Parliament") [Member of Parliament](/wiki/Member_of_Parliament_%28Sri_Lanka%29 "Member of Parliament (Sri Lanka)") in 2020\. 

She was appointed as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka in September 2024, concurrently appointed as the interim minister of justice, health, women, education, trade, and industries in the [first Dissanayake cabinet](/wiki/Dissanayake_cabinet "Dissanayake cabinet"). She is the third woman to hold the office of prime minister of Sri Lanka, after [Sirimavo Bandaranaike](/wiki/Sirimavo_Bandaranaike "Sirimavo Bandaranaike") and her daughter [Chandrika Kumaratunga](/wiki/Chandrika_Kumaratunga "Chandrika Kumaratunga").


Who are the two women to hold the office of prime minister of Sri Lanka before Harini Nireka Amarasuriya?