Anura Kumara Dissanayaka Politician
Dissanayaka Mudiyanselage Anura Kumara Dissanayaka (Sinhala:අනුර කුමාර දිසානායක, Tamil:அனுரகுமார திசாநாயக்க ) (born 24 November 1968) (known as Anura Kumara Dissanayaka) is a Sri Lankan politician, current Leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and a member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka. He was the former Cabinet Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation. Dissanayake was named the leader of JVP at the 7th national convention of the party held on 2 February 2014.Anura Kumara Dissanayake made his entry into politics with his participation in student political activities associated with the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) in 1988 at the Peradeniya University at a time of great ferment in student politics. He later moved to the University of Kelaniya where he graduated with a B.Sc degree in physics After the violent period of 1988-89 when student activists were under great threat, his involvement in youth politics intensified following the changes that took place in 1994, and the defeat of the UNP Government after 17 years. He was associated with the launch of the Samajavadi Shishya Sangamaya (Socialist Students Union), and functioned as its national organizer in 1994. His commitment to political activity saw him elected to the central committee of the JVP in 1996. From 1998 he has been a member of the JVPs Political bureau, its key policy making body. Dissanayake entered parliament from the JVPs National List in 2000. He was elected to parliament as a JVP representative from the Kurunegala District in April 2004. He was the former Cabinet Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation, areas that have a far-reaching impact on the lives of the masses of this country. (Source: Facebook profile of Mr. Anura Kumara Dissanayake).