Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Lieutenant Colonel Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa, RWP, RSP, psc, GR (Sinhala: ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂ; Tamil: கோட்டாபய ராஜபக்ஸ; born 20 June 1949) is a Sri Lankan politician, technocrat and military officer. He is the 8th President of Sri Lanka since 18 November 2019. He was Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development from 2005 to 2015.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa RWP, RSP | |
|---|---|
ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂ கோட்டாபய ராஜபக்ஸ | |
 | |
| 8th President of Sri Lanka | |
| In office 18 November 2019 – 14 July 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | Ranil Wickremesinghe Mahinda Rajapaksa |
| Preceded by | Maithripala Sirisena |
| Succeeded by | Ranil Wickremesinghe |
| Minister of Defence | |
| In office 18 November 2019 – 14 July 2022 | |
| President | Himself |
| Prime Minister | Ranil Wickremesinghe |
| Preceded by | Maithripala Sirisena |
| Succeeded by | Ranil Wickremesinghe |
| Minister of Technology | |
| In office 26 November 2020 – 14 July 2022 | |
| President | Himself |
| Prime Minister | Mahinda Rajapaksa Ranil Wickremesinghe |
| Preceded by | Susil Premajayantha |
| Succeeded by | Ranil Wickremesinghe |
| Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development | |
| In office 25 November 2005 – 8 January 2015 | |
| President | Mahinda Rajapaksa |
| Minister | Mahinda Rajapaksa |
| Preceded by | Asoka Jayawardena |
| Succeeded by | B. M. U. D. Basnayake |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa 20 June 1949 Palatuwa, Matara District, Dominion of Ceylon |
| Citizenship | |
| Spouse(s) | Ayoma Rajapaksa |
| Relations | Mahinda Rajapaksa (brother) Basil Rajapaksa (brother) Chamal Rajapaksa (brother) |
| Children | Manoj |
| Parents | D. A. Rajapaksa (father) Dandina Rajapaksa (mother) |
| Alma mater | Ananda College |
| Website | https://gota.lk/ |
| Military service | |
| Nickname(s) | Gota |
| Allegiance | Sri Lanka |
| Branch/service | Sri Lankan Army |
| Years of service | 1971–1992 |
| Rank | Lieutenant colonel |
| Unit | Gajaba Regiment |
| Commands | 1st Gajaba Regiment General Sir John Kotelawala Defence Academy |
| Battles/wars | Sri Lankan Civil War 1987–1989 JVP insurrection |
| Awards |  Rana Wickrama Padakkama Rana Sura Padakkama |
He led the Sri Lankan Armed Forces to the military defeat of the Tamil tigers, ending the Sri Lankan Civil War.
In mid 2022, massive protests broke out in the country against Rajapaksa and his government because of his bad handling of the country's economy.[6] On 9 July 2022, Rajapaksa left his official residence in Colombo before protesters broke into the residence.[7] Protesters were seen taking over the mansion even swimming in the president's pool.[8] Later that evening, it was announced he would resign on 13 July 2022.[9]
On the day he promised he would resign, he left the country by military plane to the Maldives without resigning as president.[10][11][12] On 14 July, he left the Maldives after people there protested his arrival and left to Singapore.[13][14] On 14 July, Rajapaksa resigned from presidency.[15]
References
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