President Mahinda Rajapaksa turns 69 today. Many events including religious ceremonies, blood donation campaigns, dana, meritorious acts and charity events have been organised throughout the country to mark the occasion with Hambantota, the President’s birth place being the focal point of the ceremonies.

Born on November 18, 1945 in Medamulana in the deep South it was a long and hard journey to the top for the people’s President, first as an MP, then Minister, Prime Minister and finally the fifth Executive President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

President Rajapaksa was elected President in November 2005 and he will be completing nine years in that office, after winning a second term in 2010.