Tamil National Alliance (TNA) senior leader and former Opposition Leader MP R. Sampanthan has passed away at the age of 91, while receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo.

A veteran Tamil politician and prominent figure in the country’s main Tamil alliance, Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK), his political career spanned six decades, beginning with his first stint in the Sri Lankan parliament in 1977. Sampanthan was the incumbent MP for Trincomalee District and served in five parliaments since 1977.

A lawyer by profession, Sampanthan led the Tamil National Alliance since 2001. He was a Member of Parliament continuously from 2001 until his death in 2024, and previously served as an MP from 1977 to 1983 and from 1997 to 2000. He was the Leader of the Opposition from September 2015 to December 2018.

In April this year, the Parliament had granted Sampanthan, the former TNA leader and Trincomalee District MP, three months of leave from attending sessions as he was receiving medical treatment.

Sumanthiran stated via the TNA media unit: “We announce with deep regret the passing of Hon. R Sampanthan, Leader of the TNA and MP for Trincomalee a little while ago. Funeral arrangements will be notified later.”