Politics

Veteran politician and former Minister Professor Tissa Vitharana has died at the age of 91, as confirmed by his family. He reportedly passed away this morning at his home in Kotte after a long illness. Throughout his impressive career, Professor Vitharana contributed to Sri Lanka in various important roles, including as a Member of Parliament, a Cabinet Minister, and a Provincial Governor. He led the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) and was the Governor of the North Central Province from 2019 to 2020. He began his political journey with the LSSP in 1974. After the 2004 parliamentary elections, Vitharana became a UPFA National List MP in the Sri Lankan Parliament and was later appointed as Minister of Science and Technology. Following the 2010 parliamentary elections, he was re-elected as a UPFA National List MP. Although he lost his cabinet role at one point, he was named Minister of Technology and Research in May 2010 and was advanced to Senior Minister of Scientific Affairs in November 2010. He lost his cabinet position after the 2015 presidential election. In the 2015 parliamentary elections, Vitharana was listed as a National List candidate for the UPFA but did not secure a position in the National List after the election.