Anura Kumara Dissanayake was born on November 24, 1968, in Thambuththegama, Sri Lanka, into a working-class family. His father was a labourer, and his mother a housewife. Mr Dissanayake was involved in the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) party during his school years and was the first student from the college chosen for admission into the university.

The working class will rapidly come into conflict with the JVP/NPP government, which while posturing as anti-establishment, is a right-wing communalist party committed to imposing IMF austerity.