A 54-year-old first-time lawmaker and university professor who once walked the lawns and sat on the dusty benches of Hindu College in Delhi was on Tuesday named Sri Lanka’s 16th prime minister, an appointment that also bestowed the prestigious institution one of its tallest alumna.
Harini Amarasuriya, a leader of the National People’s Power (NPP), who completed her undergraduate degree in sociology from Hindu College, was administered the oath of office by the island nation’s new president Anura Kumar Dissanayake in the capital Colombo.
She is the first head of state from the 125-year-old Delhi University college, which has nurtured several actors, national cricketers, bureaucrats, political leaders and a former Chief Justice of India.
Hindu College principal Anju Srivastava called the moment a “proud milestone in the college’s storied history”.
“We are delighted to hear that a Hinduite is now the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. It is a proud moment for the Hindu College family. A student of sociology at Hindu College between 1991 and 1994, she is an extremely accomplished academic and politician,” she said.
“We hope that her time at Hindu College helped set her up for all her future successes. Our college has a long history of a parliamentary system, wherein we elect a prime minister and leader of opposition each year - and her appointment at this esteemed position is a proud milestone in this storied history,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}“We hope that her time at Hindu College helped set her up for all her future successes. Our college has a long history of a parliamentary system, wherein we elect a prime minister and leader of opposition each year - and her appointment at this esteemed position is a proud milestone in this storied history,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}Amarasuriya is only the third woman prime minister of Sri Lanka.
Born and brought up in Colombo, she followed up her time at Hindu College with a master’s in applied anthropology in Australia and then completed a PhD in social anthropology from the University of Edinburgh..
Bollywood director Nalin Singh, a former English student at Hindu College and Amarasuriya’s contemporary, said he recalled her as an active participant in a string of cultural events.
“She was a friendly member of the community who was active in the college’s cultural life despite the language barrier,” he said.
“At a time when there are questions about the future course of relationship between the two countries, we hope her past association, memories and connection with Hindu College helps foster a good relationship,” Singh added.
Ravi Burman, who heads the Hindu College Old Students Association (OSA), congratulated Amarasuriya.
“We are sure she will excel as the new prime minister. There have been chief ministers but she is the first Prime Minister of a state from the Hindu college alumni community. It is a major milestone for us as well,” he said.
An academic-turned politician, Amarasuriya is the country’s first female premier in nearly 25 years and became a member of parliament through the NPP national list in 2020.
She has also published books and conducted research on youth, politics, dissent, activism, gender, development, state-society relations, child protection, globalisation and development.
Suranjan Sinha, a former lecturer of sociology at Hindu College who taught Amarasuriya, recalled her as a bright and articulate student who introduced him to rock band Pearl Jam.
“Harini was there, in the early 90s, when I took to the vocation. I have vivid memories of Harini, a bright and articulate student... I did use references to modern music, novels, films and so on, in some of my lectures in those days… Harini gave me this audiotape, a compilation of Pearl Jam songs that she had curated… I remember that moment very clearly,” he said.