Former President, Dingiri Banda Wijetunga passed away today (21st September) at the age of 92.  President Wijetunga, a minister in the cabinet of J.R. Jayewardena, was hand picked by Ranasinghe Premadasa to be the Prime Minister after he, Premadasa, won the Presidential Election in 1988 and was elected as President by Parliament when President Premadasa was assassinated on May 1, 1993. Wijetunga was widely recognised as a nationalist and a gentleman who was never aspired for high office but on whom these responsibilities were thrust on account of unforeseen events.

The relatively peaceful transfer of power to the People's Alliance after the United National Party lost the General Election of August 17, 1994 is attributed to his gentlemanly approach to politics.  In what is indicative of the stark contrast embodied by Wijetunga compared with the general political culture of the time, President Wijetunga earned the tag 'Ahinsaka Dingiri Banda Janadhipathi Thuma' (The Innocent President Dingiri Banda).

Equally at home with the highest in the land and the common man, D.B. Wijetunga, chose not to contest the Presidential Election in 1994. He retired to his native Pilimatalawa soon after and led a peaceful life, distanced from the rough and tumble of national politics. 

Great Memories of a National Leader

(Courtesy : Department of Information and Divaina News)