Anura Kumara Dissanayake was elected as Sri Lanka’s president on Sunday, securing victory in a runoff election with 5,740,179 votes against opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and current President Ranil Wickremesinghe. This election follows significant civil unrest in 2022 that led to the resignation of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa amid a severe economic crisis.

At 55, AKD’s rise is particularly notable, he garnered just 3% of the votes in the 2019 presidential election. His political journey began in his hometown of Dewahuwa, where he became involved in student activism against the Indo-Lanka Accord in 1987. After earning a degree in Science from the University of Kelaniya, he rose through the ranks of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), serving in various leadership roles, including as the party leader since 2014.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake's political platform emphasizes democracy, human rights, and anti-corruption, campaigning under the banner of “A prosperous country - beautiful lives.” As he assumes leadership, he faces the daunting task of guiding Sri Lanka out of its ongoing economic struggles and responding to a populace eager for change.