Early Life and Education
Professor Maithree Wickremesinghe was born on August 11, 1964, the only child of Senevi B. Wickremasinghe and Shiranee Wickremasinghe (née Bandaratilaka) in Nawala, Koswatte. She attended Musaeus College, a prestigious private girls’ school in Colombo. She later pursued higher education at King’s College London, earning a BA (Hons) degree in English. Wickremesinghe further specialized in Women’s Studies, completing her MA degree at the University of Colombo, and later, she earned a Ph.D. from the Institute of Education, University of London, focusing on feminist research methodology in Sri Lanka.
Academic and Professional Career
Wickremesinghe is a distinguished academic, writer, and professor of English at the University of Kelaniya. She is renowned for her expertise in gender and women’s studies, contributing significantly to gender equity and equality policy strategies. As the founding director of the Centre for Gender Studies at the University of Kelaniya, she has been instrumental in shaping the discourse on gender issues in Sri Lanka. Her role extends to visiting professorships at the University of Colombo and the University of Sussex, where she continues to influence the field of gender studies.
Contributions and Publications
Over a career spanning more than 25 years, Professor Wickremesinghe has focused on conducting gender sensitization trainings and evaluating women’s and gender programs for both local and international organizations. Her selected publications reflect her deep engagement with gender issues:
- From Theory to Action – Women, Gender and Development (2000): Published by Friedrich Ebert Steiftung.
- Gender Dimensions in Disaster Management (2003/2005): Co-authored with Madhavi Malalgoda Ariyabandhu, published by ITDG (Practical Action).
- Beyond Glass Ceilings and Brick Walls – Gender at the Workplace (2006): Co-authored with Wijaya Jayatilake, published by the International Labor Organization.
- Feminist Research Methodology – Making Meaning of Meaning Making (2010): Published by Routledge.
- Towards Gender Equity / Equality: A Scan of Gender Sensitive Laws, Policies and Programmes in Sri Lanka (2012): Published by ILO.
Personal Life
In 1994, Maithree Wickremesinghe married Ranil Wickremesinghe. She became the First Lady of Sri Lanka in July 2022 when her husband assumed the presidency. Notably, she is the first presidential spouse in Sri Lanka to hold a Ph.D., marking a significant milestone in the nation’s history.
Professor Maithree Wickremesinghe continues to be a prominent figure in both academia and public life, advocating for gender equality and contributing to the betterment of society through her scholarly and policy work.
