Sunethra Bandaranaike is a Sri Lankan philanthropist and a socialite.
She is the eldest daughter of former Prime Ministers Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike and Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike and sister of former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and former Speaker Anura Bandaranaike.
Educated at St Bridget's Convent, Colombo she went on to gain a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Somerville College, University of Oxford.[1] She worked as a researcher in the Minority Rights Group and the Overseas Development Institute and held the post of Co-ordinating Secretary to the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka during her mother's tenure.
Less ambitious than her younger sister and brother, she has had a limited involvement in politics and currently chairs the Sunera Foundation a NGO which works with differently abled youth and adults.