Vijaya Kumaranatunga

Sri Lankan actor, singer (1945–1988)

Kovilage Anton Vijaya Kumaranatunga (Sinhala: කොවිලගේ ඇන්ටන් විජය කුමාරණතුංග; 9 October 1945 – 16 February 1988) was a popular Sri Lankan movie actor and politician. He was married to former Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga from 1978 until his assassination in 1988.

Vijaya Kumaranatunga
Born(1945-10-09)9 October 1945
Ja-Ela, Sri Lanka
Died16 February 1988(1988-02-16) (aged 42)
Polhendoga, Sri Lanka
Cause of deathGunshot wounds
Other namesKovilage Anton Vijaya Kumaranatunga
Alma materDe Mazenod College, St. Benedict's College
Occupation(s)Actor, politician
Years active1968 – 1988
Height6 ft in (1.83 m)
SpouseChandrika Kumaranatunga
ChildrenYasodhara, Vimukthi

Family life

change

In 1978, Kumaranatunga married Chandrika Bandaranaike, daughter of the late Sri Lankan Prime Minister S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike and former Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike. Vijaya Kumaranatunga and Chandrika Bandaranaike had two children, Yasodhara Kumaranatunga Walker (MD) and Vimukthi Kumaranatunga (Vet) in UK.

Kumaratunga was shot with a Type 56 assault rifle outside his home on the outskirts of Colombo on 16 February 1988 by Lionel Ranasinghe. He was shot twice in back while Gamini sitting in the back seat of the motorcycle. After the gunshot, Kumaratunga fell to the ground and Gamini got off the motorcycle before shooting Kumaratunga once more in the head, thinking that the first two shots would not have killed Kumaratunga.