Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa is a former Sri Lankan military officer and politician who served as the 7th Executive President of Sri Lanka from November 2019 until his resignation in July 2022. A former Lieutenant Colonel in the Sri Lanka Army, he served as Secretary to the Ministry of Defence from 2005 to 2015 during the conclusion of the civil war. Elected President in 2019 with 52.25% of the vote on a platform of technocratic governance and national security, his administration enacted sweeping 2019 tax cuts, an overnight chemical fertilizer ban in 2021, and maintained an artificial currency peg, which precipitated sovereign debt default and widespread public protests (Aragalaya).
Quick Facts
Career Timeline
All data is sourced from primary government records, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the Department of Census and Statistics, Supreme Court determinations, and the National Audit Office.
Officer in the Sri Lanka Army (Gajaba Regiment)
Served in operational combat deployments during Operation Vadamarachchi; retired as Lieutenant Colonel.
Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law and Order
Appointed Defence Secretary by President Mahinda Rajapaksa; coordinated military operations and intelligence services.
Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development
Oversaw Colombo urban regeneration, flood mitigation, Racecourse, Arcade Independence Square, and Viharamahadevi Park renovations.
7th Executive President of Sri Lanka
Inaugurated at Ruwanwelisaya in Anuradhapura after winning the 2019 Presidential Election (6,924,255 votes / 52.25%).
Enactment of 20th Amendment to the Constitution
Enacted the 20th Constitutional Amendment expanding executive presidential powers.
Resignation from Office of Executive President
Flew overseas and transmitted official letter of resignation to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena following the July 9 mass protests.
Parliament & Terms
Calculated from recorded parliamentary service dates.
Public Accountability
MANDATORY VERIFICATION POLICY: Every submission enters [PENDING REVIEW]. Unverified social media rumors, partisan commentary, or defamatory statements without primary official documentation (Supreme Court, Parliament, NAO, Gazette) will be automatically rejected.
Supreme Court 5-judge bench evaluated policy decisions including the 2019 tax cuts, chemical fertilizer ban, maintaining artificial FX peg, and refusal to restructure debt early.
Indictment filed alleging misuse of state funds through Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (LRDC) for construction of a memorial museum in Medamulana.