Junius Richard Jayewardene
President of Sri Lanka from 1978 to 1989 · Sri Lanka · On the map · Politicians · Lived 1906 to 1996 · aged 90
Junius Richard Jayewardene, commonly referred to by his initials JR, was a Sri Lankan lawyer, public official and statesman who served as prime minister of Sri Lanka from 1977 to 1978 and as the second president of Sri Lanka from 1978 to 1989.
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Photos 8
J. R. with his parents and siblings.
The first Cabinet of Ministers of Ceylon
J. R. Jayewardene in the 1970s
President William Gopallawa and Prime Minister J.R. Jayewardene with the cabinet of ministers in 1977 after being sworn in.
Jayewardene presenting a baby elephant to US President Ronald Reagan and the American people, 1984
President Jayawardene with his wife and first lady, Elina, on their 50th Wedding Anniversary in 1985.
President J. R. Jayewardene and Diyawadana Nilame Dr. Nissanka Wijeyeratne with Raja (elephant)About this person
He was a leader of the nationalist movement in Ceylon and served in a variety of cabinet positions in the decades following independence. A longtime member of the United National Party, he led the party to a landslide victory in the 1977 parliamentary elections and served as prime minister for half a year before becoming the country's first executive president under an amended constitution.
