A Touching Note from a Daughter Remembering Her Mother

Today marks 25 years since the passing of Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike, the world’s first woman to hold the office of Prime Minister. Commemorating her mother’s legacy, former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga shared a deeply emotional message on her official Facebook page.

Here is an excerpt from her post:

“I still remember a day in the mid-1980s when my sister and I visited our mother at her residence. She was quietly gazing at a few silver heirlooms that had been passed down through generations. As she spoke of their worth, I realized she was preparing to part with them.

Curious and concerned, I asked her why she wanted to sell those family treasures. She gently explained that she needed money to undergo a hip surgery overseas.

This was a woman who had once served as the Prime Minister of our country for twelve long years. Seeing her in such financial difficulty filled me with deep sorrow — yet at the same time, it filled me with immense pride.

That was my mother — a leader of unmatched integrity, who served her people selflessly and left behind nothing but her honour.

Twenty-five years have passed since such a remarkable woman bid farewell to this world.

May you rest in peace, Amma.”