Sunil Handunneththi | |
---|---|
සුනිල් හඳුන්නෙත්ති சுனில் ஹந்துநெத்தி | |
![]() Handunneththi in 2023 | |
Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development | |
Assumed office 18 November 2024 | |
President | Anura Kumara Dissanayake |
Prime Minister | Harini Amarasuriya |
Preceded by | Harini Amarasuriya |
Member of Parliament for Matara District | |
Assumed office 21 November 2024 | |
Majority | 249,251 Preferential votes |
Member of Parliament for National List | |
In office 2015–2020 | |
Member of Parliament for Colombo District | |
In office 2001–2015 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Deniyaya,Matara,Sri Lanka | October 19,1971
Political party | Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna |
Other political affiliations | National People's Power |
COPE Chairperson from 2015 to 2020 | |
Sunil Handunneththi (Handunnetti;born October 19,1971) is a Sri Lankan politician and a member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka who has served as the Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development since November 2024. A member of the National People's Power and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna,he was elected as a Member of Parliament for Matara Electoral District in 2024 Sri Lankan parliamentary election.He formerly contested 2010 parliamentary elections under the Democratic National Alliance (DNA),which is led by former army chief Sarath Fonseka and was re-elected to Parliament from Colombo District.
Handunneththi was born on 19 October 1971 in Deniyaya,Matara,Sri Lanka. He attended Dharmasoka College in Ambalangoda and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. [1]
Handunneththi entered politics by being a student in Sri Jayawardanapura University and became the Convener of the Inter University Students' Federation in 1995 and continued until 1996. Was an activist in the Socialist Students Union and entered full-time politics in 1998 and was elected as a councilor of the Colombo Municipal Council during 1998-1999. Handunnetti was elected to the Central Committee of the JVP in 2000 and was appointed to the Political Bureau of the JVP in 2012 and was appointed as the Financial Secretary of the JVP. Elected to Parliament at the general election held in 2004 with the second highest number of preferential votes from Colombo District. In 2004 was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Ministry of Rural Economic Affairs.
As the Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development,Sunil Handunneththi has initiated several key programs:
Additionally,in February 2025,Handunneththi met with India's Minister of State for Coal and Mines,Satish Chandra Dubey,to discuss bilateral cooperation in mineral exploration and mining. The discussions focused on securing critical minerals essential for both nations' economic and industrial growth.
Election | Constituency | Party | Alliance | Votes | Result | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1999 provincial | Colombo District | JVP | 635 | Not elected | |||
2000 parliamentary | Colombo District | JVP | 8,823 | Elected | |||
2001 parliamentary | Colombo District | JVP | 9,438 | Elected | |||
2004 parliamentary | Colombo District | JVP | UPFA | 152,942 | Elected | ||
2010 parliamentary | Colombo District | JVP | DNA | 78,126 | Elected | ||
2015 parliamentary | Matara District | JVP | 35,270 | Not elected | |||
2020 parliamentary | Matara District | JVP | NPP | 37,136 | Not elected | ||
2024 parliamentary [6] | Matara District | JVP | NPP | 249,251 | Elected |