Main content

The world's first woman premier

Sirimavo Bandaranaike was elected the prime minster of Sri Lanka, or Ceylon as it was known then, in 1960 following the assassination of her husband, Solomon Bandaranaike.

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 the assassination of her husband Solomon Bandrainaike in 1959. Farhana Haider has been speaking to her daughter Sunethra Bandaranaike about her mother's remarkable political achievement.

Photo Sirimavo Bandaranaike the Prime Minister of Ceylon (later Sri Lanka), 1960. Credit Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Available now

9 minutes

Last on

Wed 18 Nov 2020 03:50GMT
大象传媒 World Service

More episodes

Previous

Captured by Somali pirates

Next

America's WW2 refugee camp

See all episodes from Witness History

Broadcasts

  • Tue 17 Nov 2020 08:50GMT
    大象传媒 World Service
  • Tue 17 Nov 2020 12:50GMT
    大象传媒 World Service
  • Tue 17 Nov 2020 18:50GMT
    大象传媒 World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
  • Tue 17 Nov 2020 23:50GMT
    大象传媒 World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
  • Wed 18 Nov 2020 03:50GMT
    大象传媒 World Service

Featured in...

Podcast