Ms Amarasuriya, 54, is the first woman in more than two decades and the only third woman in the history of independent Sri Lanka to take charge as the prime minister. She is a sociology lecturer and known for her activism on gender and minority rights.

Harini Amarasuriya becomes Sri Lanka's first female Prime Minister since 2000. She will focus on justice reform, education, healthcare, and investment.

Following his election as the Sri Lankan President, Anura Kumar Dissanayake has appointed Dr Amarasuriya as the Prime Minister. She is an academic, activist and a former member of the parliament from the marxist party,