Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka was the world’s first female prime minister, elected in 1960.
She:
- continued socialist policies
- later introduced more radical reforms
- promoted land reform
- helped rename Ceylon as Sri Lanka
Note
Bandaranaike showed that women could hold top political office in newly independent states.
Her time in office was shaped by economic difficulties and changing public support.