Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike (1916–2000) became Prime Minister of Ceylon in July 1960, the first woman in the world to hold the office of head of government through election. She served three terms: 1960–65, 1970–77 and 1994–2000.
She entered politics after the assassination of her husband, S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, having previously been known for social work rather than public office. Her first government continued the language and nationalisation policies of her husband's administration. Her second oversaw the 1972 constitution, which made Ceylon the republic of Sri Lanka and severed the last constitutional links to the Crown, together with land reform and extensive state control of the economy. She was a prominent figure in the Non-Aligned Movement and chaired its 1976 summit in Colombo.
Her civic rights were removed in 1980 by a UNP-controlled parliament and restored in 1986. She served a third term as Prime Minister under the presidency of her daughter, and died in 2000 on election day, hours after voting.