First female Prime Minister

Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka (April 17, 1916 – October 10, 2000) was the First Woman Prime Minister (in modern times), and also had the Longest Tenure for a Woman Prime Minister. Sirimavo Bandaranaike assumed the leadership position of the island nation in the wake of the assassination of her husband, Prime Minister Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike (usually referred to as as S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike) who was shot by a Buddhist Monk on 25 September 1959, dying the next day. Sirimavo Bandaranaike, as leader of the Sri Lankan Freedom Party, held the post three times, first from 21 July 1960 until 27 March 1965, then 29 May 1970 until 23 July 1977 (the country changed its name from Ceylon to Sri Lanka in 1972), followed by a final term from 14 November 1994 until 10 August 2000. She was also the mother of Sri Lanka's Chandrika Kumaratunga, a daughter, who served as the country’s President as well as Anura Bandaranaike, a son, who was a former speaker and cabinet minister. Bandaranaike died the “death of a politician” – breathing her last on Election Day, 10 October 2000. Sirimavo Bandaranaike held the PM post three terms: first from 21 July 1960 until 27 March 1965, then 29 May 1970 until 23 July 1977 followed by a third and final term from 14 November 1994 until 10 August 2000. Bandaranaike also holds the record for the longest tenure by a female prime minister. The country changed its name from Ceylon to Sri Lanka in 1972.